‘Enough’ is not Enough

EDITORIAL

‘Enough’ is not Enough

‘Enough is enough’ goes one of the slogans carried on street placards these days. In quarters there are fresh hopes aroused by the spurt of youth activities mustered by the use of social media where seemingly spontaneous public gatherings consciously observing social distancing and COVID 19 awareness is pouring national frustrations at government. To many, this is a precursor to the rise of a ‘third force’ meaning organizational alternatives to the Congress and the Communists. To government it could well be a convenient digression from the pressure of mounting problems isolating them in the country. To the opposition it is a suitable venue to penetrate in order to generate opposition heat in parliament as well. The bulk participant could nor careless. They are venting their frustration with government that is not budging. The fact is that it won’t budge; it need not. Government has its majority in parliament. It will use that majority when it wants its way. It will skirt any constitutional obstacle when it is put in its way. And it will do what it has been doing, the streets or no streets.

This is as long as the streets are a tame lot lamenting that they have had enough. The hope is that the pressure will mount on government to perform. The fact is that there is already enough pressure for it to perform. If you don’t see it in parliament, it is because parliamentary opposition is tame. We don’t see it in the media because the mainstream is tame. One thing is for sure, the tame street demonstration may be of useful coverage for the tame media. So we have active communists and democrats conducting democratic opposition activities on the streets in a supposedly non-partisan manner. Moreover, this has proven attractive venue for partisans with agenda, if nothing, to swell the numbers and, what is more, to register their presence. But this is not all. The street protests are virtually nationwide in urban areas. They are almost always youthful.

Be it the opposition to corruption, to government’s inept handling of COVID 19, to the MCC, the fact is that there is public support. There is a consensus that parliament is not functioning. The streets are gradually taking over. The mood is non partisan and anti-political. So much is fine. But something more is needed for those wanting change: The presence of an alternative and the emergence of a leadership. Manipulating the social media may allow the streets the essential public participants. But intentionally or otherwise the manipulators are not seen. The façade of spontaneity and the participatory garb are convenient political tools for the moment. The fact is that the street opposition falls short of providing the necessary systemic option to the public woes espoused.

Unless, it does, the movement is suspect. It can merely be a diversion, an exercise in opposition party-building in climes of approaching elections. Or it be a more dangerous exercise at public gathering, pressuring government one way or other for decisions it is reluctant to make. Beware, though, such crowds are pregnant for change at times. From Tien an Mien to Kiev such crowds have attracted violence designed for change as well. Although belatedly, a real Orange Revolution must also perhaps be emulated in Nepal, but, then, the political option must emerge. It hasn’t and so it is not enough.