On/Off the Record

By P.R. Pradhan Those political leaders who came to the power after the 2006 April uprising, were claiming that the struggle against an “autocratic” rule has ended after the transfer of power to the people and the era of economic prosperity has started. It has already been 16 years since the introduction of the “loktantra” we have only seen a continuous decline of the nation on all fronts. It makes clear that the present political system imposed on the nation was a serious political mistake. Now, different political parties including those who were involved in a bloody war killing above 17 thousand innocent Nepalis, are also talking about an amendment to the constitution, some are even saying about rewriting the constitution. The main focus they have given on directly elected chief executive of the government, whether it is for the post of a president or a prime minister. Indeed, it will be a move for pushing the nation towards an autocratic rule. After the end of the Rana rule in 1951, Nepal is continuously experimenting with different political systems. Firstly, a multiparty system was introduced. After 10 years, the partyless Panchayat system was introduced. Again in 1990, the multiparty system was restored and in 2006, the present federal, secular republic system was introduced. Needless to repeat that the 1990 political change followed by another 2006 political change had taken place in support of the foreign powers. The 1990 “people’s movement” was sponsored by India, whereas, the second “people’s movement” was jointly sponsored by the Indo-West power. The Indo-West power had imposed a system not to make Nepal a prosperous country but to destroy the historical nation with the plan of making it a failed state. No doubt, those, who are in power today, are known to be foreign agents and they are serving the foreigners’ vested interests by deceiving and exploiting innocent Nepalis. Either it is Sher Bahadur Deuba or his spouse Dr Arzu Rana Deuba or Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda or Dr Baburam Bhattarai or Madhav Nepal and even the opposition party leader K.P. Sharma Oli, and other Tarai parties’ leaders, all are Delhi’s men and the present five-party alliance has been forged in the interests of Delhi. In the competition for receiving blessings from Delhi, our leaders are not hesitant in denouncing the patriotic leaders of the country. Baburam Bhattarai, Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda, Krishna Shitaula, among others, have no respect for modern Nepal’s founder, King Prithivi Narayan Shah and King Mahendra. The RAW chief is a great personality for them. Now, they are talking about the directly elected executive chief. It makes clear that for Delhi or the West, manipulating the entire political parties in parliament has become difficult. If there will be a people-elected executive chief, it will be easy to influence him for them. Therefore, this idea has been floated in foreign powers’ interests. They are also talking about a total proportional election to reduce the election cost. In Nepal, the proportional election has already failed. This provision has become a tool to assign party senior leaders’ wives and relatives. Also, this provision has become a money-making business for rewarding those business brokers by taking money. Those marginalized groups of people never get a chance to get elected through the proportional election. Today, Nepali politics is passing through the chaos. We have introduced seven provinces and 753 local bodies, which has become a financial burden for the nation. In fact, experts had suggested introducing three provinces and around 300 local units considering Nepal’s domestic revenue structure. Dr Shyam Krishna Bhurtel, who worked as an expert on restructuring the local units believe that 300 local bodies are more than enough for Nepal like a tiny country. The political leaders, without homework, introduced seven provinces and 753 local bodies. Now, the government is spending all its internal revenue on the operation of the seven provinces and 753 local bodies. The country, to run the federal structure, is taking foreign debt. If this process will continue, Nepal will become a failed state. Removing the province structure and reducing the number of local bodies is compulsory for financially sustaining the nation. If we want to save and make prosperous this sovereign nation, the best model is a two-pillar multiparty democracy having an institution of the monarchy with the role of monitor and political parties functioning under the rule of law. The king’s presence is obvious because it will not be an easy task for foreign powers to use the institution of monarchy in their interests. Instead of conducting new experiments and wasting time, Nepal must return to the 1990 constitution described as the most democratic system in the globe.