First interview

[NaNoWriMo Day 8]

[Warning: This is poorly written and completely unedited. I just want to get a novel written soon.]

"Can we move on from this please," said Raul, sounding more irritated then he had meant to. "I have already explained my position, and I am not going to budge. We can discuss on other topics, this is something I will not compromise on," he said.

"So Mr. Adhikary, isn't one of the qualities of a good leader their abilities to compromise and come to an agreement? If you don't plan on compromising on your positions, how do you plan to get anything done at all," asked the man in the dirty gray jacket.

"Yes, yes, that is true, but not for everything. There are some principled stands that are uncompromising, that no one can be moved on. Say someone comes in right now, and tells you you should give them everything you own. Would you give them that, in the name of the compromise, or would you propose that you keep 50-50? No, you would flat out reject any kind of proposal at all, because it is your belief that what belongs to you belongs to you, and you are not willing to compromise on it by handing it out willy-nilly to everyone who asks for it," Raul said. "It's just like that. Not that political discussions are like robbery, but there are positions that one cannot compromise on because they are so fundamental to one's beliefs and systems, and equal socio-political rights for women is one of those positions that I believe in," he said.

"So you're saying equal a guarantee of equal socio-political rights is one of your positions that you will not compromise on. If you win the elections, and you implement the policies you want, what happens if the society does not change according to your principles? Would you be willing to live with unchanging society, that does not want to compromise with yourself either? Or do you plan to be more harsh with how society treats your positions," he asked, looking at the sheet of paper he was holding in his right hand.

"As a leader, and as a representative, my job is to forward the needs of all my constituents, and not unfairly favor one group over another. If one group rejects the changing of historical pattern that unfairly favors them against other groups, then that is what I'm going to work with. I will make sure no one will be disadvantages, but going forward, people get a more fair treatment legally and socially. And as far as social mores not reflecting legal restrictions goes, the laws have to be updated before we can wait for the society to follow. Remember the biggest decisions we have made legally: the abolition of slavery, giving voting rights to women, the abolition of bonded labor, giving property rights to women, the abolition of child marriage, and so forth. Laws have always preceded the change in social behavior. That's what people elect persons like me for, to make laws that make our society a little better by slightly changing the behavior of everyone," Raul said, slightly panting. He paused to catch up with his breath.

"Alright. There have been instances where the laws certainly have been made, but social mores have refused to follow on with that. You gave the example of the abolishment of slavery, but let me bring some other points. Child marriage is still quite prevalent even though it's illegal; even though bonded labor is illegal, there are structures very similar to it in the the far west that are still practiced. And as you will remember, the laws regarding menustration in the far west have barely had a dent on people's behavior. How do you plan to deal with issues such as these as a representative," the presenter asked, with a slight smile for some reason.

"That is right, all the laws that were implemented to change social behavior have not been perfectly implemented, I'm glad you brought this up. The issue is, law has made significant change, that is for sure. Before, how common was child marriage? I remember seeing data on how 50-60% of rural women were married as legal minors. Now it's barely 20 percent. The extractive, exploitative practices in the far west do exist, but more as personal structures, and not as large social super-structures that had legal backing: people can technically choose to sue the alleged parties and get a judicial hearing, an option that didn't exist before. So while the laws have not completely eliminated the weaknesses inherent in our society, they certainly have checked them. As for the menstruation hut issue you mention, it is true that laws have not had expected effects on that. And I believe the solution to that is to create a carrot-and-sticks structure. People need to be encouraged to follow the rules, and made to understand that the punishments are going to be proportional. For example, no one really believes that a father is going to go to jail for making his daughter and her friends spend a few days in the hut. However, if social workers observed, and rewarded people following the laws in the concerned reason: scholarships for families, or farm animals as rewards, while the families ignoring the rules are punished socially: through religious or social institutions, that would have a big impact. So yes, you are right, barely making laws is not the end of it, a part of legislation also includes investing in institutions that will watch out for implementation. In social issues such as these, obviously the police is not the best tool, even though in extreme cases it would be a good idea. SO for example, if someone was found out to be buying and selling persons, the police would obviously be involved. Perhaps not as much in the menstruation situation, currently, but things could change. So yes, to change the society is not a matter of just changing laws, but creating supporting institutions," said Raul. He was having a hard time keep up. He had gone through all of that almost without taking a single breathe. He needed a break.

"Thank you. This is Kasthmandap Television, and you are watching Politicians and Politics. I'm talking to Mr. Raul Adhikary, who is running for the member of the upper house from Kathmandu Valley. Our conversation will continue, but after the commercial break.

"Cut! You have five minutes," shouted a set assistant.