Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal may not have made a great deal of progress in breaking the political deadlock nor has he significantly improved delivery by the state, except for some modicum of improvement in the law and order situation. But he has definitely burnished his image as prime minister of the common man, or as a prime minister who cares about ordinary citizens’ lives and their difficulties. Since he became prime minister he has, on a number of occasions, played the role of Good Samaritan.
When sister publication of this newspaper, Nagarik Daily, published an inspiring story about Bhawana Tamang, who scored distinction in the SLC exams through courage and perseverance in the face of great adversity, Prime Minister Nepal invited Tamang and her mother to his official residence. He met them in person; listened to their life stories; acknowledged their indomitable spirit, and offered them help. When he heard that a woman was struggling for her life due to delivery complications in remote Rukum district he postponed a cabinet meeting and flew there from Nepalgunj, picked up the woman, brought her to Kathmandu and saved her life. The other day he went to Kavre district and met Mukesh Kayastha, the boy who has remained bed-ridden for the last three years since being hit by a bullet during Jana Aandolan II. He told the boy that he would be all right since he had the best wishes of all Nepalis. He also announced to the Kayastha family that the government would raise Mukesh’s monthly living allowance to Rs 10,000 from the current Rs 4,000 and promised better medical aid to improve his condition. All these acts perhaps didn’t need much effort from the prime minister but each of them certainly needed a big heart—and that’s the whole point here.
When the prime minister feels that the lives and struggles of common people are important and makes personal efforts whenever possible to help them out, it sends a different kind of message to the public at large. One of the problems with present-day politics is that —and this is true of every society irrespective of their level of development and maturity— the common people feel their leaders are totally cut off from them and are just a self-indulgent, self-serving bunch. But when people find that their leaders are honest and care about their lives and daily struggles, it eases their pain and strengthens their sense of belonging to the state, to society. Prime Minister Nepal deserves sincere appreciation for his concern for the plight of common people and congratulations for his ability to connect with them in a way none of his predecessors had been able to
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No matter what you call him, I will take PM nepal anytime over conniving lier like Prachand who defrauded UN, and almost took over the army. Then you have someone like Girija who only cares about his own prestige --presidentship and his daughter´s welfare --PMship.
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Jwala
Interesting, how Maoists are feeling so bad about this article. They knew nothing about ordinary people, and just killed them, or kidnapped their children. They needed hundreds of policemen to escort themselves around. And here are prime ministers and other ministers, who travel in Kathmandu without their security detail, and surely, our Maoists feel the heat!
Jealous and negative attitude of Maoists will see themselves imploded.
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chandra gurung
I better have a prime minister who ignores these trivialities and gets his focus on writing the constitution!!
We DONT need such good Samaritans, we need a leader who can deliver what the people want : THE NEW CONSTITUTION!!!!
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Kuber Pande
If a politician can pander to human emotions, show a little bit of ´soft power´, then his popularity will grow to a degree. However, positive public opinion is fickle and tentative.
Intentions don´t matter in politics as do the ends.
It´s like Abarham Lincoln said, "I do the very best I know how, the very best I can, and I mean to keep doing so until the end.If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won´t a
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Battisputali
A factual,timely and well analyzed editorial about the present state...........Yes, I agree and appreciate PM Nepal for his concern for the plight of common Nepalese who have been great sufferrers since long. Congratulations PM Nepal for your kind and caring efforts. Carry on!!!
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