"Robbing the Country Blind"- Beyond English Lesson

"Robbing the country blind" was a figure of speech that Druk Phunsum Tshogpa took literally. Over the past months many people including Dasho Benji himself gave the party several English lessons. This case became so popular that the whole nation would by now know the meaning of the figure of speech, but as a matter of fact, no one will ever use it, especially on Facebook.

Opposition Leader with Dasho Benji- Photo Courtesy: RSPN Website

Beyond the English what lessons did we learn?

Individually, we must be warned that we can't just say anything against anybody if we can't substantiate. You should be more careful if you are a prominent figure in the society. Your words can be interpreted in many ways. And most importantly we should know freedom of speech has limits, which is not defined.

On the contrary, what Dasho Benji did was a very democratic example to the so many young followers he has on social media. He is illustrating how to speak up without shying, and most importantly he was showing us that we need not be anonymous to speak up boldly. But what DPT did to Dasho will have very deep impact on the emerging culture of social dialogue. People will never take chances and we may always resort to speaking anonymously.

Druk Phunsum Tshogpa, as a party should have never bothered about such petty comments because this is politics. They should focus on bigger goals of nurturing democracy in the country rather than giving suicidal threats from time to time. Their very nature of going off-focus lost them 2013 election, where instead of talk about what they will do they spent the whole campaign period talking and laughing about what the other party was going to do.

While it's easy to file a defamation case, just as freedom of speech has no well defined boundary, defamation doesn't have shape too. Freedom of speech doesn't necessarily end where defamation begins. The thin line between the two is very flexible. Therefore, now Dasho Benji's lawyer is charging DTP for "infringe upon the fundamental rights of an individual, which is guaranteed by Constitution.” He goes on for 13 pages where international examples of how political parties can't sue individual were cited. In a surprising backfire, after failing to convince the party that 'robbing the country blind' was a figure of speech, Dasho Benji is now substantiating his Facebook comments by digging out the ugly past, which could cost the party Nu.75 million. Party shouldn't have cornered the cat.

6 December, DTP will present their argument and the case will go on for sometime. Opposition will lose so much in this case- from time, attention to their real job, public support and perhaps Nu.75 million. 

Who Should Win?

If DTP wins, freedom of speech will be under question. There will be lesser people daring to say anything openly. There will be lots of anonymous users on social media. The very foundation of democratic dialogue will be dead.

If Dasho Benji wins, then it will lead to more social dialogues, not personal attacks. People who are hiding behind the mask will slowly come out in the open without fear. DPT will need a loan of Nu.75 million to drink their own ara. 

Dasho Benji Factor in Bajothang

"Gooooooooooooood morrrrrrrning Bajothang" began Dasho Benji like he always does on Radio Valley, and my students were surprised, they never expected anything to begin so exciting in that hall, where they were used to sitting for hours listening to ceremonious talks if not boring. The students who were leaning on to each other or were engaged in gossips suddenly straightened their spine and raised their brows.

The Legend-Benji in our humble hall

This was so far the best talk ever heard in my school hall, I feel very sorry for the remaining half of the students who couldn't be accommodated in the small space. The lucky half who attended the talk listened with all the keenness in the world. The subject of the talk was drug abuse and reading habit, which the students have heard many times so far and are fed up of, therefore I invited Dasho Benji. It takes Dasho Benji to add life to such topics and send it straight into the young hearts. That's called the Benji Factor. 

I have never seen my students respond so excitedly to a talk. They laughed when Dasho imitated Bob Marley, the cheered when Dasho acted like a doped guy, they whispered to each other when Dasho told his alcoholic history and the hall went silent when Dasho shared about Tashi Namgyal Dorji, his dear son who left him last year. I met Tashi twice in Thimphu and we talked of many beautiful thing in life, he was so full of charm. He could do magic with his camera and had great dreams but one day he took his beautiful life and left thousands of hearts broken. Dasho shared with my students that his son was influenced into drugs that took his life. He beg of my students not to give that heartbreak to their parents. I could feel the message seeping into the little souls.

Dasho then talked so profoundly about the magic of reading, putting it against drugs. He said every bit of drug makes our brain a little dead, little weak and little dull. On the contrary every book we read adds a new dimension to our brain making us wiser. Children roared their agreement to his confirmation questions. But the talk seemingly ended very soon when everybody was hungry for more of Benji Talk. He promised to visit us again and I am in charge of any future arrangements.

Kids requesting for autograph from the star before he left like a shooting star. We were having a quick tea in our rustic school canteen. (Seen on the right is my principal Shangkar Lal)

Dasho was on some environmental campaign when I hijacked him en route CNR Lobesa to Taktse in Trongsa. We had talked at length during out first meeting at Mountain Echoes in Thimphu where I made a casual invitation. He accepted generously expressing his strong urge to reach out to as many school children as possible. I already received some "How to Invite Dasho Benji?" questions from school teachers and I answered them easily because it's that easy: Send an Invitation on Facebook and Dasho will kindly respond depending on his schedule. Unbelievable but true when it comes to him- The Benji Factor begins right there.

With Dasho Benji @ Mountain Echoes 2014 (On Right: Jambay Dorji and Nawang Phuntsho, two published yet humble writers)