Kathmandu. When the anti-corruption campaign turned into an anti-corruption campaign, when the country was plunged into anarchy, the Nepal Army took over the command of security in a crisis situation. Since taking over the reins of security, the army has been actively urging the conflicting parties to seek a peaceful solution politically.
On the second day of the agitation, when the country was on fire, the army was very active and careful to rescue all the leaders of the ruling party. Chief of Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel appeared in front of the television screen and appealed for help to maintain peace and order and appealed to the conflicting parties to find a solution to the crisis through peaceful means.
As the green vehicles of the army started plying on the road, doubts started to arise that there was going to be a military coup in Nepal. On the other hand, the talks failed to reach an agreement, leading to rumors that the army would return the king on Thursday night.
A rhetoric was created that the army being brought to Kathmandu from the Terai was to bring the UN armoured vehicles used for the exercise to Kathmandu to suppress the people. Doubts were created in the minds of the public.
The activities of the ruling party and the royalist parties, especially those of the ruling party, were more active in spreading rumors through social media. In times of crisis, the morale of the general public is weak, so they start believing any information and fall prey to confusion. That condition led to sleeplessness on the night of Thursday, September 26.
Senior journalist Vijay Pandey said in a podcast on YouTube, “Rest assured, the army is not going to coup because this tendency is not in its culture.”
On another journalist Tikaram Yatri’s YouTube show, senior constitutional expert Dr Bhimarjun Acharya was also confident that the army would not work against democracy. Journalists were also trying to reassure their audience that nothing unexpected would happen from the military.
The Nepal Army took charge of the security from 10:00 pm, ending the political vacuum created by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday. However, it was too late for the president to mobilize the army. The country had suffered a lot of infrastructure damage.
Fear of military patrols on the streets of Kathmandu and other major cities was a natural reaction in the wake of widespread destruction. It was a memory of the past. When the role of the army was linked to political upheaval. However, the swift and decisive action of the Rahat Nepal Army brought the nation back from the brink of complete anarchy.
The recent Genji protests were initially triggered by widespread social media bans. It was filled with deep resentment over corruption and economic hardship. It turned into a whirlpool of violence.
Government buildings, politicians’ homes and public property were burned. Nepal Police, which was at the centre of public anger due to the use of force on Monday, could not control the growing unrest. The Nepal Army was deployed at this critical juncture. Despite various doubts and doubts, the army’s activism finally made it possible to rescue everyone.
The actions of the Nepal Army in the initial days of deployment have played an important role in restoring the confidence of the people. They understood the sentiments of the masses and instead of making statements to provoke them, they continued their efforts to pacify the angry masses by assuring them that the system would change. He felt the presence of the rule of law. Curfew was imposed and demolished big jails including Dilli Bazaar and Sundhara were controlled.
But the army’s role was not just to restore peace and order. Understanding the depth of public anger and the political vacuum left by the fall of the government, the army has played the role of a facilitator. Acting as a neutral party to find a way forward, the army played the role of a communicator and facilitator with the leaders of the movement.
Army officials held meetings with representatives of various opposition groups and the president to discuss the formation of an interim government. This step is unprecedented and widely welcomed. This activism in engaging in direct dialogue with civilians in a power struggle with the state is a powerful symbol of their commitment to a peaceful solution.
The prestige of the Nepal Army has long been built on the strength of their equal but important role in Nepal’s political crisis, their involvement in United Nations peacekeeping missions and their activism in natural disasters such as the 2015 earthquake. Their political stance and dedication to serving the people has made them one of the most trusted institutions in Nepal.
The military has once again affirmed that it can always be a partner in power and democratic transition for political stability in the country, not an obstacle to it.
Although the political path ahead is uncertain, the conduct of the Nepal Army has provided a ray of hope even in this hour of crisis. With the wisdom shown over the course of three days, a mature military can act as a stabilizing force in times of crisis. It respects the sentiments of the citizens and ensures the security of the nation. The Nepal Army has once again won the hearts of the people.
Political analyst Saurabh had said in April last year, “Nepal Police has no idea about the sensitivity and interrelationship between politics and security. This can lead to a major political disaster in the country. ’
Analyzing the security weaknesses shown by the Nepal Police and Armed Police Force during the movement of the royalists in March last year and the movement of Jenji now, it is necessary to provide intensive training to the Nepal Army on how to take security steps by understanding the people’s sentiments. Otherwise, the Nepal Police will prove to be weak again. This could ultimately undermine faith in civilian rule.
