Student Leaders of the Nepali Congress furious over current leadership: Work or get going
Reporters Club: Several student leaders of the student wing of the Nepali Congress Party came together for a press conference admonishing the current leadership for its inactiveness and silence over major issues plaguing the country.
Speaking at the Reporters Club in Kathmandu yesterday while the Nepali Congress began its second phase of its National Awareness Campaign, the student wing leaders were of a strong opinion that the Congress Party which has a grand old history of sacrifice and awakening mass political consciousness has not been active enough fulfilling its oppositional responsibilities.
Several student leaders had similar opinions regarding the current state of affairs of the Nepali Congress. Speaking at the press conference while terming it as an “ultimate warning to the leadership” , Motilal Bhandari said ” The Nepali Congress has played a major role in every historic political change, be it the overthrow of the Rana regime or overthrowing absolute Monarchy. However, this people’s party has distanced itself from the general masses and has been involved in an internal political struggle which goes directly against the aims and aspirations of the people”.
Similarly, student leader Premika Rana Magar said that it was essential for the awareness campaign to stretch from Mechi to Mahakali, even so, this is becoming farcical because the Nepali Congress has not been able to duly oppose and play an active role inside the parliament. It has not been able to speak on current issues of contention, violence against women, acid attacks, and increasing crime.
Student leader Shiva Rimal requested the Congress leadership through the press conference to be aware of what is happening, while the internal institutions within the Congress were in a state of coma. “We will hold you accountable, and if our request falls on deaf ears then we will unite and even go towards the extent of protesting outside your houses,” he said.
Mahesh Nepal speaking at the program said that “today is also the birth anniversary of our founder B.P.Koirala, still I do not think he would be happy to see the current state of affairs that is plaguing the party. Congress has to voice out from the streets to the parliament, but its strategy is dysfunctional.
Other student leaders Lila Balav Dahal and Likhinendra Shrestha spoke about partisan and factional politics within the party. Dahal said “Congress is moving forward illogically, and its internal politics is marred by factionalism, it is crippling its internal organizations and cannot move forward in this manner. Likhinendra said that “the country is rapidly sinking, the current government is like a termite slowly pushing us to the path of ruins, increasing taxes, rising prices, and massive corruption has substantiated on a daily basis. What is Congress doing? There is very little opposition to what is happening in the country”.
Speaking at the program were various other leaders from the Nepali Congress student wing, Kesh Kanta Ghimire, Sushil Timilsina, and Shiva Rimal spoke on the weak opposition that Congress has provided while in parliament and the utter ineffectiveness of the current government which has a 2/3rd majority.
(Kshitiz Bhandari)
Finally speaking at the program leader Kshitiz Bhandari said that while the current government was being fascist in nature, there is a need to send out a clear message and specification for actions from our party President for his silence on the matter. He spoke about the current nature of factional politics within the party, and that Congress which is supposed to be formed on the basis of the principles of democracy has been working on destroying its own internal organs and student union in an undemocratic manner. Bhandari said, ” even after multiple scams from the current government, failure of justice in Nirmala case, airplane procurement scam, the party leadership has not done much sitting in the opposition, and this is a final warning, that they need to perform their duties or leave”.
The Nepali Congress through its second awareness campaign has started raising issues that are pertinent to the current scenario of the country and their aim is to reach out to the masses in order to awaken them and create consciousness of what has been happening in the country. The aim of this press conference was a final attempt to raise a pertinent question to the Nepali Congress leadership regarding the undemocratic working structure and wholesale dismantling of its internal units and party structures.