They come from those in responsible positions of leadership, they can have consequences. Leaders of some of Nepal’s political parties often make provocative comments. Some of these utterances have come back to haunt them.
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s performance during a BBC Sajha Sawal discussion on Sunday is an example. Visibly irritated by aggressive questioning from the floor, Deuba lost his cool and lashed out in his less-than-articulate diction with threats like “Who are you to ask me that?”, “Don’t cross the line”, or “Why should I tell you?” The video went viral, at considerable cost to the prime minister’s support at election time.
Former prime minister K P Oli of the UML is infamous for pithy remarks in Nepali that reflect his very strong views. While some of the phrases attributed to him are doubtful, or have been taken out of context, he has assiduously positioned himself as a tough-talking nationalist who can protect Nepal’s geopolitical interest.He blamed India for his forced resignation as prime minister, and has often insinuated that Madhesi party leaders are pro-India. His words have angered Madhesi party leaders, as well as people in the Tarai who feel insulted. Oli’s strategy is to brand himself and his party as the sole guarantor of an undivided Nepal.
Two years ago, Madhesi, Nepali Congress, and a Maoist fringe party leaders made inflammatory remarks, which, according to a parliamentary body, was responsible for violence in Tikapur in Kailali district in August 2015. They have instead blamed the then coalition partners in the government, the NC and the UML, for the violence. There is no introspection from any of the major or minor political parties as to how their public pronouncements lead directly to the deaths of over 50 people, most of them in the Tarai in 2015.However, the provocative oratory of Nepali leaders pale into insignificance compared to what is happening across the border in BJP-ruled India today.