DIWAKAR CHETTRI
One has to give credit where it’s due, and laud the Grubberment of Nepal’s contribution to the Comic Relief fundraising expedition to Mt Everest by black-listing David Hughes for skyping from the summit on 19 May. Despite the danger of being an international laughing stock, GON wanted Hughes dead or alive for wearing a red nose and daring to take a live video on his mobile without permission. Apparently, thanks to GON, Comic Relief raised a lot more money than expected because of the publicity generated by the threat to deport Hughes and ban him from entering Nepal for five years. GON sure has the knack of demonstrating to the world just how anal it can be, which is great for charity. Good thing our government doesn’t have half the brains of a smartphone. And, finally, a word from our sponsors: if 3G works so well on the top of the world’s highest mountain how come it doesn’t work in Kathmandu?
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The Foreign Ministry’s Fam Trip for Kathmandu-based diplomats this year was designed to give plenipotentiaries a taste of the Real Nepal. A dip took a dip during the rafting trip down the Sun Kosi, and then they were all asked to schlep for a whole day climbing 4,000ft up a hill in the hot sun on one of the least scenic corners of Kavre district with no creature comforts. It was another GON masterstroke that in a country endowed with such natural beauty, and during the Everest anniversary year, the diplomats were made to endure labour camp conditions. Was the Firanghi Ministry trying to get back at the firanghis for something?
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The Quote of the Week for Inadvertently Blurting Out the Truth this week must go to Khil Raj Regmi for telling members of the High Level Political Syndicate (HLPS) who were pressing him to resign his Chief of Justice post: “Why should I resign? I am only responsible to those who appointed me.”
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The Chief Minister seems to have all the time in the world to launch doves and inaugurate handicraft fairs, but not to decide on a date for elections. Finally, he gave in and said on Wednesday: “It will be in November, the exact date isn’t important.” Comrade Maximus, meanwhile, announced at another election rally that the date for announcing the date of elections was Republic Day, but that day came and went without a date. Now, we are waiting for a date for changing the election laws, only then can there be a date for announcing the exact date of elections.
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Meanwhile, PKD got a bit carried away the other day during an election campaign speech when he said that although Girija Babu is no more, that shouldn’t stop the Nobel Prize Committee in Oslo from considering him as a candidate for the 2013 Peace Prize. It makes perfect sense, the inventor of dynamite honouring the user of dynamite. But, seriously, if Barack Obama can get the Peace Prize for refusing to ground drones, our Fearsome One is fully deserving of the award, the Shaktikhor Tape notwithstanding.
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Another sign that elections are nigh is that Rekha Thapa has been inducted into the party and threatened to carry a real gun. Mahara Dai has let off a trial balloon saying that if ex-Kingji behaves himself the Cash Baddies could give him a ticket. All party leaders are campaigning in the Tarai, is that why Comrade Gyanendra has also decided to head down? KingG is said to be not happy with the rise of Loktantra Man who openly defied him during the royal reign when LMSK was chief sec. And here is a new one: Awesome has proposed Gyancha as the new prez and himself as PM.
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Headlines of the week: Criminals Should Be Allowed To Contest Polls: UCPN (M) Boring Entrepreneurs Association on Strike