CK Lal's columns, till now, were always truthful and objective appraisals of current issues that I read with interest and admiration. However, in "The dynasty strikes back" (#17) he too seems to have succumbed to the bug of syco-phancy. His brief stint of objective analytical writing has come to an end, and he has shown that if you scratch Nepali journalists, they show their hidden colours immediately. It is only a matter of time, which in most cases is sooner rather than later. Kow-towing to the Koiralas is a professional necessity, I suppose. It gets its rewards as any cosying up to the powers-that-be (or soon-to-be) does. CK Lal's piece has to some extent damaged your credibility.

A columnist's views do not necessarily reflect a paper's official standing, but no paper can at the same time absolve itself completely from the views it prints.

Dr SM Dixit
Patan