Election: Is it historical?
On December 31, I was consciously waiting the performance of a new drama in Bhutan and maintain the best updates to my capacity. I had told some friends in Thimphu to let me update the latest happening, before they appear at the national media.
One of them sent one news on condition that I use it with the word ‘historical’ in headline. This was just to say that a big thing, which Bhutan never experienced before, is happening in the country. I said, ok then, I shall use it. It was my compulsion because had I not used it, I will not receive further support from that friend.
Later in the evening, I supersede him. As the results of the election announced, I updated my site before that friends mailed me his story. I was just licking to ECB site. Soon the results were uploaded, we also uploaded. However, few details from Thimphu had arrived by that time. It was because internet is not accessible to all residents in Thimphu, public use is impossible in the evening.
The following day, a friend called me and said ‘is the election a historic’? I did not reply. He further said, you have supported the royal regime, who terminated your nationality. I just listened his comments. He was correct in one sense and wrong in the other. He related the NC election to that of Nepal’s municipal elections King Gyanendra held before being ousted.
His chattering was continuing. I ignored what he said in his latter part of the lecture. I replied, of course it is historical. Historical does not always mean a good deed. Beginning of the Second World War is historical, murder of Saddam Hussain is historical, attack on twin tower is historical and attack on London railway is historical.
But the election in Bhutan is not cruel as the instance I mentioned. To some extent, the regime has delivered power to people. There is no guarantee that it will reversed if the rulers find difficulties in adjusting with new power balance, still the hopes have risen that Bhutan will have democracy.
The historicity of the event will be measured in future, not now. But let us called it a ‘historical election’ not claiming it to be a huge success like Kinzang Wangdi said.