INCLUSIVE STATUTE

 Kudos to Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, President, calling for inclusive statute as reported in “President Calls for inclusive statute” (THT, April 14, Page 6). He has rightly shown his concern as the head of the state and asked all the political forces to encompass grievances, needs and aspirations of people belonging to all castes, regions, ethnic groups and communities while drafting the new constitution. He has even clearly mentioned that he is not going to sign the new constitution if these issues and concerns are not properly addressed. However, the question remains to be answered whether his concerns are genuinely taken into consideration in the new statute. Would that be politically acceptable for him not to sign the new constitution if it does not encompass all the above mentioned elements?

It was also good to know that he had further asked all the major political parties not to air secessionist remarks that could disturb age old harmonious culture of Nepali society. Time has come for all the major political parties to set aside their petty party political interests and start working collectively to complete the new constitution drafting process within the dead line. However, does it seem possible and feasible for them and CA to come up with new constitution by the dead line? If they failed to do so, it seems that the nation will plunge into political darkness that could jeopardize the social harmony, national sovereignty, territorial integrity and national independence.

The contentious issues (Federal structure and form of governance) of the new constitution are yet to be resolved among the major political parties. I am not a constitutional expert who can strongly argue about the constitutional elements of new constitution. However, federating country based on ethnicity could be suicidal for a small country like Nepal where the economic hardships and other resources vary from one region to another region and remain to be scarce and major concern. So, the major political parties, while talking about the compromises on federalism and forms of governance, make me nervous. It is not the compromises among them that need for and guide the drafting of new constitution. They need to keep the nation and its multi-cultural, multi-ethnic and multi-religious groups of people at the centre stage and draft the new constitution accordingly.

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