For those of us who have lived with this phenomenon all our lives, what is
described below is no big revelation. However, for the benefit of those who
think Nepali politics boils down to a struggle between Royalists and
Maoists, or democrats and autocrats, or centrists and extremists, they are
only partially correct. There is one other critical grouping that serves as
chief sponsor of the political turmoil in Nepal - the Bahunists.
Who are the Bahunists?
So who (what) exactly are the Bahunists? Well, those who believe in Maoism
are Maoists; those who believe in the Royal tradition are Royalists.
Similarly, those who believe in the "Bahun-baad" tradition, are the
Bahunists.
What is the "Bahun-baad" tradition and who precisely are the Bahunists? Ask
any Janajati, Dalit, Newar, Madhesi (or non-Brahmin individual) - he or she
will provide you a dissertation on what "Bahun-baad" is and exactly how much
damage the Bahunists have done to the idea of liberal democracy in Nepal.
Ask the Chhetris, the Thakuris, the Ranas, the Thapas, the Mallas, the
Shresthas, the Tamrakars, the Kayasthas (etc.) the same question, and it is
likely they will give you a different answer. Members of these groups are
sure to know who the Bahunists are, but they probably don't understand the
phenomenon that well.
Why? Because for centuries, Bahunists have successfully performed as the
mechanism that enables (and amplifies) Nepal's feudal traditions; at the
same time, the Bahunists have been successful in portraying the
non-Bahunists as either the face, or the victims of feudalism.
Why are the Bahunists so Angry and Dangerous?
It is important to note that not all Brahmins are Bahunists. Just like not
all Chhetris are Royalists and not all Janajatis are Maoists. This being
said, all Bahunists (like other minority extremists), are bad news. Just
like the hard-core Royalists give the Chhetris a bad name, the hard-core
Bahunists give the Brahmins a bad name.
At least when Royalists have disagreements with other Royalists, all they do
is publish trashy articles about each other in the media. When Maoists argue
with other Maoists, the one with the bigger balls puts the other one in
detention and then India steps in and sorts things out.
When Bahunists have arguments with other Bahunists, all hell breaks loose -
look at what happened when the Bahunists in the Nepali Congress and the
Bahunists in the Maoists disagreed - the whole country suffered for 12
years!! This is one of many reasons why Bahunists are bad for Nepal, just
like their extremist friends from other camps.
To put it plainly, the Bahunists have functioned for ages as priests and
"purohits" (mostly in the houses of high-caste Chhetris, Hindu temples,
etc.) during times of unrest and war. During times of peace, they have
operated in the shadows, for example, by completely Sanskritizing the exam
to enter the Nepali Foreign Service, by excluding members of other ethnic
groups and castes from politics, by monopolizing the state's political
beaurecracy, by inserting key Bahunists in the Nepali Police, etc.
The Bahunists' fathers and forefathers accomplished the process of
monopolizing state power (from within government), but some Bahunist
off-spring are still angry. Why are Bahunist off-spring so violently against
the idea of Monarchy? Because they are now accomplished in their own fields
and find shame in the fact that their ancestors were preists in the Palace.
It's all very simple. Bahunist off-spring feel entitled to respect because
of their accomplishments, but are unable to let go of their ancestral pasts
and earn the respect just like everyone else. Shame is a powerful driver of
hatred, as anti-Americanism flourishing the Arab world has shown. But
Bahunists are embarrassed and angry for the all the wrong reasons.
If Bahunists (who have enjoyed privileged existences their whole lives) are
angry, how should the Janajati and Madhesi and other minority groups feel at
being repressed by the Bahunists all their lives? Remember, it may be a
stupid individual like Gyanendra who sits at the wheel of the "ship," but
read history - it has always been Bahunists that have guided and assisted
idiots like Gyanendra, navigate the "ship."
What do Bahunists, Illiberal Democrats and the Ku Klux Klan, have in common?
In Nepal, Nepotism, sycophancy and exclusion all have one thing in common -
the Bahunists. With the exception of a few "token" members from other caste
groups, Nepal's politics, Nepal's education system, Nepal's public sector,
Nepali media, are all completely dominated by Bahunists and their circle of
semi-slaves.
When examined according to the dimensions of elite-ness and exclusivity, the
Bahunists in Nepal behave much like the Ku Klux Klan (at their height), in
the United States of America. The Bahunists look down on other castes, they
feel superior to other classes and they advocate Bahunist supremacy,
non-stop.
The "beauty" of how the Bahunists operate is that they do so under the idea
of democracy, inclusion, equality and social harmony. They project the image
that they are for the rights of minorities, that they are for the weak and
downtrodden, that they are the most democratic of all groups.
But truly, nothing could be further from the truth. Bahunists act in favour
of other Bahunists. They elevate the status of only Bahunists. They
represent the very core of what is rotten in Nepal's democracy. The
"Bahun-baad" phenomenon (as propagated by the Bahunists) is the single
biggest threat to social harmony, to liberal democracy, to equality, and
peace in Nepal.
What do you think Dor Bahadur Bista was talking about when he wrote
"Fatalism and Development in Nepal?" Who do you think the International
Crisis Group is referring to when they issue statements like: "Control over
the peace process has not increased confidence; that all decisions were made
behind closed doors by a handful of Brahman men leaves sceptics wondering if
ten years of conflict has done anything to change underlying structures."
Here's another (more recent) quote from ICG: "So far the (peace) process has
concentrated on building elite consensus at the expense of intense political
debate or extensive public consultations."
If you guessed the Bahunists (in response to all three references above),
you're absolutely right.
Who are some of the more prominent anti-Bahunists and why is their struggle
not providing results?
What makes the Bahunists particularly destructive is that they are found at
the top layers of every political entity in Nepal. They are at the top of
the UML, they are at the top of the the Maoists, they are entrenched in the
judiciary. In fact, the very core leadership of the Nepali Congress right
now, are all Bahunists.
If you ever wondered about why people like Gagan Thapa, or Rabindra Shrestha
(or even the JTMM) are so very annoyed with their mother organizations, it's
because they resent being subdued by the Bahunists.
If you're still wondering why the Madhesi community's spontaneous uprising
has been so full of passion, it's simple. It's because the Madhesis resent
all decisions of political importance being made by a congregation of
Bahunists. It's because they are sick and tired of Bahunists playing games
with the future of Madhesis.
Like the Janajatis, the Madhesis know from experience who runs the mechanics
of Nepal's feudal structure. There might be an idiot at the top of the
pyramid of feudalism, but the entire base of this pyramid is full of
Bahunists and their sympathizers. Thank goodness Jana Aandolan-II has
clarified this beyond any credible doubt.
How do Bahunists react when they face a common threat?
When Bahunists face a threat to their powerbase, they come up with
conspiracies. And not just small conspiracies, but elaborate theories that
span many years and multiple dimensions. To the Bahunists, any threat to
their undemocratic, exclusive, power-base is explained by a sophisticated
conspiracy.
Fortunately, over the past few months, Bahunist conspiracies have gotten
them into more trouble than they would care to admit.
For example, when the Bahunists came up with conspiracy theories about the
Madhesi uprising being part of an elaborate Royalist design, this added
anger and fuel to the Madhesi uprising.
When the Maoist Bahunists (yes, the Bahunists are at the top of the pecking
order within the Maoists as well) and the Bahunists in the Nepali Congress
schemed to discredit the Madhesi movement, the Madhesi movement gathered
even more momentum.
When the Bahunists refused to ask one of their own to resign (in order to
start negotiations with the Madhesis), naturally, the Madhesis understood
exactly how much "respect" the Bahunists have for the Madhesi population.
It is hilarious when Bahunists make statement about how much they have given
to the Madhesi community by "allowing" them citizenship rights. This is the
Bahunists' attempt at gaining sympathy from the Madhesi community. Even more
hilarious is when the Bahunists claim stake to being members of the Madhesi
community (for electoral reasons).
Everyone knows that the biggest threat to continued Bahunist domination
comes from movements that demand ethnic assertion, equality and proportional
representation - you know, movements like the Madhesi movement and the
Janajati movement.
There are thousands of examples of Royalist conspiracies that are outlined
by the Bahunists (from within the Maoists and other political groups). In
fact, anything that even remotely threatens the Bahunists' hold on power, is
framed as a conspiracy against democracy.
Here are some excellent examples of Bahunists in action:
"Janajati Nepal Banda: Royalists in Charge (and Other Headlines)" and "Surya
Bahadur Thapa Interview: Hidden Messages?"
How do Bahunists react when they are under public scrutiny?
In the old days, if attacked, Bahunists would run back to their priestly
duties and seek protection from Hinduism - "respect your priest, do not harm
your guru, feed him well, clothe him well, bull shit, bull shit, bull shit."
In recent times, Bahunists tend to throw money at whatever problems they are
having. But when half the country's population is rising against the
Bahunists, they are finding that spending money alone, isn't getting them
relief. This is making the Bahunists extremely nervous.
Another technique Bahunists use is that they immediately mobilize their
global Bahunist network, Bahunists in the media, and Bahunists across the
political spectrum, to spread misinformation, to sensitize issues and to
manipulate (detract) the Nepali public's mood. As technology has grown and
access to information along with it, the Bahunists have mastered the means
to amplify their Bahunist cause.
What Royalists failed to understand is the distinction between love for the
institution and hatred for the individual; What the Maoists understand (but
intentionally ignore) is that one does not have to be a Royalist to oppose
Maoist tyranny; What the Bahunists fail to understand is that whether the
Maoists come to power or not, whether Nepal becomes a republic or not, the
Bahunists are exposed once and for all!!
Forecasting the Future of "Bahun-baad" and the Bahunists
Of course, all "good" things come to an end. With people across Nepal
awakening from the Maoist nightmare, ethnic assertion and demands for
equality are at the very top of every agenda. People are demanding their
rights in the most democratic way possible and such demands have caught the
Bahunists off balance.
Being caught by surprise is what is bringing the Bahunists in the Nepali
Congress and the Bahunists in the CPN-M together. The merger of the
Bahunists from different political leanings is what is fuelling the ethnic
movements across the country.
Slowly but surely, the games, the politics, the conspiracies and the
machinations that underpin the "Bahun-baad" philosophy and elevate the
Bahunists in Nepal, will come to an abrupt end. The days of the Bahunist
democracy and Bahunist candidates representing regions that are home to
other ethnic groups, are numbered. Just wait till the Constituent Assembly
elections roll around.
How will the Bahunists react to this writing?
When the Bahunists read this posting (and they will most certainly read it),
I am sure they will come up with one conspiracy theory after another to
discredit the ideas embodied in the writing. In reading Bahunist responses,
look out in particular for the following themes:
* This is a Royalist conspiracy to bring about ethnic disharmony in Nepal -
Right, everything that challenges Bahunist domination is a conspiracy of
some sort.
* The writing is completely flawed - it is the Chhetris, the Ranas and the
Shahs who are the root of feudalism in Nepal - "238 years of the Shah
dynasty, etc. Sure, that is, minus 238 years of Priests and Gurus
forecasting the future of the Shah dynasty.
* The ideas captured in this article are designed specifically to derail the
Constituent Assembly elections - Why in the world would we want to do that?
The CA elections are guaranteed to destroy Bahunism once and for all. If
anyone, it is the Bahunists who are eager to sabotage CA elections. Loss of
power for the Bahunists, is a certainty.
Watch out particularly for the non-Brahmin authors who comment on the ideas
articulated in the writing above. Those will be the most Bahunist responses
of all.
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