BE SENSIBLE

The Kathmandu Post

5 July 2015

BE SENSIBLE

It was a pleasure to read the news (“CA gets constitution draft” 1 July, Page 1) at such a time when the general people were wondering whether or not the 16 point-deal reached among the four major political parties could be materialized. Now, the time has come for the CA members to be serious in extensive deliberation and give the new constitution to the people on time. Nonetheless, there seem to be several challenges ahead, considering the concerns shown by the CA members of three Madhes based political parties who tore up copies of the draft in protest of the 16 point-deal and numerous other provisions of the new constitution.

Despite the Apex court’s interim order to halt the drafting process of new constitution, the Constitution Drafting Committee (CDC) continued with their work and presented it to the CA for deliberation. The consequences of that are still unknown. If we look at the universally accepted democratic norms and values, there seems to be a serious flaw in the drafting process: the four political parties made the 16 point-deal outside the CA’s authority undermining its constitutional importance.

The Constitution is said to be a document of comprises. However, compromises cannot be made with regard to nationalism, territorial integrity, citizenship and human rights violation. All the efforts should be made to incorporate the issues and concerns of other political parties in the draft constitution in order to create ownership of the new constitution. Otherwise, it becomes a controversial document with the chance of being torn and burned in the streets. Time has come for the major political parties to be sensible in this regard rather than trying to undermine the role of other political parties in the CA.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharjgunj