We know that for a
meaningful political change to begin in Nepal going forward, the
public space of Ratnapark has to be involved. All the historic
speeches and political activities in that public ground have cemented
it as an important space for political gathering, although it seems
to have been replaced today by other more intimidating, more modern
looking and walled in structures like the “Convention Center” in
New Baneshwor as the place for political activity. What gives
Ratnapark a truly revolutionary strength is the difficulty in
managing the space if in case the crowd becomes spontaneously
politicized, if the crowd spontaneously feels the urge to suddenly
act out on their discontent with the established political powers.
The Ratnapark space is surrounded by little to no walls, allowing
people who are walking on the street beside it to participate with a
core group of agitators in the park, and even more important is the
fact that the political stage/platform that exists in front of Ratnapark is dilapidated and dirty, and so no ego-driven ambitious man or
woman will want to exploit the stage/platform for his/her personal
ambition to be a political leader. The spontaneous crowd will
have no spontaneous leader because of the condition of Ratnapark's
stage, and hence the established political leaders will not feel the
need to crush the spontaneous crowd for it will not have a leader
which will threaten the power of established leaders and parties.
Without a leader of its own to save from toppling, the spontaneous
crowd will remain non-violent and endure.
In the spontaneous crowd,
a group of agitators attract others towards their protests and seek
to include everyone in the protesting act. This spontaneous crowd is
not governed by political ideas and well-constructed agendas, but
rather something stirs in the crowd which makes it understand,
without a word spoken, that common discontent unites them, and people realize among themselves that the time is right for urgent
political activity, regardless of a structure/organization or a
person leading the group from a stage. There is no one shouting a
slogan for others to repeat it, there are small conversations taking
place within small groups, but these small groups are now defined by
their discontent at politics; everybody is simply standing there or walking aimlessly within Ratnapark, everybody knows what the discontent is, there is no
need to inform the world or to make the protest louder in volume.
Ratnapark, as it seems to be frequented by the unemployed, already has the
potential to unite the people there around their discontent and
frustration, but historically such a united crowd has not formed
there.
To further the
development of the spontaneous crowd, what is important is to get the
sentimentality regarding politics removed from Ratnapark. It is necessary to change those who
sit in there who like remembering the park's history and certain
specific political events and speeches from the past which have been
memorable to them, because it triggers their nostalgia or reminds
them of a long-lost love interest. Problematically, the park is remembered as a
theater, and a willingness to revive its theatrical aspects dominates
in the present. Ratnapark becomes a relic to be preserved for
its past value, as if it could serve no purpose politically in the
present. Peanuts and pop-corn, staple foods of a cinema hall,
which are consumed also in Ratnapark suggest that this sentimental
reminiscing of the drama in Ratnapark is still quite strong; one
watches the empty stage, eats peanuts/pop-corn, and reminisces of the favorite
moments from a leader's speech from one's imagination. The
spontaneous crowd must go beyond this sentimental attachment to the
park's history and drama, and instead be in tune with the political
events playing out in the present. The presence of phones and radio
in the park must be heightened so that political events elsewhere
that are just unfolding may be heard/seen, so that if there is
something critical, the crowd may be formed and active in response.
Free internet in Ratnapark may be key. The spontaneous crowd will be very
important in elevating Ratnapark as a center for political activity
once again.
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