Our problem is that we believe in revenge. Once a king was travelling in the countryside where he happened to touch a nettle. Its stinging hair gave the king such sharp pain that he immediately ordered all the nettles in the country to be wiped out. All the courtiers applauded, but one of them was reluctant to do so and said that it would be better to manage them in a separate place where people hardly go. It was a conviction of his that God’s creations are not without purpose. He believed that every living being is here to maintain and balance the ecosystem. Luckily, the king accepted the noble advice of his advisor. Thus a medicinal herbal was saved from becoming totally extinct.

Kings and emperors in general are ignoramuses as they are reared that way.  They know how to reign, not how to lead. That is why their mistakes are excusable, but leaders have to overcome many problems and difficulties. They come from the grass-roots, so we can hope that they have knowledge about the condition of the poverty stricken people who live in squalor. They enter politics for philanthropic reasons and end up doing benevolent work. They are expected to share the people’s pain and pleasure.

A spirit of forgivingness, foresightedness, quality of integrity and, most importantly, charismatic power to bring together opposite ideas are the underpinnings of democracy. Sorry to say, none of our current leaders show this merit of good leadership. No doubt, BP Koirala was an exception. BP gathered his courage to go with the monarchists even though he had been humiliated at the hands of the Panchas. He never believed in vengeance, rather he tried his best to be good with the monarchists. As BP was cordial to Mahendra, the king was not biased against him. What Mahendra did in 1960 was the misdeed of an expansionist. He created misunderstanding between BP and the king and urged a takeover.

Let me relate a true story about their personal relation. Once the Panchas organised a conference of poets and writers which Mahendra also attended. There he saw many photographs of poets and writers; but to his indignation, BP’s photo was missing. King Mahendra immediately asked the organisers why there was no photo of BP. All the organisers kept mum. Later, the king said that BP’s photo belonged with those of other great poets and writers, and he would send a photo of BP from the palace. Such was the gesture of Mahendra towards BP. But our present leaders are so occupied in raving and ranting that they do not hesitate to incite cadres to attack others who do not toe the party line like a swarm of hornets. I am afraid this is a blueprint to establish Bolshevism in Nepal too.