The Maoist minister is trying to turn the state-owned publishing house a Maoist recruitment center
The other day, Gorkhapatra Corporation, the government owned publisher of dailies Gorkhapatra and the Rising Nepal, refused to renew the contract of 49 journalists, rendering them instantly jobless. Of the 49 working journalists, many were appointed during King Gyanendra’s direct rule as justified by the corporation for the refusal to renew the contract. But the question is: How many of them were pro-king journalists? Minister of Information and Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara should be able to answer this though he has maintained a tight lip. The Maoists have formed labor unions and have talked about the rights of laborers in public gatherings. On this count, Mahara has turned his back conspicuously. Gorkhapatra Corporation has been a recruitment center of successive information and communication ministers. Mahara, being a Maoist, cannot be an exception. He apparently wants to fill the corporation with pro-Maoist journalists.
However, the victims have always been the journalists who are forced to call the tune set by the successive information and communication minister. During King Gyanendra’s 14-month-long direct rule, Minister of Information and Communication Sirish Shamsher Rana sacked over 200 journalists working in the state-run media only to recruit the “regressive” journalists later. Now Minister of Information and Communication Mahara, a hardcore Maoist, wants to step into Rana’s shoes. The refusal to renew the contract points out Mahara’s ill-intention. And this could be just the beginning. The broadcast media — Nepal television and Radio Nepal –may become the next targets. No matter how Mahara takes the role of media, he apparently lacks ingenuity and dynamism required to understand the very meaning of press freedom. On the one hand, the Maoist cadres disrupt the distribution of newspapers. On the other, Mahara directs the publication houses to resolve the differences between the delivery boys and the management when the latter has nothing to do with the demands of the delivery boys.
A week after the Right to Information Bill was passed in the parliament, the Maoists-affiliated newspaper delivery boys launched a strike at The Himalayan Times and Annapurna Post. Earlier, Samacharpatra and its sister publication Sandhyakalin were forced to close their publication for three days. The intention behind the closure and prevention of newspaper distribution is clear. First, the Maoists are finding it hard to adapt to the open environment. Second, the elite groups—be they journalists or teachers – have refused to side with the Maoist ideology. As a result, the Maoists are desperately looking for a political space within the intellectual circle. But the media personnel have seriously noted the firing of 49 journalists from Gorkhapatra Corporation. (Editorial in the Kathmandu Post)
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Comments
30 responses to “Jobless Journos of Gorkhapatra”
Wagle: Up to few months back, you were queing among other shortsighted folks promoting and encouraging the Thug Prachande. You had also exploited your blog to give him heroic treatment as much as you can. While opposing one autocrat (king), you praised another murderer in expense. Now you are complaining the outcomes, huh??
Where is your beloved partner Neil Horning these days? Ain’t he covering beloved Prachande anymore?
49 journalists are going to get fired? i think this is really a big news.
The day will come Mr. Wagle will also get fired from his job.
Wouldn’t any other political party have done the same? You know put their own people in?
Ditto – Guantanamo bay
the fact of the matter still remains that the Maoists, criticize all moves by everyone else but themselves as “older ways of democracy” and claim that it is them who will bring “new” democracy to Nepal. However, one, they continue to adopt older ways – both of the old regime and of themselves when they were Officially regargarded as terrorists (unofficially, they are still terrorists). And two, their new democracy in Nepal means a totalitarian communist regime. And they have already started to prepare Nepal for this by spreading their tentacles everywhere they can by firing people, unionizing, displacing the middle class, forcing industries, newspapers and hotels to close down, taking over industrial land from people all over the country and converting them into agriculture land for thier own terrorist gang. It is out of this world to see that the so called intellectuals, UNMIN, other bodies of UN, media, other political parties and international bodies don’t see it happening. What they want is peace at any cost but this peace is turning Nepal into a totalitarian prolitariate state.
whut tje Fcuk.there is no hope. maoist have won, the election will be just a show to legitimize their rule. anyway if the election does not happen they will force nepal to be an republic. the army has lost and girija and his henchmen are responsible. the army does not stand a chance. international support for the army is 0. and with the reputation in ruins for the UN peacekeepers army is worthless in the country and outside. Im packing my bags and running with my tail between my legs. in the end this is what we nepali are BHusiaya kukurs.
Maoists are scum,
They create unions and disrupt other businesses and media by barking about giving people permanent employment blah blah and in the case of the media these people do not even work for the newsgroup and then they go about sacking people at their own whim and fancy when it comes to their home turf. What hypocrytical ba$tards. Thjese are’nt communists these are just totalitarian scum bottom feeders.
On Sale: Gorkhapatra Corporation, Radio Nepal, Nepal TV, RSS to the public.
I can see the long term demise of the Maoists though. Short term they are strong but in two three four years time, unless the palace or the SPA does something foolish, with the sort of behaviou they have shown who will support them?
Kirat:
Even right now I don’t think the Maoists have the real core support from the majority of the people. The problem is, however, that even today despite the poor support they still “own” the streets. And as you know street politics is the name of the game these days. With their cadres (who are made of up young rowdy men all infused with Maoist propoganda and who have nothing to loose) they are still able to carry street agitations and intimidate the people. So even in the few years time this isn’t really going to change.
Bhudai-No one can ‘own’ the streets for too long. Right now all else is in a mess but when things settle down the Maoists will be gone. They have been exposed for what they are-just well organized goons with a few leaders who believe in a communist philosophy that has been rejected in it’s own birthplace.
The atrocities of these maoist thugs have crossed all limits. If a CDO is beaten by these thugs, we can easily think the degree of atrocities committed by these murderers to ordinary citizens. As long as Prachande ko Habaldar Krishna Sitaula continue to be the Home minister, they will be embolden to commit such inhuman acts. These thugs have no belief in politics based on competition, but they want to grab state power through violence. These maoist thugs are real sons of prostitutes.
The journalists better go to the king and arrange a coup again before the CA polls !
And, I agree to Shree Shrestha…
“During King Gyanendra’s 14-month-long direct rule, Minister of Information and Communication Sirish Shamsher Rana sacked over 200 journalists working in the state-run media only to recruit the “regressive” journalists later.”
–So you agree they don’t deserve to be called journalists?
Now Minister of Information and Communication Mahara, a hardcore Maoist, wants to step into Rana’s shoes.
–How do you know what he wants? All he has done is refuse to renew temperory contarcts of some Mandales that were hired by Gyane’s goons for some other purposes–jasoosi, goondagardi, etc.
The refusal to renew the contract points out Mahara’s ill-intention.
–Some logic. Where in the world automatic renewal of contracts is ensured?
Folks, get over your distaste for Maoists. Out of all parties in interim legislature and executive, only Maoists are behaving with a sense of responsibility. Their ministers are under pressure from party workers. Let them spread around the loaves of office and survive. Trust me, they will be much better than corrupt Kangressis and darbariya Yeahmales
Scope, stop smelling ur own fart and get ur head out of ur rear end. That gas has really compromised your thinking and ur brian has shrunk. Distate for Maosists, why would there not be ? They are as dictatorial as the King, they killed like the King and are behaving like people who don’t believe in law and order. Shut the hell up and go piss in ur pants.
scope-I’m afraid the Maoists are really damaging their democratic credentials, especially with the antics of your YCL and your trade unions. I know there are a lot of crooked businessmen, politicans and bureaucrats in Nepal…it is frustrating for all of us but really taking the law into one’s own hands only makes things worse. Don’t you think? You guys better get a good grip on your lower level cadres…or have they already got a good on grip on you lot?
Scoop:
You said only maoists are behaving with a sense of responsibility. What type of responsibility is this to beat up a CDO? I am pretty sure you are one of the YCL thugs who were born in the maoist camp.
Kirat:
What sort of democratic credentials did the Maoists have to begin with that they would damage? They are for a totalitarian state and we got rid of one autocrat to make way for communist thugs who want to take this country to stone age through their worthless rhetorics… we need to put a stop to them…. this country needs another revolution to defeat the communist thugs in the elections.
maoists have already started to show the signs of shit system,,
They had better democratic credentials than the Monarch to begin with. Ofcourse they have ruined it all right now.
What’s the differnce between what the Maoists are doing and what every other party that has held the Minister of Comm. post in the past did?
We can play games as much as we like but there’s not changing the truth that the Maoists are following the exact foot steps of their alliances partners, espeically the Nepali Congress and the UML.
No surprises here. Girija knew the Maoists would do this, wanted the media in confrontation with the Maoists and ensured this ministry would go to the Maoists. The government can’t tame the Maoists, so Girija hopes the mdeia will.
More journalists will face life threatening situations instead of the army and police. The political leaders will continue playing games.
As long as government owns the media houses it will admit only those who will agree to its policy.
As long as independent media houses take money from the government it will control the media houses directly or indirectly.
I’ll agree with Scope on this point: this government has indeed acted totally irresponsibly. They should immediately arrest the Maoist leaders and throw in jail then use the police/army to control the streets and maintain law and order.
Its King G’s sadyantra to make the maoist and the present govt to look bad. Raja is behind this all
talk about dumb people, talk about how dumb a person can get and you (replytocall) shall be in everyone’s lip.
if your comment was sarcastic, then it wasnt funny,
if your comment was straight, then by god you are the dumbest of the dumb that i have had the chance to know.
dont tell me that thugs and hooligans running around killing, torturing, abducting report to the royal palace. if they did then do you think the april movement would be successful? well these thugs would have controlled it all.
i bet you need to check your IQ, or go check your mental health, coz your 2 lines have just pushed the limits on how foolish we the nepalese’ can get.
finishing this just let me remind you, DUMB thats what the comment was, and i bet DUMB is the only characteristic you have..
He YCL goon replytoall:
What is so good about you YCL goon? The YCL goon like you looking bad in the eyes of the general public because of your inhuman actions like beating up CDOs and other atrocities. How many times do you lick murderer Prachande’s asshole to please him everyday? If you continue your atrocities against innocent people, pretty soon you will face the same fate that your YCL thug Kumar Tolange faced in Gaur.
I guess that is the normal practice by these SPAMs, the diffirence is it’s maoists ministry and nobody dares to protest against them. Had it been done by other ministry YCLs would have talabandi or vandalized the office already.
Although it is highly improper and unjust way but still that’s what Congress did,UML did, King did and Mahara is just following their footsteps. They all try to fill up the ministry with their own cadres and those fired 49 guys once replaced other bunch of journos as well so it’s pay back time guys!!
Maoist:
– Open 1 school, provide free education to all, high quality, high standard, 25000 Rs salary for all teachers. such a good school which dominates all other private school.
– Open 1 hotel, free for all visitors, min. 25000 Rs for workers, best food, best environment, dominate all other hotels.
– open 1 media house, distribute free paper, best newspaper of all times, min. 25000 Rs for journos, delivery boys, dominate all other papers
-Open 1 factory, distribute products for free, min 25000 Rs for all workers, best quality product, dominate all other products on the marker.
Can you do this? Can you.. can you…?
If you can not, then do not ruin others’ bussiness.