BIRAT KRISHNA THAPA: Justice, as I had written earlier, is a broad concept. Our evolution has enabled us to identify what suits us best as we live together in society. With education, although the majority have passed the era of the “jungle law”, yet we are reminded of our cruelty and barbaric nature and our ignorance fuels the fire.

Over the past month, Nepal has witnessed an unprecedented level of accusations and arrests of prominent political leaders. This not only begs us to question our leadership but the direction that our society is headed to, with proven facts that acts of crime have been committed, our justice system is paralyzed and our future bleak with each unfolding event.

The first major instance was the arrest of the former Speaker of the House of Representatives one of the topmost positions of authority in an alleged rape case. The case received widespread attention due to the enormity of the political position Mahara was representing.

In this case, statements were changed daily. The victim was hostile and unwilling to cooperate. Several days into the investigations what started as rape transitioned to an attempt to rape to finally the victim saying that nothing happened. Although much of the statements are said to have come under duress we still have to wait and watch the outcome.

Likewise, two barbaric cases were uncovered. One led to the immediate arrest of a Member of the House of Representatives from the Nepali Congress. Mohammed Aftab Alam and his involvement in the heinous brick kiln murders exposes the self-indulgent exercise while in power with no regard for human life. 23 people were burned alive in the brick kilns, while they begged for mercy to be treated after the bomb exploded in the cowshed in Rautahat back in 2008. Shamsul the eyewitness is going pillar to post seeking justice for the loss of his son-in-law Mohammad Osi Akhtar. If this wasn’t enough Akhtar’s Mother Ruksana Khatun was shot down 3 years after the murders in the brick kiln for her refusal to take back the complaint against Alam.

This raises pertinent questions in our justice system, where those in power collude and the ones who are below bear the brunt. An old saying as it goes, the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must. Nepalese at all levels have continuously suffered due to the apathetic attitude of their leaders. Will Alam be punished according to the severity of his crime is a question in itself.

Governments that are made to protect the people have been collusive. Our leaders who are elected and chosen by us to show us the way are involved in ruthless law-breaking actions that undeniably exhibit the deplorability and lack of consciousness.

The second act of barbarity which was aimed to politicize with a show of strength was the murders that took place in Gaur. Back in 2007 when factional politics was at its worse and the insurgency waning, two political parties clashed to prove who was mightier.

Members of the Madhesi Jaanaadhikar Forum and the Communist Party of Nepal Maoist faction organized a gathering setting a stage just 60 meters apart from one another. Soon after, clashes broke out, and the MJF cadres beat the Maoists with bamboo sticks to death. It progressed to the extent of forcing upon the women and burning them alive. 26 people lost their lives in this incident all of whom were Maoist cadres. The ones who ran away from the scene was later chased and killed with no mercy. The administration miserably failed to contain the situation.

What is traverse is the fact that one of the accused is serving as the current Deputy Prime Minister of the Country. Upendra Yadav who is said to have been the leader of the Madhesi Jaanaadhikar Forum at that period did nothing to stop it from happening, and most investigations ascertain his prominent role in the incident which some say may be pre-planned.

It is said that six were arrested after this ghastly crime although their names were never released. Prime accused in the case may still be at large. With no provision for capital punishment and very little repercussion, individuals here have had their way brutalizing and coercing their way out. This depravity and inability to take action against the guilty due to their position and power has institutionalized crime and hindered the path of justice. Common citizens now that have resorted to crime too have escaped the clutches of justice.

Recently Muskaan a 14-year-old wrote a heart-touching message to the Prime Minister of Nepal. An acid attack survivor, her attacker who is 18-20 years old was sent to a Child Reformation Center due to fake credentials accepted by the court which falsified his age. Justice was not only denied but it was grossly blinding, and what about the victim and her letter that requested stringent punishment which would deter individuals from committing crimes such as dastardly and insensate as an acid attack?

We are caught at a crossroads where we are bound by the chains of lifestyle and materialism. Crimes here in severity have gone unpunished while more so with the involvement of law enforcement.

In the case of the brick kiln murders, the witness Shamsul said that the police vehicle escorted the tractor that had the wounded transported to the brick kiln to be burnt alive. In the Nirmal Panta rape and murder case, video footage shows the Nepal Police destroying forensic evidence and fingerprints by washing the clothes of the victim.

We as citizens now need to question our leadership and their sinking morale which is but unfit for our future generations.  Our reasoning is vague and the value that we hope to strive for has been crushed. Our silence in times such as these inherently induces our collusiveness with the system.

Let us hope that the leadership we chose as our guardians and protectors of the constitution portray ingenuity and in the spirit protect and provide for, as what their duties entail. As citizens for our future course, let us unite to end the deplorable leadership that is plaguing our Nation and demand justice for the victims.

(The writer holds a Masters Degree in Political Science with specialization in International Relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi) 

People had immense faith after finally getting a constitution in a second attempt spending billions of rupees in the process. There was hope that the country had finally come out of its insurgency era and moved towards the path of progress along with stability at the center.

While there were protests growing in the plains due to dissatisfaction over clauses of the constitution demanding more representation, Nepal ushered in its Republic after decades of internal conflict and instability.

The Republic of Nepal was to provide for and satisfy the masses that wanted more opportunities, development of weakening infrastructure, its education and a basic standard of life. The current scenario of the nation, however, transgresses the foundation of what the Republic was meant to be.

Multipolar Ideologies

There is a current tendency among the leadership and the political parties of being highly multipolar in their approach regarding the system. Over the past few weeks, several incidents have taken place to portray genuine concern over the future course of the country and whether the stability provided by the Republic will gain course toward systematic development. Political parties representing the current political system are majorly divided on the very critical issue of the style of governance and the administration in place.

In a recent interview given to the President of the Reporters Club Rishi Dhamala, the Chairperson of the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (United) Mr. Pashupati Sumsher Rana made his observations against the current system of the Republic that went beyond lavishness and splendor while the masses continue living in abject poverty. With 81% of the population identifying as Hindu, Chair Rana stated that he was confident of reinstating a ceremonial Monarch.

Chairman of the current ruling party of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda said that “Monarchy was overthrown, and will never be restored in the country”. He was addressing a memorial assembly organized to commemorate the 21st death anniversary of Martyr Suresh Wagle alis Basu. He also added that the people chose the Communist movement and made it successful giving it the mandate to run the government.

The Nepali Congress, on the other hand, is silent in its opposition. It has its internal struggles of whether to support the idea of a Hindu nation and bring in a ceremonial Monarch as was the founder’s principle base or to continue along with the Republic. Its internal conflicts spilled out in the open where various leaders and party workers wanted to revive the idea of Nepal being a Hindu state. Former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba speaking at a program in Padma Kanya campus said that “the Republic is in danger”.

On the other hand, Laxman Tharu of the National Tharuwat Front representing his fight for the indigenous, Madhesi, Dalits, Muslims and women in a press conference vowed never to celebrate the constitution as it was a “black day” in their lives, and the government was oppressive toward them denying them of equitable representation.

With such visions and differing ideological divisions, it is pertinent that Nepal’s political system may go through yet another overhaul in the coming days. The people are continuously suffering from soaring prices and rising taxes. The future of the Republic now entirely is dependent on how the political parties both the ruling and the opposition gain back the popular mandate that was once given to them with loyalty, trust and most importantly ultimate human sacrifice.

A system of fragility

With these ideological divisions that have got the masses heavily confused over the next course of action, the multipolar power structure between various leaders continues to signal messages of extremity making the masses disillusioned with the entire leadership.

Former PM Dahal spoke about how the nation will be guided by the Communist party for the next 50 years, along with making suggestions to the former King regarding his active participation in public affairs, threatening him out of his private residence in Nagarjun.

It received much flak from the people and former Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Kamal Thapa in a recent interaction program with the Reporters Club said that it was a grave sign of weakness to blame a common citizen who has his rights secured by the constitution guaranteed under our Republic.

The former DPM Thapa also revealed how the current government was steeped in corruption colluding with businessmen and the bureaucracy giving an example of the latest NCELL tax evasion case that was one of the biggest scams in the entire political history of Nepal.

This fragility will pose a big challenge toward any developmental project if corruption is not controlled, and there is systematic collusion between the three main tiers of governance and administration. While our youth are bent to look for opportunities abroad, there is a lack of skilled labor and human workforce in our country.

This growing frustration of the people will only increase in the coming days when the inflation of the market that is always on the rise will make necessities unaffordable, and those that come back with their hard-earned savings do not get their worth over all the years of hard work. It will further complex the social fabric of society.

Future of our Republic

Will it be the ultimate tussle over multipolar ideologies of the extreme right and the left? The people will decide once more the next course of action. However, let us not hope that our country slides into another round of unwanted insurgency and destabilization.

Former PM Dahal sees his party rule for the next 50 years, I would credit his certitude but with the current scams underway in every level of the government under his party, it is highly likely that they will perform in the next elections.

With the era of the Republic and 13 years without Monarchy indeed we have moved a step further breaking the shackles of the system of chakari, this entire credit can be given to the Maoist movement and the Communist party, but what has the evolution done? Conversions on the rise in the name of secularism as stated by former DPM Thapa, and the fact that we have a sound culture of our own which we are letting go every passing day.

Nepalese history has been marred by violence, personal enmity, power hunger and struggle to attain power. Within these parameters, there have been supreme sacrifices made by the general masses. Every system that was brought in place and any changes that were made had people giving up their lives destroying families. We seriously need to think and evaluate as to whether these sacrifices were made in vain, or are we respecting their service for Nepal.

This Republic has come after a great deal of sacrifice and insurgency. We, therefore, need to find a peaceful way forward of accommodating and unifying divergent parties in order to create a stable Nepal. This can only be achieved if the leadership is serious toward the genuine cause of the people and not involved in systematic collusion making corruption an integral part of the administration. Dialogue and negotiation is the way forward that will save the face of the Republic rather than violence and insurgency which will do more harm than good.

News Analysis Reporters Club:  The leadership of the Nepali Congress is finding it excruciating to put a stop to the agenda of turning Nepal back into a Hindu nation. A current bone of contention among various central and sub-committee members, there is a number of members that are in favor of Nepal turning back to a Hindu nation. This will prove to be a crucial point for the leaders vying for positions in the Central Working Committee in the next convention.

Current President and Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and senior leader and former minister Ram Chandra Poudel are not in favor of Nepal turning back to being a Hindu nation. While the President is silent on this matter, Poudel is known to oppose the agenda. Vice-President Bimalendra Nidhi has come out in the open as a fierce opponent supporting the secular fabric of the nation. This very reason last Saturday brought protestors against him and the police had to be called to contain the situation.

Bijaya Kumar Gachhedar who is also the Vice-President who returned back to the Nepali Congress party has been known to get closer toward the agenda. He had met important leaders and religious figures close to the Bharatiya Janata Party, ( a Hindu nationalist and ruling party of India). His politics have been recreant known for switching sides, so there is a possibility that he would support the agenda. Purna Bahadur Khadka leader of the Nepali Congress is also silent considering this matter.

Within the Nepali Congress, the agenda is said to be led by Dr. Shashank Koirala, although the sources are unconfirmed. He has been vocal about his support for the cause in the past. Central Committee member Shankar Bhandari is also a known supporter of the Hindu cause.

Dr. Shekhar Koirala recently stated that one of the stars represented in the Nepali Congress flag stands for secularism and religious freedom, although he has personally not made his stance clear. Former Minister Sujata Koirala is against the idea of Nepal turning back on its secular stand. She is in favor of secularism and religious freedom.

The coming convention of the Nepali Congress will depend on who sticks to the agenda, and votes are going to be decided on this basis. The parties stand on political issues is diminishing while the founding direction given by Late B.P.Koirala is picking up as the base. The current leadership is being questioned and blamed for following an agenda outside the party line or more inclined towards the Communists. In order for the Nepali Congress to come out stronger, there is an urgent need to take up the agenda that is in line with the majority of the people in order to be back into the masses. The Nepali Congress will lose a crucial opportunity and weaken further if it does not correct its course of action. They have to take this as a warning sign of what lies ahead of them in the times to come.

To stop the agenda for Nepal to be a Hindu nation within the Nepali Congress party seems highly improbable. It will be a huge implication if not further dealt with within party structures. The agenda may determine the next leadership within the Nepali Congress party and leaders alike will have to take sides and substantiate their opinion. The Koirala family is seen to take back the ropes of leadership, but current President Deuba too will give in his best to remain as the leading figure of the party. Leaders have been working internally with party workers and senior leader and former Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat has also softened his stance toward the agenda. The faction close to the current President Deuba remains silent.

Senior Leader Ram Chandra Poudel has not been favoring the agenda, but if his leadership and position are at stake then he may reconsider his stance. Former Minister and Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula are of the opinion to separate religion from politics. He was instrumental in working towards the secular fabric of the nation and hence it is unlikely that he would change his stance come what may. The idea of reestablishing Nepal as a Hindu nation has caught up within the party and this thought is gaining momentum. It will be a crucial time during the next convention when voters go out to vote for a change in the leadership and the central working committee.

Religion has played a dominant role in world politics. Even countries like the USA, European Nations, and India are heavily influenced. Religion has always had an important role in deciding the leadership be in Nepal or any other nation in the world. Nepali Congress should carefully decide on what stance to take as a political party, is founder had always been in favor of Nepal as a Hindu nation and a ceremonial Monarch. It will be decided in the coming days as to what the people really want, till then Nepali Congress will have to weigh and balance all the options that it has.