Daily Archives: November 16, 2009

Height of Lawlessness in Nepal

A few days ago a minister of state, Karima Begam, publicly slapped a senior government official in latter’s office for not sending a better car to pick her up at the airport. Today the Prime Minister directed the Home minister not to take action against the culprit. Prime Minister chooses to save his chair at rather than performing his duty to uphold the law of the land. Nepal, the country, is doomed, friends.

durga prasad bhandari

karima begam

Karima

Today: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has directed Home Minister Bhim Rawal not to take action against State Minister Karima Begam who physically assaulted a senior government official, fearing an imbalance in the political equation in the coalition government he leads, eKantipur reports. According to a source, the PM told the Home Minister that any action at present might affect the equation in the coalition. State Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Begam represents Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik, the third largest party in the UML led coalition.

Tuesday, Nov 10: Karima Begam assaulted Durga Prasad Bhandari, the Chief District Officer (CDO) of Parsa. An enraged Begam grabbed Bhandari’s shirt collar and slapped him four times for sen-ding an old vehicle to receive her at Simara Airport. She was in the district to attend a programme. “I was preparing to welcome her when she attacked me without even hearing my explanation,” Bhandari said. He claimed the vehicle sent to receive the state minister was recently repaired and in good condition. Continue reading

Kathmandu Life: A Drunken Maoist on the Bus

The opposition Maoist party organized massive gatherings recently to stop ministers and government officials from entering Singhadurbar complex, the official seat of the government of Nepal. Shouting of slogans were supplemented by songs and dances. The dancers included Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Nepali film actress Rekha Thapa. The crowds were jubilant. But not all participated spontaneously. It seems the revolutionary party that prides for having wide range of supporters had paid people to participate in its protest program. Here’s a story:

By Prateebha Tuladhar

As the driver clutched the brakes, the old man’s head banged against mine. And a whiff of pungent, alcohol-drenched breath sunk into my throat. I wanted to puke. In self defence, I put out my hand and held the man by his shoulder, meaning to keep him at an arm’s length.

Two women who were standing nearby told the man to behave himself. But they were confronted with euphemism and adjectives telling them how men had the liberty to touch whatever and whoever they wanted. The sexual innuendos were a complete turn-off and I put down my hand and stood back as far as possible from him, in a bus that was crowded with passengers, as though it was the last bus home.

I realized what the women and I did to keep the man at bay, had actually had a reverse impact on him. And what began was drama. Continue reading