A Troubling Poll Season

With the March 5 election just around the corner, the latest reports from Gaur tell a deeply troubling story. Tensions between Hindu and Muslim communities have spilled into open violence despite extended curfew orders. Homes are tense, and the streets of this town remain uneasy, compelling former prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to call on residents to maintain restraint, warning that no family's safety should be put at risk and that dialogue remains the only workable path. Later, in an attempt to stop violence and tension from escalating, all political parties called for unity and harmony among all communities. Yet the clashes have persisted. Injuries have been reported, vehicles vandalised, and fires set even after security forces were deployed. This is not an isolated incident. In Sunsari, a confrontation between cadres of the Nepali Congress and the Rastriya Swatantra Party forced police to use batons. In Dang, RSP cadres burnt the UML's flag, angering supporters. The speed with which political rivalry turned physical should concern anyone who cares about the credibility of the coming polls. These incidents raise a serious question: Is the country prepared to guarantee a peaceful and credible election environment?