New Nepal’s Politicking Grasshoppers

I found this article in one of the blogs I have hosted. I think its a good read. Please enjoy it.

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New Nepal’s Politicking Grasshoppers

Courtesy - Sanzay

My father used to encourage me when I was a kid with this old story……

“The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant’s a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. In coming winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in the cold.” Now as my father is gone so seems his moral lesson…

New Version of the old story in the 21st Century

The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant’s a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. In coming winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed
while others are cold and starving. KANTIPUR, AJTAK, DW, CCTV 9, BBC, CNN, NDTV, NTV show up to cover the footage of the shivering grasshopper, next to the video is the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this poor grasshopper be allowed to suffer so?

Sujata Koirala quickly wraps up her morning breakfast at the Yak and Yeti and arrives at the spot with a congress flag to stage a vehement demonstration in front of the ant’s house.

Krishna Pahadi goes on a hunger strike at the Maitighar Mandala along with other grasshoppers demanding that grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter.

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon, Linda Sundh and Mathew Kahane criticize the Nepalese Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the grasshopper.

The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support for the grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance).

Hrydayesh Tripathi after parking his big Land Cruiser in a safe shelter demands for “grasshopper’s inclusion in the parliament”. At his advise MP’s staged walkout from parliament.

Comrade Prachanda after learning that the creatures called grasshoppers do exist from Comrade Baburam, released a press statement highlighting the contribution of the grasshopper to the communist movement in Nepal and immediately called for “Nepal Bandh”.

Madhav Nepal summoned Mr. K.P Oli to Balkhu Darbur and orders to passes a law through the cabinet preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of poverty among ants and grasshoppers or else threaten to walk out of government.

Gagan Thapa and Raj Kumari Jhakri quickly burn 100 tires in protest and called for allocation of ten percent scholarship to martyr Grasshoppers children in school and colleges.

Finally, five retired judge of Supreme court Judicial Committee drafted and submitted the Prevention of Terrorism Against Grasshoppers Act [POTAGA]”, with strong recommendation to implement before winter.

Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala on the recommendation of high level commission makes Special Reservation for Grass Hopper in educational Institutions & in Govt Services.

The ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government and handed over to the grasshopper in a ceremony covered by Image channel exclusively.

Krishna Pahadi calls it “a triumph of justice”. Gagan calls it ‘Socialistic Justice’. Maoist calls it the ‘revolutionary resurgence of the downtrodden’ Ban Ki-moon invites the grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly.

MANY YEARS LATER…. somewhere around in 2030

Since then, the ants have sold their last remaining of whatever they had, borrowed some money and migrated to the US. Many of them started successful careers in some reputed US Companies and some started business of their own.

President Chelsea Clinton sent a letter of appreciation to migrant Nepalese ant for their contribution toward US economy. Back in Nepal people are celebrating,since the dissolved house has been recently reinstated after janandolan-8 and the “people’s government” was formed… newly appointed Minister for education Gagan Thapa puts a garland around
the statue of a martyr grasshopper killed recently in a “brutal” police shooting during police post attack… they observe a minute of silence and vowed for “Super New Nepal”…KMC truck is seen down the road collecting the remains of recently burnt tires.