Why not to write a detailed history of Nepali Congress?
As I have left my boring job, I am jobless these days having plenty of time to think what to do next. Sometimes, I can zero down on what to do and sometimes, I pass my day by doing only thinking. Today, while thinking on myriad of topics, a thought came to my mind. why not to read old essays from my book/magazine shelves.
I stumbled upon hard copy of old caravan magazine. Actually, it was a spiral bound office printed A4 sheet document with some interesting essays from the past. The essay I read was by Ram Chandra Guha on One Hundred and Twenty Five Years of Indian National Congress. Guha thinks that BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party which is currently ruling at Center in India) and other small regional parties are bigots and sectarians and only congress is THE PARTY of the people. (Of Course, it was written much much earlier to 2014 election of India) However, Mr. Guha seemed to be at pain to see "Pappuness" of Rahul Gandhi and his mother Madame Sonia. The whole point was how they have forgotten great congress leaders other than Gandhi family members.
While reading this, I started pondering why not to write a good account of How Nepali Congress Came into existence and how it struggled to eradicate Rana Regime and thereafter, to restore democracy back in Nepal in 1990. There was no alternative to "Nepali Congress" when we thought of democracy in Nepal. We must be able to read in future the great leaders of Nepali Congress and each one's contribution in fighting for the democracy.
I have seen two threats to Nepali Congress. The biggest was and is always the internal one. There are groups, and clans in the Congress Party who want to impose their own rules and reigns. There are clearly visible 36se and 64se in congress in different form, shape and size. There are divided Koiralas who are competing to get past to each other and there are other power centers like Deuba and Paudel camp. There may be other camps which we may not still be aware of.
There is another threat to Nepali Congress currently. This threat is not only to Congress party. All major Center and Center right parties of Nepal are facing the threat. There is a concerted malicious attempt in Nepali writings to show that all the center and rightist parties are synonymous to oppressors.
The attempt has steadfastly taken its firm hold in Nepalese mind due to sustained propaganda from dedicated echo-chambers. After few years, the oft repeated lies are taken as a granted truth. Hence, I think there is an urgent need to write about a detailed history of Nepali Congress, its leaders - past and present, its contributions to democracy and of course, an honest account of its failures to make record straight.
If we write a history of Nepali Congress, it would be a true history of Democracy in Nepal and those malingers would get to know what they quote as truth is a mere propaganda. I am completely aware that this para can bracket me in the list of regressive and my itching middle finger to those judgement makers.
Let me state the qualitative facts about Nepali Congress. Nepali Congress in Nepal is what Indian National Congress in India was at the time of independence. Nepal and India faced two different kinds of tyrants and required two different approaches to tackle them. But, both represented the hopes of the masses. Both fought for democracy and egalitarian society. Both championed the cause of liberty, fraternity, and democracy. Writing on Nepali Congress is nothing less than the service to the democracy of Nepal.
Guha in his essay pictures the abysmal understanding of history by Sonia and her Son. He authoritatively writes that they are somewhat drawn to politics due to family lineage and not by competence and not by the support by the people. Guha says this will apply even to Indira Gandhi. He deprecates them for forgetting the contributions of many in Quit India movements unlike Panditji (Jawaharlal Nehru). He mocks of current captains of Indian Congress party that they will hardly be able to write the way Nehru could write in "Discovery of India". This comment of Guha reminded me of BP Koirala. BP was an international leader from Nepal and certainly of a stature of Nehru. No one Congress leader after him has displayed such a versatility.
In the case of Indira, Sonia and Rahul, they were drawn to congress party politics due to family lineage and catastrophe which struck the family. So, there was no need of any competence, merit and intelligence. I think the same yardstick applies to Sujata Koirala, Prakash Koirala, Sekhar Koirala and other Koiralas including Girija Babu. I have not read a single intelligent piece written by them and this fact should also be written in that complete history of Nepali Congress if it is ever written. This will differentiate the democratic nature of Congress from those of new mushroom parties.
Will such history be ever written?
Please share if you have read or if you would suggest me/us to read any book on democratic struggle of Nepalis and the contributions of Congress Party.
As I have left my boring job, I am jobless these days having plenty of time to think what to do next. Sometimes, I can zero down on what to do and sometimes, I pass my day by doing only thinking. Today, while thinking on myriad of topics, a thought came to my mind. why not to read old essays from my book/magazine shelves.
I stumbled upon hard copy of old caravan magazine. Actually, it was a spiral bound office printed A4 sheet document with some interesting essays from the past. The essay I read was by Ram Chandra Guha on One Hundred and Twenty Five Years of Indian National Congress. Guha thinks that BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party which is currently ruling at Center in India) and other small regional parties are bigots and sectarians and only congress is THE PARTY of the people. (Of Course, it was written much much earlier to 2014 election of India) However, Mr. Guha seemed to be at pain to see "Pappuness" of Rahul Gandhi and his mother Madame Sonia. The whole point was how they have forgotten great congress leaders other than Gandhi family members.
While reading this, I started pondering why not to write a good account of How Nepali Congress Came into existence and how it struggled to eradicate Rana Regime and thereafter, to restore democracy back in Nepal in 1990. There was no alternative to "Nepali Congress" when we thought of democracy in Nepal. We must be able to read in future the great leaders of Nepali Congress and each one's contribution in fighting for the democracy.
I have seen two threats to Nepali Congress. The biggest was and is always the internal one. There are groups, and clans in the Congress Party who want to impose their own rules and reigns. There are clearly visible 36se and 64se in congress in different form, shape and size. There are divided Koiralas who are competing to get past to each other and there are other power centers like Deuba and Paudel camp. There may be other camps which we may not still be aware of.
There is another threat to Nepali Congress currently. This threat is not only to Congress party. All major Center and Center right parties of Nepal are facing the threat. There is a concerted malicious attempt in Nepali writings to show that all the center and rightist parties are synonymous to oppressors.
The attempt has steadfastly taken its firm hold in Nepalese mind due to sustained propaganda from dedicated echo-chambers. After few years, the oft repeated lies are taken as a granted truth. Hence, I think there is an urgent need to write about a detailed history of Nepali Congress, its leaders - past and present, its contributions to democracy and of course, an honest account of its failures to make record straight.
If we write a history of Nepali Congress, it would be a true history of Democracy in Nepal and those malingers would get to know what they quote as truth is a mere propaganda. I am completely aware that this para can bracket me in the list of regressive and my itching middle finger to those judgement makers.
Let me state the qualitative facts about Nepali Congress. Nepali Congress in Nepal is what Indian National Congress in India was at the time of independence. Nepal and India faced two different kinds of tyrants and required two different approaches to tackle them. But, both represented the hopes of the masses. Both fought for democracy and egalitarian society. Both championed the cause of liberty, fraternity, and democracy. Writing on Nepali Congress is nothing less than the service to the democracy of Nepal.
Guha in his essay pictures the abysmal understanding of history by Sonia and her Son. He authoritatively writes that they are somewhat drawn to politics due to family lineage and not by competence and not by the support by the people. Guha says this will apply even to Indira Gandhi. He deprecates them for forgetting the contributions of many in Quit India movements unlike Panditji (Jawaharlal Nehru). He mocks of current captains of Indian Congress party that they will hardly be able to write the way Nehru could write in "Discovery of India". This comment of Guha reminded me of BP Koirala. BP was an international leader from Nepal and certainly of a stature of Nehru. No one Congress leader after him has displayed such a versatility.
In the case of Indira, Sonia and Rahul, they were drawn to congress party politics due to family lineage and catastrophe which struck the family. So, there was no need of any competence, merit and intelligence. I think the same yardstick applies to Sujata Koirala, Prakash Koirala, Sekhar Koirala and other Koiralas including Girija Babu. I have not read a single intelligent piece written by them and this fact should also be written in that complete history of Nepali Congress if it is ever written. This will differentiate the democratic nature of Congress from those of new mushroom parties.
Will such history be ever written?
Please share if you have read or if you would suggest me/us to read any book on democratic struggle of Nepalis and the contributions of Congress Party.
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