The country is in uncertain and bizarre stage. The country is governed by the ruthless leaders who have sordidly failed to rise above their personal and hidden interest. They have forgotten their promise which they made in front of the people while canvasing for both elections- CA I and II. Even in their political manifestos, the leaders have claimed to promulgate the constitution within very short time. Eight years have elapsed since the signing of the comprehensive peace accord between former rebels and the government but no breakthrough has been made to end the protracted transition. It is not the time to confront but to work in tandem to ensure sustainable peace in the country.
The constitution is basic law of the land. It is a broad document that incorporates and addresses the concerns of the people of all hues. It ensures the participation of people from all walk of live in every affairs of the state and decision making process. Moreover, the constitution paves the avenues for lasting peace and sustainable development in the country. To the most chagrin, the leaders over the years have not been able to understand its significances in bringing epochal changes.
Needless to reiterate, the feeling among the people that the second constituent assembly will deliver the constitution in stipulated time is gradually thinning- thanks to our so called leaders. In every discussion from small tea shop to five star hotels, the people express their dissatisfaction over the leaders’ inability to forge consensus on key issues that led to the dissolution of the erstwhile constituent assembly. They blame and criticize the political parties and their leaders for not acting seriously, and lacking commitment to bring the peace in the country. Such remark on the part of the citizen is very relevant in view of the present realities.
All political parties are beset with inter and intra party wrangling over power sharing, post and pelf. The senior leaders of the largest party in the existing CA- the Nepali Congress- have accused the prime minister of promoting nepotism and favoritism. They have charged that his leadership skill has not been able to bring any change in their party. On the other hand, the second largest party, the CPN-UML- has also been plagued with internal party bickering over power sharing and party politics. Likewise, the UCPN-M, the largest party of the erstwhile constituent assembly, has been in the verge of further split owing to growing feud among its party members. All these parties, at this critical juncture, have been engaged in confrontation ignoring their cardinal objective- the promulgation of the constitution within the deadline and ending the agonizing transition. This indeed does not bode well for the country which is torn by the decade long armed conflcit
In the meantime, owing to lack of far sightedness and statesmanship among the leaders of the major parties, the repressive forces are gaining momentum to restore monarchy in the country. In the recently concluded CA election, the Rastriya Prajantra Party led by Kamal Thapa emerged fourth largest party in the country sidelining the regional based parties. Many view the emergence of RPP as the result of political parties and their leaders’ failure to meet the aspirations of the people over the years.
Shantaram Pokhrel, a New Delhi based political analyst and follower of Nepal's peace process, during his interview with The Telegraph, said that major political parties and their leaders have forgotten tthe promise which they made during and after the second CA election. Over the years, especially after the restoration of democracy, they have been engaged in forming and dismantling the government ignoring their cardinal task. What is most disheartening is that they have sordidly failed in meeting the aspirations of the people who wished for prosperous and democratic Nepal. With few months to meet the deadline, the parties have no other options but to burry their hatchets and work together to end the painful transition once and for all. Its time to walk the talk.
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