Nomad at the desk!

साभार:
मधु लोहोनी,
मनका कुरा, अंक ७

काठमाण्डौको सडकमा झुत्रो झाम्रो कपडा लगाएर हिँडेको कालो वर्णको मान्छे को हुन्छ Open secret anser छ यसको । तरकारी बेच्न साइकल डोर्याएर हिँडिरहेको वा सडक पेटीमा साइकलमा टोकरी अड्याएर खैनी मोल्दै गरेको मान्छेको बिम्ब हो ओपन secret । “खाली बोतल शिसी कागजू भनेर गल्ली-गल्लीमा चिच्याउने मान्छेको राष्ट्रियता तपाईहरुको प्रश्नै होइन । उत्तर अगाडि नै थाहा हुन्छ तपाईहरुलाई ।
पुल्चोकको एउटा संस्थागत विद्यालयमा छ कक्षामा पढ्ने एउटा विद्यार्थी असिम एकदिन चुट्किला भन्न कस्सियो । उसले “धोती” शब्द प्रयोग गर्यो । उसको आशय तपाईं हामी सबैले बुझेकै हो । मैले उसलाई सम्झाएँ । शब्द चयनप्रति म असहमत थिएँ । उसले मान्दै मानेन । “सबैले भन्छन् । तिनीहरु धोती त हो नि ।” उसले “सबै” को आडमा आफ्नो रक्षा गर्न खोज्यो ।
अनपढ मान्छे कुनै टेलिभिजन श्रृङ्खलालाई चाहियो भने निर्देशकलाई गाह्रो छैन । सिटामोल छ – मधेशी । एउटा मधेशीलाई ल्याइदिनुहोस् ।
उसलाई तपसिल अनुसारका भूमिका हाल्दा सर्वमान्य हुन्छ -
क तरकारी बेच्ने
ख असभ्य ढंगले बातचित गने्र
ग साह्रो कराउने र हल्ला गर्ने
घ नेपाली राष्ट्रियताको सधैं विरोध गर्ने
ङ घरेलु नोकरका रुपमा काम गर्ने
च खाली बोतल कागजको लागि गल्ली-गल्लीमा कराउने
छ चोरी गर्ने
ज बदाम कुल्फी बेच्ने ।
झ आरामसँग खैनी माड्ने वा सस्तो िबंडी सार्वजनिक स्थलमा बुङ्बुङ्ती उडाउने ।
कान्तिपुर दैनिकका एकजना मधेशी पत्रकारको
छोरा नस्ररी कक्षातिर पढ्दा रहेछन् कोटेश्वरको एउटा स्कूलमा । पढाउने मिसले नै मदिशे भनेर गाली गरिछन् । पत्रकार मित्रले भने – “मधेशी हुनुको सबैभन्दा पीडाबोध मलाई आज भा’छ ।”
धीरेन्द्र प्रेमर्षिको एउटा भनाइ मलाई खुब गडेको छ – “एउटा पहाडी मानिस अन्यथा प्रमाणित नभइन्जेलसम्म खाट्टी नेपाली हो तर एउटा मधेशी मानिस नेपाली प्रमाणित नहोउन्जेलसम्म सर्वथा भारतीय हो ।” हामी सबैले महशुस गरेकै सत्य हो यो । एउटै देशका नागरिक हामी सबै । तर त्यो कालो वर्ण मधेशी भएकै कारण त्यसको राष्ट्रियतामाथि हामीलाई फिटिक्कै विश्वास छैन । मधेशीलाई जानेर नजानेर हामीले हेपिरहेकै छौं ।
मेरो मित्र विनोद कालो रङ्गको छ । यूनिभसर्िटीमा पहिलो पटक चिनजान हुँदा जाडोको मौसम थियो । उसले मफ्लर बाँधेको थियो । ऊ जुङ्गा पनि पाल्दथ्यो । एउटा झोला बोक्दथ्यो । जुत्ताभन्दा बढी चप्पल लगाउँदथ्यो । यसलाई हामी सबैले मधेशी भन्यौं । ठान्यौं । हामीले गरेको हो । भोगेको हो ।
हाम्रो चिन्तन प्रणालीमा सामान्यीकरण गर्ने र हेप्ने बानीको अवशेष छँदैछ । अहिले पछुतो लाग्छ ।
मधेशका लाखौं जनता दशकौंदेखी नागरिकताविहीन जीवन बाँचिरहेका थिए र छन् । मेरे छिमेकी बाबुलाल सत्तार सत्तरी वर्षभन्दा बढी उमेरका भए । मेरा बुबा पहाडबाट झर्दा सत्तार मधेशका रैथाने युवा थिए रे । तर त्यो बुढो मान्छे अहिले पनि नागरिकताविहीन जीवन बाँच्दैछन् । उसलाई नागरिकता दिलाउने लोभ देखाएर धेरै पहाडेमूलका टाठाबाठाले पटक-पटक चुनाव जिते ।
तर परिणाम – लोप्पा ।
मधेशको प्रतिनिधित्व नीति निर्माण तहमा विरलै पुग्ने गरेको छ । मधेशको रैथाने जनताको साक्षरता जीवनस्तर त्यहीं बस्ने पहाडबाट बसाइं सरी आएका जनताभन्दा निकै तल छ । मधेशीको कमजोर आर्थिक अवस्था अशिक्षा बेरोजगारी र पिछडिएको सभ्यतालाई नै उसको विशेषता ठानेर त्यहीं प्रहार गर्ने सभ्यता पहाडेहरुको छ ।
हो मधेशीहरु ठूलो संख्यामा विपन्न छन् । अशिक्षित छन् । बेरोजगारी व्यापक छ । सभ्यता पछाडि परेको छ । तर यसमाथि प्रहार गर्ने काम नाजायज हो । मधेशीहरुको विकाश नभई देशको विकास सम्भव छैन । त्यसैले मधेशको विकास जरुरी छ ।
समानुपातिक प्रतिनिधित्व नै यसको सर्वोत्तम उपचार हो । राज्यको नीति निर्माण तहदेखि कार्यान्वयन र त्यसको अनुगमनसम्म मधेशी समुदायको सम्मानजनक सहभागिता त्यसको न्यूनतम शर्त हो । बहुतै सतर्कताका साथ यो न्यूनतम शर्त पूरा गर्न आवश्यक छ ।
विलम्ब नगरौं । मधेशमा आगो सल्केको छ ।
ज्वारभाटा रन्केको छ । चाँडो समाधान गर्नु नै बुद्धिमान हुनुको प्रमाण हो । सभ्य संस्कार अँगाल्नु नै मानव हुनुको मजा हो ।

Ever since I passed my +2 exams, I have found myself in dilemma. The tough question has been how I should proceed and what I should study now. After passing S.L.C., I decided to join Humanities stream to study journalism. My clear intention was to become a journalist one day. However, after two years I find myself again asking the same questions again and again. That clear intention is now being blurred. Sometimes I feel I should join social sciences, sometimes development studies, sometimes environmental sciences; and again there’s a question of courses available in Nepal. From beginning of my +2 days, I always said that I’ll continue my studies here in Nepal and won’t go abroad. So I didn’t do TOEFL, SAT, IELTS or whatever though my friends and family insisted. I always ignored them and told them I’ll stay here in Nepal.

You may wonder why I am confused though I’ve already decided to study journalism. Well due to conflict and restriction on free press this field is becoming more and more insecure and less fruitful. This is what my parents think. They don’t want me to continue with journalism. I tried to pursued them but they shut their ears. Instead they started to brainwash me. And the result is confusion.

Everyone is confused. The moment has come to decide about their future and here confusion has gripped everyone. So to escape this confusion my friend Utsav has decided to join the army. He is as confused as I am. Sometimes he talks about joining photojournalism, and sometimes fine arts. His latest whim is joining the army. I don’t know whether he’ll join the army or not but definitely he has started to do physical training and I find myself giving him company and doing the same. Not to mention I have my own purpose to do so.

I was so confused about my future that one day I asked my brother if he also felt the same. The reply was yes and he told me that whatever I do I should analyze the situation and my heart. Though mom and dad pressed him to study MBBS he joined BBA and he’s doing great now. So we should listen to our heart and should possess clear way to move ahead. After his advice, I made a decision to continue journalism. But again I find myself lost in confusion. Which college should I join? And which field should I go? Print media or electronic, reporting or production? I think confusion is going to be parennial problem.

Never mind, I’ll decide one day and I know that day is coming soon. But again the main point is when that the day coming? Many of my friends have already decided about their future course. Some are going abroad, some are trying for MBBS, some BE, some BBA, BBS or the courses they choose. I did have clear plans and dreams but now all are blurred. And only God knows what my destiny will be. And I am relying on one silly phrase, “Whatever happens, happens for good.” and my destiny will definitely lead me ahead. Adios.

Well, Yesterday CPN Maoist’s plenum unanimously endorsed chairman Prachanda’s political and organizational report, which states that proportional electoral system and declaration of a republic are preconditions for the upcoming Constituent Assembly elections. But the Maoists’ latest preconditions have seriously raised questions over their intention of Constituent Assembly (CA) Polls. Though their meeting has stated that the elections on November 22 are essential in order to bring about a peaceful revolt but their action have always been contrary to their words.
There are only 105 days left for much-awaited CA Polls. CPN Maoist and other Seven Political Parties agreed on mixed-proportional electoral system. Based on Nepal’s Interim Constitution 2063 and other Election Laws, Election Commission is busy in preparation. Voter education is going on, other necessary planning are being carried out but now CPN Maoists wants to change the entire system.

It was already agreed that CA Polls would decide the fate of Monarchy but Maoists wants declaration of Republic ASAP. They say if their 2 preconditions are not met, it’s worthless to have CA Polls. Does CA polls is just for declaration of Republic? Isn’t CA polls of entire restructure of Nepal and making it inclusive in terms of everything? How Maoists can set preconditions for the polls it previously agreed?

Political parties do not understand the ground reality. They are just worried that their agenda is not chosen or not being implied. Even if we decided to go full proportional electoral system, it will take ages to formulate regarding laws, educating voters and other preparations. So that means there won’t be CA Polls on November 22 (Mangsir 06, 2064 B.S.). Seeing activities of Young Communist League (YCL) of CPN Maoists, many parties were accusing them of shying away of polls, but now their preconditions have proved those allegations right. We had thoughts that only Pro-Palace people are not willing to go for polls and trying to obstruct polls, but CPN Maoists is also not ready for polls.

Why Maoists are not ready for polls? The reasons could be their dwindling popularity among people. During war period, people were afraid of them. Anyway who dared to speak against guns? Those who did, they are now counted among 13000 dead or lying somewhere helplessly. After April Uprising, people have huge expectation from them. But there’s one proverb in Nepali “Jun Jogi aaye pani kanai chireka”, they too were proved just another Kan Chireko Jogi. Their rule of terror didn’t go. In the form of YCL, they kept their terror. Joining government also, they couldn’t function well. All these and other unseen reason decreased their popularity. Now going to poll could fail them miserably. So they are trying to hold off the poll and in the mean time win people’s trust.

So they have now used two very popular cards i.e. full proportional electoral system and declaration of Republic. Well, they were in favor of these cards from beginning but later conceded to mixed-electoral system and decision on Monarchy by first meeting of CA Polls. If they are ready for polls, then why suddenly now they want these pre-conditions. Their intention is crystal clear, they don’t want election now.

Another irony is, full proportional system means parties have to allocate their parliamentary seats including every sector, every community of society, but they themselves are not inclusive. Either that’s Nepali Congress or CPN UML or CPM Maoists or any other parties, all are not transparently democratic and inclusive. All parties hue cry to make country and government inclusive but they themselves are not committed to inclusiveness.

For election, only Election Commission is worried. Instead of going to people and helping them to understand importance of CA Polls, parties are busy themselves giving speeches on polls condition. They say polls can’t be held on specific period. What’s happening to them? Do they forget we fought for entire abolishment of feudalism and establishment of democratic and transparent system? We didn’t fight against King to take parties to power. We fought for change, we fought for peace and we fought for democratization and development of Nepal. But it seems everyone is forgetting the spirit of April Uprising.

Am I being workaholic? The question began hitting me ever since I began working in new project and pondering over scripts. I am thinking about my work wherever I go. Whether I am on the bus or with friends, I think about how to make my drama wonderful or script catchy and interesting. Most of times even with my friends instead of talking about other aspect of life, I talk about my working life – My office is moving this way now, I am working on it or my character of drama is like this or I have to go for interview and such questions I need to ask or etc. So I tried to find out the definition of workaholic. Wikipedia defines term workaholic as ” A workaholic is a person addicted to work. This addiction may be pleasurable to the victim or it may be burdensome and troubling.” Wondering why I am feeling so, it’s because now I have started liking working extra hours, think about the work even while not working. So I decided to find it out more.

Wikipedia further defines, “Workaholism is believed by some to be a disease, akin to obsessive compulsive disorder. The problem is that workaholics believe that if they do not work, their world will collapse. If a person thinks he or she is the only person capable of performing their work, he or she is most likely a workaholic. Although most workaholism is associated with a paying job, it can also be associated with people who excessively practice sports, music, art, or blogging, for example.”

Well I do not think so much that not working would make my world collapse but it surely makes me feel good if I am engaged in some sort of work either that’s official or others. And I do have feeling that I am the best in my work no matter how poor my evaluation results are. I do whatever I feel like I could do or whatever that interests me. Blogging, working, studying, involving in various activities etc all are pointing towards same. Then I saw another line, “The term is often used inaccurately to describe an energetic person who devotes a lot of time to work despite having good relations with co-workers, taking pleasure in other non-remunerative activities, being well rested, and attending properly to family and social life. Workaholics do not necessarily love their work or try to excel in their work.” But I love my work and I always try to excel. I love to be in gatherings, parties and other social activities. I always care about my dear ones and give high priority to them. I do my work not just because others want me to do but also because I love to do. So may be I am not workaholic instead energetic person. May be…….