Kanak Mani Dixit writes well, but his articles are always one track and seem to tow readers in a particular direction ('Country at the crossroads', #275). It is not possible that the king is unpatriotic to the nation. An intellect like Mr Dixit must give a balanced view of the overall situation in Nepal, so that we understand it more clearly enabling us to make up our own minds. It is the duty of intellectuals to lay out these things clearly on the table for the common people to understand. While we don't want an absolute monarchy we don't want intellectuals to push Nepal into India's fold either. India may want a peaceful and prosperous Nepal but how it wants that to happen is the main question. It wants a peaceful Nepal under its defence umbrella, it wants a prosperous Nepal at par with Bihar so that we never forge ahead of them.

Paras Dewan,
UK