Nepal without a king has become a police state.
There is an ongoing strike or baandh against fuel hike. Everyone’s protesting, but not only by organising demos and rallies. There is a total ban on public transport. You get jeered at, or may be stones thrown at you, if you are on a public vehicle. Tourists get escorted on a government vehicle. But the good side of it – no traffic jams!
Still, life goes on. Like us, Nepalis have legs. So they walk. The baandh is indefinite.
The police. Young boys with exotic features. They are everywhere. A typical feature of Nepal without a King. Their excuse: to protect tourists because they are visitors of the state.
This scenery is usual for Nepal these days, with strikes every now and then. With politicians politicking instead of looking into the people’s plight. No business. No tourist. Rising cost of goods. Hungry people. Angry people.
During a typical baandh day- where everyone’s on strike, this time for fuel hike. There is an order for no public transport. Everyone obeys.
No business today, I guess. Because the baandh is on.
Shops are close. People hang around waiting. Waiting for what? Or who?
Baandh – when public transport is banned. Nepalis walk to work.
One for a rainy day? There are one too many these days.
Today, I visited Tamel, Kathmandu’s popular market area. I was able to go out from my hotel as the bandh was called off. The prime minister had decided to resign, upon intense pressure. So,everyone starts to do their shopping.
Who knows what tomorrow brings?
Note: On the next day, the day I was leaving Nepal, the strike resumed, as the PM changed his mind.
Although the well-known market place in Tamel was packed with locals and a handful of tourists, most sellers were waiting for customers.
