A failed “loktantra”

The country is practicing a system which has already been proven that it will not benefit the nation, rather, it will destroy a sovereign and independent nation created by our brave forefathers by shedding their bloods. The nation observed first anniversary of the promulgation of the constitution with a great fanfare for three days from 18 to 20 September. The event was observed by only those political parties involved in promulgation of the constitution. Out of them also, the main opposition party UML observed the event separately. On the other hand, the Madheshi Front observed the event as the black day. There are other political forces as well as groups who also observed the constitution promulgation day as black day. Constitutional expert Bhimarjun Acharya, immediately after promulgation of the constitution last year, had said that except from the party workers no others will celebrate/welcome the constitution. By viewing the government level celebration of the constitution promulgation day, even after one year, Acharya is found correct on his observation. We have already spent one year, yet, the implementation part of the constitution is very slow and there are serious disputes regarding restructuring provinces, local bodies, elections etc. among the political parties who had promulgated the constitution. Just recently, prime minister Pushpakamal Dahal concluded his official visit to Delhi. During the visit, Dahal was unable to bag recognition for the constitution from India. His Indian counterpart Narendra Modi said that Nepal should amend the constitution by providing space to all the sectors. Without amendment of the constitution, India is not going to recognize the constitution. Already, before the then prime minister KP Sharma Oli’s India sojourn, the newly born constitution was amended just to please the Indians but from that act also India has not become satisfied and now India is seeking next amendment in the constitution.  Our prime minister Dahal returned home by assuring the Indian leaders that he will make efforts to amend the constitution. But can he amend the constitution, this is a burning question. Within the ten years since 2006 April uprising, we have witnessed ten prime ministers in office. Understandably, we are receiving one prime minister in one year. Even after promulgation of the constitution, the first prime minister elected through the new constitution could not continue in the office for more than nine months. The tenure of the present prime minister has also been fixed for nine months. If such a trend will continue, we cannot imagine about economic prosperity of the nation, which has to be the prime goal of any of the political systems. In this regard, the present political odality has already been failed. There are two perspectives in defining human rights and democracy. The westerners define that the individual freedom as the best democracy, however, the eastern conception is different. Citizens’ economic rights have to be secured, which is the perfect definition of democracy. Singapore and China like countries have given stress on individuals’ economic right, which is based on the Confucius philosophy. A hungry stomach cannot laude individual freedom. For about three decades, Nepal experienced Panchayat democracy. Although, this democratic era has been criticized as the black era by those present day political leaders, first of all, the Panchayat system gave proper shape to the nation, besides, it developed infrastructure of the nation as well as introduced proper mechanism for development of all sectors which was essential to function an independent and sovereign nation. The Panchayat democracy was a fiction of communism and capitalism which had adopted good features of both the modalities. For Nepal like country, the Panchayat system was far better than the present day “loktantra”. Today, the country is under the grip of some political parties and the leaders are running the country not in a democratic manner but in an autocratic manner by introducing a syndicate system. During the Rana rule, the ruler’s order used to be the law of the nation. In the same manner, the leaders in power, whatsoever is written in the constitution, are found violating the constitution and constitutional spirit as they act themselves above the constitution. The leaders, by exploiting citizens, which they say, people as the supreme power, Every time, the leaders use the people to fulfill their pity interests. Today, the entire world knows that Nepal was declared a secular, federal republic not in the interests of the general public but in the interests of the Western power centers who had influenced our top leaders by spending a huge amount of foreign currency on them, yet, the leaders claim that this is the first ever constitution written by the Nepalis themselves. If the constitution was written by the Nepalis, why the Nepalis are unable to accept it and why the political leaders are afraid from holding referendum on these disputed issues?   Today, the leaders are running to Delhi just to get recognition to the constitution as they believe that once Delhi will recognize it, they can digest the foreign currency that they have received to destroy this beautiful nation. By avoiding referendum on disputed issues, the political leaders have deceived the Nepali citizens. To conclude, Nepal like nation cannot burden the expenses of the provinces, local bodies and also nearly 200 political parties which have created a political mess. To save Nepal from upcoming crisis, the country should immediately return back to the previous era. We have no other options to save the nation at all.