Nepal, July 20 -- An uncanny mix of themes related to politics, corruption, hopes and frustrations has dominated the Nepali psyche these day...
Nepal, July 20 -- An uncanny mix of themes related to politics, corruption, hopes and frustrations has dominated the Nepali psyche these days. The rate of production of themes associated with this state is quite high. From responsible and serious to lesser-known media portals-both in print and -all vie to parade diverse themes. In this competition, naturally, the media add stories to give them an air of credence and seriousness. But on the whole, it reflects this country's condition, which requires serious discussions. Policymakers and those whose actions are warranted constitutionally, known by the common parlance as the separation of powers, should be more responsible and alert about the nature and volume of the themes and topics produced daily.
The parliament in session has become the most important centre of such a prolific generation of themes. Its everyday proceedings have certain features that draw the attention of the general public. What happens at the parliament these days is a mix of absurd theatre, sadak natak and engaged plays on stage. The grand theme is corruption and the scandalous involvement of responsible persons and parties in controversial issues, which continues to dominate the theme production process. But I am sometimes struck and dismayed when educational institutions, especially the universities, produce themes propelled by the actions of students, whose familiar forte is to padlock the main offices of the university, and also teachers, though to a lesser degree.
The other subject is the revaluation of personas and their actions. As if Nepal is suddenly waking up from a long period of non-action, people are caught performing wrong actions at present more than in the past. Though this state of retrospection and introspection regarding the actions of responsible individuals and institutions is not an entirely alien theme, the present mode of Nepali history has entered a new phase. I should wait for the analysis of this conditionality made by scholar Lok Raj Baral, who has reviewed the nature of theme productions in Nepal in his writings and elocutions. He is a Guru figure, a scholar, and an erstwhile diplomat who reminisces about politicians and events from the early years to the present.
The complexities of issues and themes constitute the character of any modern society today. Nepal is no exception to that. We are witnessing a prolific production of themes for both serious discussions and gossip. By navigating the structure of these themes, we can learn about the issues we are grappling with today. We are inundated with themes and topics of different natures. We produce some and share others with the rest of the world. Countries from around the world produce themes; it is not a unique subject of discussion. Multiple themes are churned out each day by the media, political parties, government agencies, the sovereign parliament and various agencies of the ruling elites and those in opposition. We must admit that the rate of churning out themes for mass consumption has increased like never before.
In today's world, there is no dearth of topics and themes to engage with. If we only make humble attempts, we find the complexities of themes. The common topics that we discuss today cover almost everything that modern societies anywhere in the world discuss. But different interest groups create or select themes and issues that are mostly political. Polarisation, political divisions and pushing certain issues to the limits have become the marks of countries of any part of the world, rich or poor, big or small. Just a few days ago, people celebrated World Earth Day, which generated topics like climate change and disasters.
We were stunned by the sudden Himalayan outburst when the Bhotekoshi wrought disaster last week. We do not know where the menacing floods originated. The river's ferocity reminds us of lines by poet laureate Lekhanath Poudel. Describing the speed, ferocity and awe of a Himalayan river, the poet writes, "Thadai kailashadekhi oh, you who come thundering down straight from mount Kailash at a great speed, and when you do so you lift to your lap all the rivers and rivulets who come calling you mother, oh mother!" These onomatopoeic expressions capture the flow of the river.
In Nepal, theme production is occurring at a rapid pace. Each time we read newspapers, watch news on television or listen to the radio, we feel that the political polarisation and divisions are responsible for churning out scandalous, sometimes senseless themes and issues. Producing misinformation or fake news has also become a feature of the theme production in Nepal. This situation requires careful study, some of which has already been reported by responsible media and columnists. Themes related to the means and methods of wealth accumulation, along with the ethical issues they raise, have evinced the new-fangled thrusts in Nepali discussions.
Media in general and social media in particular are playing a role in projecting such themes. The picture of dire poverty, destruction of forest covers, homelessness, assaults on women and the general picture of hapless women whose land is registered by fake agents are very disturbing themes. Common expressions of social justice and wellness are repeated in Nepal, too, but reports also indicate that no responsible agencies, especially those managed by the government, appear to be acting with efficiency and transparency.
I spent my student days and half of my career as an academic under the non-party political system introduced by King Mahendra and continued by his successors and their agents, known as the Panchayat system. The volume of theme productions was restricted.
In conclusion, I would like to say that the multiple production of themes and issues in Nepal is generated by the federal republican democratic system. Good and creative themes are also produced daily by people of different generations. But what worries us today is the generation of seamless and counterproductive themes that will harm the positive side of the nascent federal democratic system. The question is, who should play the main role in saving it? To answer this, selfish interests and excessive indulgence in corrupt money-making practices should end. Honesty, good vision and a sense of sacrifice should prevail. The creative energy is already at work in this country. The government must create conditions for the young generation to work.
Theme production is a characteristic of a dynamic society, but the current practice is ironically counterproductive. Now is the time to realise that we have arrived at the most important moment in history.
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