We must be grateful to late King Prithvi Narayan
Media Communications Center
January 04, 2007
We must be grateful to late King Prithvi Narayan Bharat Basnet
He takes pride in being a Nepali and his ideals are the 'Wise Sayings of late King Prithvi Narayan Shah. Every year he celebrates the birth anniversary of the late King with various programmes.
BN Dahal interviewed to Basnet about tourism as well as the Prithvi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of late King Prithvi Narayan Shah. Excerpts:
Q. What is the situation of the tourism industry?
A. Those who look from outside, there is peace in the country and the industry will pick up, but it is not good as yet for the tourism entrepreneurs. The number of tourists has not increased. Again, we are not getting the price that we should get. But there is prospect of the tourism industry gaining momentum.
Q. The situation has improved. Business must be good now?
A. How can one say the situation has improved when there is protest, strike and chakka jam almost daily? Only the political situation has improved slightly. Earlier, when there is strike and closures, one knew beforehand and we could arrange alternative arrangement for the tourists, but now it is spontaneous and one does not know where and when there is roadblock. There may be no danger but a lot of inconvenience.
Q. What should be done to improve the situation?
A. All Nepalese must be allowed to lead a peaceful and just life. This is the responsibility of all. For that we must preserve and conserve the natural resources and make prudent use of them and our knowledge. The situation will improve if everybody takes each other as brothers.
Q. Why is that the tourism industry does not flourish even if the situation of peace and security improves?
A. We are fighting with each other and amongst each other. This has made us weak and we have not been able to utilize our resources. It is not only we, the tourism entrepreneurs, but also all Nepalese must work to make Nepal known to the world.
Q. You have taken a mission of making the importance and the merits of late King Prithvi Narayan Shah known to Nepalese and the world. How is your campaign going?
A. I am fully into this campaign. What we all must understand is that if it were not for the late King we would have remained the world as a separate country. So, we must not forget the late King and his contribution. We also must not forget that there was contribution of everybody and the late King had only taken the lead role.
Q. You were doing various programmes on the birth anniversary of the late King. Will you do the same this year too?
A. I plan to organize various programmes and we are preparing for it. We will put garland on the statue of the late King on Poush 27 as National Unity Day. We are holding meetings and doing media campaigns. We are organizing a talk programme on Poush 24. Again, I repeat we must not forget the contribution of late King Prithvi Narayan Shah to building this country. Rather we must be grateful to him.
Q. But the statues of the late Kings have been busted up in the name making a new Nepal. How do you feel?
A. No doubt, people have various ideologies and opinions. Some are democrats; some communists and some call themselves socialists. They say their ideologies and beliefs will develop the country. But, it is unfortunate that they are attacking the person who helped build this country. What I say is, was it wrong or a trick to create a big and strong Nepal. But people do things which are totally wrong or uncalled for while in emotion and they must have realized later that they had done wrong.
Q. Now different ethnic groups and people are demanding for autonomous areas or independent areas. What do you say about their demands?
A. First of all, we should be proud to be Nepalis. The pride of Nepal is its geographical, cultural and ethnic diversity. What should one debate on this. This country is the common property of all Nepalese and why should we lead this country towards division and split.
He takes pride in being a Nepali and his ideals are the 'Wise Sayings of late King Prithvi Narayan Shah. Every year he celebrates the birth anniversary of the late King with various programmes.
BN Dahal interviewed to Basnet about tourism as well as the Prithvi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of late King Prithvi Narayan Shah. Excerpts:
Q. What is the situation of the tourism industry?
A. Those who look from outside, there is peace in the country and the industry will pick up, but it is not good as yet for the tourism entrepreneurs. The number of tourists has not increased. Again, we are not getting the price that we should get. But there is prospect of the tourism industry gaining momentum.
Q. The situation has improved. Business must be good now?
A. How can one say the situation has improved when there is protest, strike and chakka jam almost daily? Only the political situation has improved slightly. Earlier, when there is strike and closures, one knew beforehand and we could arrange alternative arrangement for the tourists, but now it is spontaneous and one does not know where and when there is roadblock. There may be no danger but a lot of inconvenience.
Q. What should be done to improve the situation?
A. All Nepalese must be allowed to lead a peaceful and just life. This is the responsibility of all. For that we must preserve and conserve the natural resources and make prudent use of them and our knowledge. The situation will improve if everybody takes each other as brothers.
Q. Why is that the tourism industry does not flourish even if the situation of peace and security improves?
A. We are fighting with each other and amongst each other. This has made us weak and we have not been able to utilize our resources. It is not only we, the tourism entrepreneurs, but also all Nepalese must work to make Nepal known to the world.
Q. You have taken a mission of making the importance and the merits of late King Prithvi Narayan Shah known to Nepalese and the world. How is your campaign going?
A. I am fully into this campaign. What we all must understand is that if it were not for the late King we would have remained the world as a separate country. So, we must not forget the late King and his contribution. We also must not forget that there was contribution of everybody and the late King had only taken the lead role.
Q. You were doing various programmes on the birth anniversary of the late King. Will you do the same this year too?
A. I plan to organize various programmes and we are preparing for it. We will put garland on the statue of the late King on Poush 27 as National Unity Day. We are holding meetings and doing media campaigns. We are organizing a talk programme on Poush 24. Again, I repeat we must not forget the contribution of late King Prithvi Narayan Shah to building this country. Rather we must be grateful to him.
Q. But the statues of the late Kings have been busted up in the name making a new Nepal. How do you feel?
A. No doubt, people have various ideologies and opinions. Some are democrats; some communists and some call themselves socialists. They say their ideologies and beliefs will develop the country. But, it is unfortunate that they are attacking the person who helped build this country. What I say is, was it wrong or a trick to create a big and strong Nepal. But people do things which are totally wrong or uncalled for while in emotion and they must have realized later that they had done wrong.
Q. Now different ethnic groups and people are demanding for autonomous areas or independent areas. What do you say about their demands?
A. First of all, we should be proud to be Nepalis. The pride of Nepal is its geographical, cultural and ethnic diversity. What should one debate on this. This country is the common property of all Nepalese and why should we lead this country towards division and split.
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