Dr. Baburam Bhattarai Stays On-Part XIV

Siddhi B Ranjitkar

The president hosted a tea party for the political leaders apparently for bringing them together to build a consensus on the hot political issues they could not agree on but it is the first sign of the success of the opposition in pushing the president to step on the political issues the president is supposed not to do anything without the recommendations of the prime minister made following the Interim Constitution of Nepal of 2007. At the same time, one of the NC leaders has come out openly telling only the election to a new CA is the alternative left to protect democracy in Nepal. The opposition led by the NC and the CPN-UML not following the Interim Constitution of Nepal of 2007 has continued to create law and order problems across the country. At the same time, Chairman of UCPN-Maoist and Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai have continued their attempt on building a consensus on the political issues particularly the identity-based federalism that the NC and CPN-UML vehemently opposed and continued to do so. If they understand democracy is the majority rule with the respect for the minority issues, they would not have opposed the identity-based federalism, and they would go to elections to a new CA to win the confidence of the voters and the people in general.

If the NC and CPN-UML have shown any concern for the issues of the ethnic and Madheshi people, they would have never opposed the identity-based federalism. The dynastic rulers and the Panchas did not bother to address the issues of the ethnic and Madheshi people during the two-and-a-half century of their rule. That was one of the reasons why the monarchy ended in 2008. The dynastic rulers had not allowed the Nepalis even to wear shoes until 1951. Today, the NC and CPN-UML are not doing to that extreme but they are not for listening to the voices of the ethnic and Madheshi people. For example, the CPN-UML has fired one of the ethnic leaders in the party for voicing the rights of the people to identity-based federalism. According to the news on nepalnews.com on June 16, 2012, the CPN-UML has expelled indigenous leader Angkaji Sherpa from the party for making public remarks on the party going against the identity-based federalism. Mr. Sherpa is the Vice-secretary to the Solukhumbu district committee of CPN-UML, and is also the General Secretary to Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN). He spoke at the mass rally held by the UCPN-Maoist at Tundikhel in Kathmandu on Friday, June 15, 2012. CPN-UML leaders are not for tolerating even soft criticism done by the ethnic people.

In a statement released in Kathmandu, Vice-chairman of CPN-UML Ashok Rai on Sunday, June 17, 2012 urged the CPN-UML party leadership to review its decision on firing Vice-secretary to Solukhumbu District Committee of CPN-UML Angkaji Sherpa from the party for making public remarks on the party policy and for speaking at the mass rally held by the UCPN-Maoist at Tundikhel in Kathmandu on Friday, June 15, 2012. Mr. Rai said the action taken against Sherpa was very unfair and went against the ongoing campaign to ensure the rights of indigenous nationalities and oppressed communities in the country. Mr. Sherpa is also General Secretary to Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) that has termed the CPN-UML’s decision to expel indigenous leader Angkaji Sherpa from the party as a “shameful act” and expressed serious objection to it, according to the news posted on nepalnews.com.

If the media reports are to believe, most of the leaders and cadres of the ethnic origin in the NC and the CPN-UML are preparing to quit the parties protesting against the stand taken by these parties on not accepting the identity-based federalism. If it really happens, the NC and CPN-UML parties would be left with only the Bahun-Chettri members. They are brothers in arms fighting against the identity-based federalism. These two parties have been so close in their working and in the political beliefs they would merge into a single Bahun-Chettri party not in the distant future to continue suppressing the voices of the ethnic and Madheshi people.

The NC and CPN-UML have been in the path of uprooting whatever the roots Nepalese democracy has taken, so far. As every democrat knows democracy means the rule of majority but respecting the voices of the minority. Leaders of NC and CPN-UML are not even for following the majority rule not to mention the listening to the minority voices, as they have been demanding the Prime Minister to quit for making room for them to form a new government of theirs. They could not force the Bhattarai government out of the office following the Interim Constitution of Nepal of 2007, as they did not have the sufficient votes to do so in the parliament dissolved along with the CA. Now, they are unleashing their cadres on the streets to force the Prime Minister out of the office. On Monday, June 18, 2012, these cadres have even used violence to protest against the prime minister stoning his car while going to the international airport in Kathmandu for flaying to Brazil for attending the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development dubbed as the Rio+20 summit to be held from June 20 to 22, 2012. In addition, NC and CPN-UML leaders are not willing to listen to the voices of the ethnic and Madheshi people clearly showing that they are for destroying the fledging democracy in Nepal.

According to the news in ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 17, 2012, NC and CPN-UML in alliance with other 25 small parties have decided on Saturday, June 16, 2012 to launch various programs such as demonstrations, torch rallies and so on across the country from June 19 to July 9, 2012 demanding the resignation of the prime minister. They also set up a three-member protest committee (most aptly democracy-killing committee) comprising NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula, CPN-UML General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel and Rastriya Prajatantra Party General Secretary Dipak Bohara (former Pancha leader). Now, it is quite clear that the NC and CPN-UML alone have no confidence to go against the current government; so, they are taking the assistance of any party of any color. They are determined to fight against the democracy in Nepal shaking hands with anybody that could help them to achieve their goal of demolishing democracy. Thus, the NC and CPN-UML are to make whatever the system the People’s Movement of 2006 has set up a failure. Now, the polarization of the Nepalese political parties into the undemocratic forces represented by the NC and CPN-UML in alliance with other small parties and the democratically elected current coalition government of the UCPN-Maoist and UDMF has taken a quite distinguishable shape. The sad story is that the cadres and leaders of both the NC and CPN-UML have not only followed the undemocratic practices of their leaders but also used violence for achieving their goal of stopping the election to a new CA.

However, one bold leader of the NC party Shekhar Koirala has come out of the undemocratic mindset of the NC leaders and has said that only the election to a new CA is the alternative left to save the democracy from extinction. Speaking at the function held by the Solukhumbu-Kathmandu liaison committee to release a local newspaper titled ‘Solukhumbu Pukar’, Central Committee Member of NC Dr. Shekhar Koirala on Saturday, June 16, 2012 said that an election to a new CA was necessary to craft a new constitution, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 17, 2012 writes quoting the state-news agency RSS. He said that the elected parliament should promulgate a new constitution with two-thirds majority. Dr. Koirala became only the leader that came out to defend the democratic norms and values among the so-called leaders of the NC and CPN-UML that had violently opposed the elections to a new CA.

Speaking at the function held to release a book titled "Revisiting the Nepali Peace Process" written by Professor Dr. Birendra Prasad Mishra in Kathmandu on Friday, June 15, 2012, President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav said that building a consensus among political parties on the contentious issue was the only way out to break the current political deadlock in the country; he further stated that he was committed not to cross over the constitutional limit for bringing all the political forces to one platform for reconciliation, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 16, 2012 reports. "We have come to this situation because we have time and again failed to institutionalize democracy in the country," ‘The Rising Nepal’ quotes the president as saying.

The president needs to keep his commitment not to cross over the constitutional limit but he has already crossed the constitutional limit stating that building a consensus among the political parties is the only way out of the current political stalemate. The president must know that the political leaders are not for building a consensus, as they have not been prepared to compromise their stand on the most critical issue of the identity-based federalism. A consensus among the Nepalese political leaders is the most elusive one. So, the president needs to strictly follow the constitution and usher the political parties to the elections to a new CA that is the only way of saving the democracy in Nepal, and to resolve the hot issue of the identity-based federalism. Clearly, the NC and CPN-UML are going against the election to a new CA fearing the election results would not be in their favor.

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav held a tea party for leaders of 33 political parties at his official residence Shital Niwas in Kathmandu on Sunday morning, June 17, 2012. "The nation has felt lack of authentic mechanism to resolve the political and constitutional issues following the dissolution of the CA. For returning the state into a democratic system and giving continuity to the rule of law, politics of consensus, mutual trust among the political forces of the People’s Movement II and Interim Constitution-2063 is a must; indeed, major political parties are focusing their attention on formation and dissolution of the government ignoring the need of consensus on constitution writing process, the nation reached in this political and constitutional deadlock as parties failed to adopt the verdict of the Supreme Court seriously," ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 18, 2012 quotes President Dr Yadav as saying at the tea party. Vice-president Parmananda Jha, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda, President of NC Sushil Koirala, and Chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal among other leaders were at the tea party.

The President is right saying that major political parties are focusing their attention on formation and dissolution of the government ignoring the need for building a consensus on the constitution writing process but the president also has called for the politics of consensus which is impossible if the NC and CPN-UML continue their negative stand on the identity-based federalism. Thus, the president has already started off engaging in the politics coming out of the office of the constitutional president to an active one. This is not the good sign of behavior of the president despite his commitment to remain within the constitution. Perhaps, the president might use ‘politics of consensus’ as an excuse for taking a strong action going beyond his constitutional limit.

Chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal had a word with the President after the meeting of 33 parties, thereafter, he told the reporters that he informed the President that the government was trying to rule the country through ordinances. "Nation is, now, without government and moving ahead (with) uncertainty and without any direction. The government is trying to develop ordinance-based ruling system which we flay most," ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 18, 2012 quotes Mr. Khanal as saying to the reporters after the brief meeting with the president. Mr. Khanal has been hardened to be the most undemocratic leader of the CPN-UML otherwise he would not have told the president such things that go against the constitution. If he were a leader in conscience, he would have told the president to follow the constitution for all the future steps.

Speaking at an interaction event held by the Reporters’ Club Kathmandu on Sunday, June 17, 2012, chief political advisor to Prime Minister, Devendra Paudel has said that the opposition parties are conspiring to overthrow the current government inciting the President to stage a coup; the President should not be involved in the dirty political game of forming and overthrowing a government; any move to bring the President into active politics would not only be detrimental to democracy and the political parties in the country including the presidency itself but also push the country to chaos and turmoil; he also said that the president should not take advice from the political leaders on overthrowing the current government, according to the nepalnews.com.

Speaking at the mass rally held by the UCPN-Maoist at Tundikhel on Friday, June 15, 2012, Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda said, “there is no alternative to the Constituent Assembly to write a new constitution; we cannot think of beyond the CA because only the popularly elected CA can guarantee the rights of Dalit, Janajati (ethnic), Madheshi, women, and minorities and the oppressed; this is a time to go ahead with wisdom and rational thinking, not for impulsive action; this is time to proceed with patience and restraint; I have urged Nepali Congress president Sushil Koirala, chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal and CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal to come forward for a consensus because nothing can be achieved without agreement; there is an element that finds fault with whatever I say and do; they distort what I say and use the media for false propaganda; I don’t know how the media will report when I am speaking right now,” ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 16, 2012 writes.

Speaking at the same rally, Vice-chairman of UCPN-Maoist and Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai said that all parties should come for consensus forgetting all past shortcomings and go for a fresh election to a new CA; parties are trying to repeat the royal moves of the past by propping the President up but I am confident the President will take heed of his constitutional boundaries; and appealed NC and CPN-UML also not to be off-track the constitutional path, as it will not lead to solution; such a move will only invite a counter move and the situation will backfire, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 16, 2012 writes.

Speaking at the same rally, Secretary to National Indigenous Federation Nepal (NEFIN) Angkaji Sherpa blamed the NC and CPN-UML for creating hurdles to the proposal for the 14 federal states to be endorsed by the CA; and said that the CA was dissolved after the oppressed groups formed an alliance to pass the proposal for identity-based federalism in the CA, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 16, 2012 reports.

On Saturday, June 16, 2012, Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda individually met with President of NC Sushil Koirala and senior leader of CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal at their respective residence and held talks with them about the current political situation. At the meeting with Koirala held at Maharajgunj, they discussed the current political crisis and discussed about its solution; both the leaders realized that there was no alternative to high-level political consensus for a political outlet. After the meeting, Prachanda said that the Maoists were ready to discuss all issues to build a national consensus. The NC chief said that the Maoists should implement the five-point deal to resolve the ongoing political crisis; the implementation of the five-point deal was the pre-condition for a national consensus and asked the prime minister to pave the way for a national consensus. Likewise, Prachanda also met with senior leader of CPN-UML Madhav Nepal at the latter’s Koteshwor residence and talked about the current political situation and the need for the national consensus politics; during the meeting, the two leaders agreed that there was no alternative to a national consensus on resolving the current political deadlock, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 17, 2012 writes.

At the press conference held in Kathmandu on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, Vice-chairman of UCPN-Maoist chairman Mohan Vaidhya ‘Kiran’ announced the formation of a new split-away party called ‘Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist. ´ Mr. Vaidhya has said that the formation of a new revolutionary force has been a must to lead the nation and find a way out of the current failure of the major political parties, as neither the alliance of the NC and the CPN-UML nor of the UCPN-Maoist and UDMF could lead the nation to the right direction. So, his faction created a new revolutionary party disassociating it from the UCPN-Maoist as the latter flouted the party’s revolutionary line, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 20, 2012 writes. “It was necessary to form the new party as party Chairman Prachanda and Vice-chairman and Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai betrayed the revolution and moved toward rightist neo-revisionism; the party leadership destroyed the hard earned achievement of the decade long ‘People’s War’, various people’s movements, surrendered national sovereignty and disarmed the PLA; however, his party would be ready for its unification with the UCPN-Maoist until February 12, 2013: the scheduled date for holding the first general convention of the new party, if the leaders of the mother party came up with corrections and in a transformed way, ‘The Rising Nepal’ quotes Vaidhya as saying.

“The new party will work for the welfare of proletariats by safeguarding the hard-achieved republic, federalism and secularism; Nepal has now become a neo-colony of India as the latter is giving continuity to its unfair activities. Our party will struggle against the border encroachment and other unfair activities India have been carrying out against us by forming a puppet government in Nepal;” ‘The Rising Nepal’ quotes Vaidhya as saying. Referring to the current political deadlock, Vaidhya said that his party was for holding a multi-party roundtable conference to break the current political deadlock and promulgate a new constitution through an interim government.

Party secretary CP Gajurel said that the formation of the new revolutionary party was a victory in the history of communist revolution in Nepal. “The new party has formally opened the door for all revolutionary, federal and democratic forces to be united,” Gajurel said. In the function, party general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ briefed about the decisions taken by the three-day national cadres’ gathering and the new strategies of the party. Pampha Bhusal, Jayapuri Gharti, Hitman Shakya, Khadka Bishwakarma, Dev Gurung and other leaders were present in the press conference. The CPN-Maoist was formed Monday, June 18, 2012 as a breakaway party of the ruling UCPN-Maoist after a majority of its cadres opted for the formation of a new party, according to ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 20, 2012.

Facing the protest of the opposition particularly the NC and the CPN-UML against the president issuing ordinances, on Sunday, June 17, 2012, President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav issued two ordinances: Mutual Legal Assistance Ordinance of 2069 BS and Extradition Ordinance of 2069 BS following the recommendation of the government, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of June 19, 2012 writes. Following the promulgation of these two ordinances, the government has saved the country from the international community blacklisting it and prohibiting it from the international financial transactions. According to experts, the newly introduced laws have saved the country from the adverse effect on the flow of investments, foreign assistance and remittance to the country; the cost of trade would have been almost impossible if these two laws were not enacted.

The opposition headed by the NC and CPN-UML could save the democracy and the country from the political chaos cooperating with the government for holding the election to a new CA as scheduled on November 22, 2012. The opposition demand for forming a new government goes beyond the provision made in the Interim Constitution of Nepal of 2007. So, if the opposition wants to play by the rules means the Interim Constitution of Nepal of 2007 then they have no alternative but to usher the country to the election to a new CA, and get the fresh mandate from the people for crafting a new constitution, and take the country to the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal.

June 22, 2012