It is like torrential rain in the abundance of water, a saying in
Dzongkha. People of Bhutan shares brunt of Rupee Crunch, Frozen Loans,
Ban on Vehicle Import. The pang of the pinch these had brought is still heard
in the hearts of every Bhutanese whatever be the noble reasons asserted forth
by the concerned.
Those are not an exhaustive list, today it is about doubling the
prices of LPG gas and Kerosene. Yet another catastrophe that thunder-stormed
the sentiments of the people. No sooner than the news rustled the ears of
people, the people rushed to respective depots to get their empty cylinders
refilled. It was an unwelcome hike when an economy is already hard hit with the
inflation at its climax. When the pain of inflation is still on, the news of
doubling prices of LPG gas and kerosene is definitely the tornado to the
household exchequer that shall deplete a meager income of many.
People have started planning for their expenditure and village
folks think of firewood as a better substitute but this may not come easy where
constitution mandates to maintain 60% forest cover for all-time. There are
people who went onto accusing the government, the deteriorating relations with
India, who then started phasing out the subsidy(as the news of
deteriorating relations is rift around this time of the year).
The past government may not be in position to undo it until it
comes to the helm, the interim government had forwarded bilateral request for
the reconsidering the subsidy. The response looks dim, if the news of
tapering-off bilateral relations with India is anything to go by. Presuming it
otherwise, the people are optimistic of the response from India as he had
always stood by our side, the highest development partner since the start of
FYP development in the country. So, probably India may not have tripped off a
strong bond that two countries had nurtured, an epitome of bilateral relations
until date. The duo had a typical neighborhood, noticeable globally. A little
smearing by political propaganda may not shake to that extent it is construed
today. And this should not be the case in any way. Bond with India must be kept
pristine and any government government coming to the reign could possibly think
of concreting it further.
PDP had accused DPT for the dwindling relationship which had then
resulted into coming of aforementioned consequences. They construes these consequences
the aftermath of weakened bilateral relations with India. Personally I
feel, that there is need for every Bhutanese to have look to the problems
straight. But there is no reason for a tiny ant like Bhutan, sandwiched between
two giants to point fingers one another. We should rather come to consensus to
resolve the problems if these are in the interest of the nation.
Whatever be the case, the brunt of doubling the prices of LPG and
Kerosene, the frozen loans, ban of vehicle import and Rupee Shortage will
remain a talk of every Bhutanese. There is nothing one could do until the next
government elect. Probably, we could only hope for better.
