On Sunday, cadres from the Matrika Yadav-led CPN-Maoist smeared black soot on the face of Madhav Acharya, Director General at the Department of Forests. Acharya was verbally insulted and physically harassed in his own office. Such incidents linked to Yadav are not new. As a minister under the Maoist government, Yadav made news by punishing Local Development Officer Danda Raj Ghimire by locking him into a toilet. It appears that Yadav's eccentic ways are now being copied by his party members as well.

Earlier, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal had claimed that the security situation in the country had improved. His govenrment may have been reduced to a caretaker but the reins are still in his hands. Even then, party workers of another party were able to manhandle a high-ranking official. This clearly proves that the security system is not as stable as Nepal claims it to be. Other political parties have also remained silent on this issue, which simply gives everyone the freedom to act as they please. This can only invite a culture of violence and hooliganism.

Matrika Yadav has to take responsibility for this incident. A group that takes the law into its own hands cannot be called a political party. If Yadav refuses to take action against those involved in this incident, the Election Commission should review the status of his political party. When criminal activities are allowed under a political umbrella, things can take a dangerous turn. There are more than 100 armed groups operating in the country, some of which claim to be political parties. A clear line has to be drawn between politics and crime.