This, Maobadi press freedom

The Maoists today exhibited the extent of their totalitarian vision.

The Maoists leadership must be happy to know that their cadres today successfully demolished printing press of Kantipur Daily and also tried to set fire in the premises of Kantipur Office. Of course, they have to be. This did not happen in 238 years of monarchy, 15 years of king's democracy and 18 months of king's dictatorship. I do not remember anything similar could take place in "glorious" insurgency of Maoists (though I have not forgotten the mruder of journalist Gyanendra Khadka). In all sense, it was a history and the dates could be improtant for lecturers of Nepali journalism.

"Press is dangerous". This is the most common welcome note you will find when you visit a government officer. They want to stay at the office and wait the "sanktranti" to grab the salary. They just do not want to be in problem by telling the journalists what is truth. Similarly, the party leaders also consider the media persons as their enemies. They want the journalists to be either their puppet and work as their "Prachar Prsar Bibhag" or do not want to talk with them.

We know quite well, none of the governments - either in the Panchayati regime, during the king's democracy, or any other period - were tolerant to the press. They want all the newspapers to be the pet dogs of the government, mainly the ministry of information is set up to control the media and to force them to speak in favour of the government. That is why none of the governments were ready to privatize Gorkhapatra and The Rising Nepal, which toot the government's horn out of the tax payers' money. And that was the reason the Maoists were doing all the "nakhara" to get hold of the ministry of information.

And this is the climax of Maoists are showing dictatorship's character. They have let some of its cadres in the publication house and forced the management and the journalists to obey to what their leaders say. When they failed to make the journalists write positive of all the indirect insurgency they are carrying out in the country , the came to the level of "dadagiri".

Otherwise, how can you take everything naturally, when there are hundreds of factories, industries and other service centres in the country but only the employees of the media houses are ill-treated? And even in the media houses, there are other trade unions, which are affiliated with other parties. Why those trade unions do not see any problem anly only the Maoist trade unions are feeling unethical suppression? It is as clear as day, the Maoists want to quell press freedom.

The king's day came to the end right from the day when he started to quell the press freedom. Does the Maoists of Nepal also want the same? I really believe the Maoists do not like the same thing to happen to them.

This shortage miniser of Nepal!

Look at this great man. This man is taking the office of minister for supplies. But don't just get shocked if I say that he is responsible for the shortage of petrol the Kathmaduites are facing these days. Can we call him Shortage Minister Rajendra Mahato of our [Loktantrik] Government of Nepal?

You all know, he belongs more to the agitating Terai movement than to the government. And in this connection, you don't have to be surprised if he takes side of the agitators. It has been months the petrol shortage is hitting the valley but the minsiter is as cool as ever. All he can do is that raising the issue of Terai bandh and petrol sharotage and be hero of shortage. How long do you think it can go?

I was wondering what would be more easy job than to become a minister in this country if you can spend days only by mud-sludging and blaming one another. A minister, who is qualifed as a supply minister has nothing to do with the petrol for weeks. We are the people - the tax payers - we cannot live by doing politics or enjoying the government allawance. We have to work day by day and for this, we need petrol for our duty-paied vehicles.

Do you know how much three-hour-and-a-half costs for a common Kathmanduite? We don't have any chamcha to do our job and I was one among the thousands of people who stood in queue to have six litres of petrol. Oh minister! I don't know how much enjoy our sufferings, but you are really a rocord-breaking sadist. And who will suffer when a sadist minister occupies in the caiblet if we don't?

It was really a shocking interview I listened to in a local FM station on Teusday morning. He was as careless and happy as he has done everything to supply what people need. He said directly - "People will have to suffer this as long as the situation becomes normal" but he did not say when it will be normal and who will have to work to make it so. He does not have word of sorry or promise to provide petrol. It was as if his success lies in making the people suffer.

I'm sure he will not release the tankers form Terai till he finally makes Terai a part of India (this is what he is trying to do for years or he is sent here for), or at least, since he came to Nepal from India.