Essential flaw

Those who joined the essential services knew full well what they could and could not do.

Given the drastic measures employed to remove everybody and everything from the roads so that the President's motorcade will have the smoothest passage possible, it was only a matter of time before they resulted in a grave incident—like the one that happened on Friday. On that day, the police baton-charged a medical doctor in front of Bir Hospital in Kathmandu in the process of clearing the road for President Bidya Devi Bhandari's VVIP procession. In response, the Nepal Medical Association on Sunday shut down all medical services except emergency care. Similarly, several transport-related organisations on Tuesday halted public buses, protesting against what they said were unlawful traffic fines, unjustified suspension of driving licences and high fees for pollution tests. (Both services have now resumed following talks between the government and the service providers.)