The political metaphors the leaders are using presently at mass gatherings, press meets, and elsewhere have drawn the attention of citizens like me.
The abusive language they are using for each other cannot be appreciated by any civilized citizen. There are several ways of making disapproval.
The political leaders must have known them better. One thing is sure that this kind of petty verbal war, whoever is making it, is not developing sound thinking in the youths.
This certainly is leading society to degeneration. From the expressions of political leaders, we can understand the level of thinking they have against one another.
Their thinking affects the overall thinking of the youths. A civilized society must have its standards and norms about how far one can go speaking against others.
If politicians, who are expected to lead the society in all spheres, go on using their abusive metaphors, great turbulence lies ahead. Let’s look at some selected bullying metaphors the so-called senior political leaders have made against one another so far.
The verbal war the political leaders are making has also encouraged general party members and the public. Like their leaders, the local level committee members also have started to post their status on social media.
Ex-Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, who has also earned the reputation of a skilled verbal combatant, once remarked: “hal goru” (means a pair of bulls/oxen yoked together to plough) targeting the senior leaders and ex-Prime Ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal and Puspa Kamal Dahal.
During their inter-party conflict and before the Nepal Communist Party (Ne. Ka. Pa.), split, he said, “As we were looking for them, the “hal goru” suddenly appeared in Maitighar Mandala with play cards “We Are Here” hanging on their neck”.
The phrase “hal goru” is a metaphoric use here. The word has double connotations. One meaning of “hal goru” is for co-workers who assist to carry the burden shoulder to shoulder together. But it also has a derogatory meaning in the Nepalese context.
It symbolically refers to an ignorant person having no sense of right or wrong. The use of such words against the ex-Prime Ministers certainly triggers the brain of their supporters.
It certainly is the second meaning that Mr. Oli intended to make. On another occasion, after the Supreme Court had reinstated the dissolved parliament, Mr. Dahal and Mr. Nepal shared sweets for the success they had in defeating the ex-Prime- Minister in his step of dissolving the parliament.
As the reinstated parliament couldn’t choose a new Prime Minister, Mr. Oli remarked,” Hamra kehi bhai haru le laddu khay chhan” meaning some of our brothers shared sweets.
The word “bhai haru” has several meanings. The first is the word ‘bhai’ or a junior brother is always expected to serve the elder brother.
The brothers always stand model to maintain family harmony. ‘Laxman’ in the Ramayan stands as a model in selflessly serving his elder brother Ram during his exile.
Another meaning can be a political one that the bigger one uses to prove him more prominent in front of smaller one as does India in addressing Nepal as ‘chhote bhai”. Mr. Oli at least is certainly not expected to use the word in the harmonic sense.
Once when the Supreme Court dismissed the newly appointed ministers of the cabinet of Mr. Oli as illegal appointment, Mr. Dahal had predicted that the newly appointed ministers of the then cabinet would be sacked by the court.
Mr. Oli remarked Dahal’s prediction as “syal karayo” meaning how came to the jackal know it? The jackal is a selfish and cunning animal. Mr. Oli has used multiple other words like “Tilke Goru” and others to counter his opponents.
It is not only K. P Sharma Oli who is making such bullying metaphors alone in the political arena. Ex-Prime Minister Puspa Kamal Dahal also uses metaphors even more aggressively.
He does not seem to hesitate to call himself a lion. The ‘lion’ gives him a ferocious image as a leader. He seems to be proud of the opportunity that he got to lead a violent revolution in Nepal.
The armed movement had taken the lives of nearly seventeen thousand people from both government and rebellion groups.
The phrase “hal goru” is a metaphoric use here. The word has double connotations. One meaning of “hal goru” is for co-workers who assist to carry the burden shoulder to shoulder together. But it also has a derogatory meaning in the Nepalese context.
Mr. Dahal even looks like a furious lion ready to attack in gestures too. He is frequently in debate due to his tactless expressions.
While expressing his disagreement with what Mr. Oli has done, Dahal has used very disgusting phraseology against Mr.Oli. He once said ‘bheda’ means ‘sheep’ to Oli.
The sheep is both a docile and a foolish creature. Dahal wanted to use the word sheep in the latter sense. Oli had felt glad at the use of the word because he said he was at least not like a wolf, to remind Dahal of the bloody revolution he led.
Mr. Dahal blames Oli as “Bayal Gaadhe” meaning “ox-drawn wagon” for Oli’s speech that he once made during a revolution against monarchy in Nepal. Oli then said that overthrowing monarchy during the revolution of 2062/2063 B.S was like imagining reaching America on an ox-drawn wagon.
Another verbal war between Oli and the ex-Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal is also not less interesting. Both of them have used such dark words against each other that ordinary citizens now imagine.
One can imagine if there had been any chances, they both would not have hesitated to go to the extreme against one another.
Mr. Nepal seems to be very aggressive towards Oli. He has charged Oli as a political tyrant born out of the election. He opposes the way the youths of his party call Oli ‘Ba’ – meaning the father. He says no one should be addressed as ‘Ba’ in a communist party.
Similarly, Mr. Oli has also insulted Mr. Nepal as a junior activist of Mr. Dahal. He compares Dahal and Nepal with Hanuman for proposing Sher Bahadur Deuba to become the new Prime Minister.
Mr. Dahal and Nepal had visited Mr. Deuba at his residence to propose him the post. Oli sarcastically hits Dahal and Nepal for worshipping Deuba as did Hanuman to Ram in the Ramayan.
Another ex-Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai says ‘Bhasmasur’ to K.P. Oli. Bhasmasur was a demon who was granted the power to burn up anyone whose head he touched into ashes (bhasma).
He has left no-bullying words from the dictionary to defame Oli. Dr. Bhattarai and other party leaders wanted to kick Oli off at all cost from the post.
Mr. Dahal didn’t even hesitate to declare that the ex kings were better than the present President Bidhya Devi Bhandari.
Now ordinary people have begun to imagine some alternative political institutions instead of strengthening the political achievements established by the people’s revolution.
The verbal war the political leaders are making has also encouraged general party members and the public. Like their leaders, the local level committee members also have started to post their status on social media.
These posts and comments appear without any censorship. So the language they use against one another makes the platform a hell- worse than vulgar.
Even the dignified posts and the people occupying those posts have also been severely criticized and insulted. There are rare areas that have not been politicized.
The political language even in the workplaces seems to be leading the entire society to degeneration. Everyone is fighting and criticizing everyone.
Everyone acts like s/he is loaded with a deep philosophical ideology. All people seem to be filled with anger, arrogance and vulgarity.
They are making intolerable expressions against one another. I wish there were digital machines that automatically filter all aggressive and vulgar expressions before they reach the public.
Everyone claims to be struggling for good governance and the establishment of fairness or justice. But the people are confused with all this mess taking place.
Now ordinary people have begun to imagine some alternative political institutions instead of strengthening the political achievements established by the people’s revolution.
It is uncertain how long this mess goes. Nepal faces never-ending instability. A complete destabilization is lurking in front.
(The writer is Assistant Professor and Ph.D. Scholar, TU)
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