Revolutionary ways
- By Ramesh

"Is this how you'll run things in your people's democratic republic?"
Bang! Bang! Bang!” Someone is knocking loudly on the gate. “Come on down right now,” commands a sharp-eyed boy, wagging his index finger.

“We’re revolutionaries,” he introduces himself, “from the Maoist student union. We are raising money for our convention. We are bringing 2.5 million people into Kathmandu. We need your donation.”

“All right,” I replied, “first explain to me what you understand by ‘revolution’, then we’ll talk about donations.”

The boy isn’t listening. “If our party hadn’t helped, the Jana Andolan would not have been successful, our people’s army had surrounded Kathmandu then. We used to be in the villages, now we’ve brought the struggle to the cities. Villages sacrificed their sons and daughters for the revolution, now it is time for city-dwellers to make the sacrifice. We have the vision and ability to build this country,” he said sounding like an inept tape recorder. “You know ours is a party with more than 13,000 martyrs. It is now our work to bring their dreams to fruition; that is why we need your support.”

I try to reason with him: “Those 13,000 people are not your martyrs—they are our martyrs, they were Nepali citizens. Your party was just the medium.”

The boy isn’t interested. “Tell me how much shall I make the receipt for.”

“Five rupees,” I say, “that’s all I’m giving you. That is what Prachandaji said on television, that all donations are voluntary. I’m just following his instructions.”

“You are insulting our party, our convention, our leaders, and cadres and you are insulting our people’s democratic republic. We can come after you at any time, you know? We can do anything to you.” His angry face, if not his literal words, conveyed this clear message.
“Look, we see your leaders on television everyday now and you are disobeying their instructions. Besides, by terrorising the people you and thousands of others like you are embarrassing your leaders. If you get your people’s democratic republic, is this the way you will run it? Are you going to win over the people by seeking their suggestions and letting them lead you, or are you going to terrorise and intimidate them like you do now?”

I look out at the streets, wet from last night’s rain, and continue: “If you are nice to them, the people will ask you to lead them, but if your behaviour and ideals hurt them, no matter how much you paint the place red, it won’t make a difference.”

Suddenly, the kid mellows: “What to do, dai, we can’t be nice to everyone.”

My lecture was going full steam now. “People have doubts about your party, but they also have hopes. But you make or break your party. I suggest you mend your behaviour and not taint your party’s image. There are many hard-working, good, self-respecting people in this country. Treat them as such, learn from them. Nepalis are fed up with the status quo, there is a bush fire sweeping the land and it will incinerate the stinking pile of garbage in our society. And from the ashes will rise a new, just, prosperous Nepal so future Nepalis can live with happiness and pride.”

The boy has a faraway look on his face and asks: “You have three hundred?”

“Maybe…”

As I climb the stairs, I hear him telling his friend: “He really blasted us, yaar.”

I gave them a Rs 500 bill and took back three hundred. “The 200 is my contribution to your cause. If we believe in you we may give you 2,000 or 200,000, two million, two billion. I wasn’t angry at you, I was expressing the wishes of the Nepali people. Don’t let us down.”
Like disciplined students, they leave, lost in thought.

Raamesh is a veteran musician and singer of 30-year old hit Gaun Gaun Basti Basti. This is a true story and an abridged translation from Himal Khabarpatrika.

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