Of dying and surviving
DPT: You are dying that’s why I gave you money
PDP: How do you say that?
DPT: If not, why did you accept the money I offered?
PDP: It was an opportunity. If I had not, you would have taken alone.
DPT: That’s why you are dying!
PDP: But it was you who first proposed money!
DPT: Coz I felt pity that you are dying
PDP: Sorry sir, I am not dying. I will survive even if I get into pieces
This is my attempt to arrange the latest word-fight between the only royal parties of Bhutan. I wonder, who is dying and who is surviving. I think, Jigmi likes to make parliamentary democracy a dowry for him wishing the other party die soon.
Bhutanese journalists experienced the unity existed among the top leaders of the country. For years and decades, these were the leaders who claimed Bhutan didn’t have any internal or external conflict among the ruling groups. Ultimately, this has been exposed, even since the two gangs began drawing attention of the people towards them.
The unruly nature that PM Jigmi showed during his first press conference was an example how democratic has he become. Wish for the death of opposition party means taking over the regime for another decade, dictate the Bhutanese society further.
However, Tobgay admitted his party signed a petition for state fund, arguing that both the parties were equally in need of funds, and further arguing nobody from the PDP office had met the Prime Minister on budget issues nor had there been any ‘do or die’ meetings, as pointed by the PM.
The PDP has an overdraft loan of Nu 20 Million from the Bank of Bhutan (BOB) and other liabilities of Nu 4.0 million. According to party, it requires Nu 45,000 monthly to operate party in all districts. But the source of funding is only the membership fee of the party members and voluntary contribution. At the same time, party members have begun to leave PDP. Oops! This is a way to collapse…. Tobgay. As you don’t pay perks to officer operators in districts, they are likely to bid adieu, the house owners of your offices will in no time kick you out.
It looks, the voluntary contribution went to the side of the ruling party, in whole. Inclusion of two businessmen, including chairperson and the managing director of Bhutan Steel Industries Limited Damchae Dem, in PM’s trip to Delhi on government funding reflects blur picture on whose side the business community has not tilted.
The cabinet secretary, Dasho Sherub Tenzin, claims businessmen paid their own expenses, including airfare, air ticket booking accounts at the Druk Air office show tickets for all the delegates (including the business representatives) were booked on July 7, under the same credit bill number (i.e. 36108) liable to be paid Cabinet Secretariat.
Refusal of Tenzin to show the list of people drawing allowances for the trip, saying it confidential, not only violates the right to information law, but also raises question of gross misuse of the state funds by ruling parties.
And Jigmi hopes, if the opposition party dies, there won’t be anyone raising objections against what he does. Is the circle reaching its original point, trying to revert the country to an absolute rule?