Time to see whether Oli government stands at people’s power (Nepalekhabar special)
Kathmandu: The recent undeclared blockade of India is a wake-up call for Nepal to seek alternative for over dependency to India but the leaders and bureaucrats are yet to learn lesson from it.
Nepal is currently importing over 70 percent goods from India, which is the major problem for the landlocked country. India has been trying to impose its will in most of South Asian Countries and creating unnecessary trouble if they fail to abide by its suggestion. The recent case is undeclared blockade. India, which is seeking its role in micro management of internal affairs of the country, created problem after Nepal failed to address its suggestion of deferring the announcement of new constitution and address the concern of tarai based political parties.
India welcomed the new constitution with the undeclared blockade but people stood at the side of government and faced numerous challenges rather than blaming the government. The people continued to encourage the government to seek alternative of importing goods from other countries. Many people started giving ride to others and also started changing their food habits to save energy which has supported the government. People became very optimistic after the Nepal Oil Corporation, the state run oil monopolist of the country issued the global tender for the supply of petroleum products. They have also became hopeful after UML leader KP Sharma Oli became the Prime Minister of the country against India’s interest. People were hopeful that the government will make the first decision of easing supply of petroleum products. However, the government seems less bothered about the issue. Mr. Oli rather than seeking immediate alternative is trying to please Indian government for supplying petroleum products, which could just be a remedy for a short run and will cost a lot Nepal’s economy.
China has been offering to extend all possible help to Nepal if the government requests for the same, which is hinted at the petroleum products. China expedited the work of road repairing and opened the road linking Nepali border with the view of supplying goods to Nepal. The Nepali Ambassador to China also said that the Chinese side is ready to supply petroleum products to Nepal if the government makes formal request for the same. Petroleum entrepreneurs have been saying that they could immediately bring petroleum products of China if the government signs agreement with China. The entrepreneurs say that the price of petroleum products brought from China may be slightly high as compared to the products brought from India but the price could go down if the government requests Chinese government to waive some taxes. Some bureaucrats have been saying that it will cost more to bring petroleum products from China but the cost people have been facing due to shortage of petroleum products is costlier than the high cost.
People at a queue in petrol station of Kathmandu.
Many people were compelled to celebrate their major festivals with cold stoves and many have not been able to go out of valley to celebrate festival with their near and dear ones. The government was expected that it will immediately execute the decision of NOC to bring petroleum products through global tender but the government is involved in petty issues like forming a team and sending officials to India among others. Had the government initiated efforts for easing the supply of petroleum products by airlifting or importing from China, people could have enjoyed the festival. The government, which was formed giving high hope to the people, failed to maintain its stance on the issue of nationality. News reports have said that Oli is visiting India very soon but if he makes the decision to go India before resolving the crisis that could be the blunder of his political carrier. The government was formed at the time when the whole country was united and ready to support any initiative of the government.
As the government has already introduced auto adjustment mechanism in petroleum products, it should not hesitate to bring petroleum products whether from China or other countries and should ensure that people are getting goods when they go to the market to buy products with money. Nepal has the tendency of not counting time as resource otherwise the time spent in search of petroleum products and other consequences of not having fuel, people are paying very high price for it so why the government hesitating to bring petroleum products from other countries. Not only monetary implication for bringing petroleum products from other countries ending the monopoly of Indian Oil Corporation is also the issue of sovereignty. General family consumes less than one cylinder gas in a month so the government might give some subsidy to the gasoline for domestic consumption or take actual price after giving some subsidy to very poor people.
The Oli led government was formed at a most critical time of the history. The government has wide public support and the whole nation is united to counter any sort of interference and the government is getting wide public support despite protest of opposition parties, so, the government should not hesitate to make stance in national issues. The Oli government should take stance with India to make the relations based on Panchasheel, so, it should start the journey of maintaining healthy relations with the neighbors taking into account wide public support and the entry point could be ending monopoly of Indian Oil Corporation and bring petroleum products from other countries. However, it is yet to see, whether the Oli Government will stand at the support of all people of the country or bow down at the power of Indian government.
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