Dr. Rajendra K Panthee

My heart goes out to the families who have lost loved ones and to all those who have been injured or left frightened by the recent violence. As someone who loves this motherland deeply, it is painful to watch our society go through such tense and uncertain days. In moments like this, the first duty of every responsible citizen is to mourn, to listen, and to hope for peace.

Even if this is not the time to blame others, it is still the time to reflect. If we truly care about Nepal, then we must stop pretending that slogans, public stunts, or social media energy are enough to govern a country. When crisis arrives, it is not style that matters. It is judgment, coordination, restraint, and trust.

This is where my concern begins. Many RSP supporters may want to read the recent violence as an old-party conspiracy to make the new force fail. I do not see it that way. The old parties, for all their corruption and failures, understand Nepal’s political reality far better than RSP does. They know the terrain, the actors, the fault lines, and the habits of our society. That does not make them good. But it does make them experienced. And experience matters when a country is under strain.

RSP entered politics with the promise of freshness and change. That was its strength. But governing a country is a different responsibility altogether. A party can rise on frustration, anger, and charisma. But it cannot govern on those alone. When violence broke out, the need was not for a stunt or a slogan. The need was for immediate contact, coordination, trust-building, and political maturity. That is why an all-party meeting became necessary. That is why leadership is tested not in victory speeches, but in moments of fear.

This is also where my earlier idea of The Richmen’s Club that Nepal Never Had becomes relevant. If some political leaders came into politics after earning money and success, then they should have brought with them seriousness, discipline, and a sense of public responsibility. They should have built a culture of competence, not just confidence. They should have understood that managing a country is harder than winning applause.

I say this with sadness, not arrogance. I do not want Nepal to fail in order to prove a point. I want Nepal to grow out of the habit of mistaking performance for leadership. A country cannot be governed by stunts. It cannot be protected by slogans alone. And it cannot survive repeated crises if its leaders are still learning the basics of political adulthood.

Even if this is not the time to blame others, it is certainly the time to learn from what has happened. Nepal needs leaders who can feel deeply, think clearly, and govern responsibly.