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DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM IN NEPAL MUST BE STRENGTHENED

YB WEB DESK. Dated: 4/6/2021 11:17:37 AM

T K NANDANAN Nepal’s politics has been mired in controversies and under the Prime Minister K P Oli’s dispensation, democratic system is being crushed as Oli is well disposed towards China. We have seen China’s meddling in Myanmar and it is now in the hands of a dictator. However, in a landmark ruling, the apex court of Nepal in February reinstated the lower house of Parliament. But the democratic system is still in doldrums. Hopefully, Nepali Congress has initiated moves to topple Prime Minister K P Oli and form an alternative government under its leadership with the support of the CPN-Maoist Centre and other parties. On Saturday, the Central Working Committee of Nepali Congress party decided to take initiative to form a new government with the support ofthese parties. So, it is expected that the democratic system would be further strengthened under the new government. It may be recalled that Nepal plunged into a political crisis and Nepal’s parliament was dissolved due to the recalcitrant attitude of Prime Minister K.P Sharma Oli. At this juncture, Chairperson of the Nepal Communist Party’s splinter faction Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda appealed to the international community including India and China to extend support to his faction’s ongoing struggle against Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s unconstitutional and undemocratic move to dissolve parliament. It may be recalled that Nepal Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli sprang a surprise on his rivals by recommending the President to dissolve the Parliament. Consequent upon this, President Bidya Devi Bhandari dissolved Parliament’s House of Representatives and also announced mid-term general election in April-May. However, the Opposition parties criticized the decision as unconstitutional. The 275-member House of Representatives, which is the Lower House of Parliament, was elected in 2017 for a five-year term. It is pertinent to note that the dissolution came as the intra-party feud reached climax in the ruling NCP which has been witnessing month-long tussle between two factions, one led by KP Sharma Oli and Prachanda, former Prime Minister of Nepal. It may be noted that Communist Party is ruling the country and it has faced factionalism due to its controversial affinity towards China ignoring India. Faced with nemesis of a split in the Nepal’s ruling communist party, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had a harrowing time because of his own agenda in which he worked hand in glove with China on the border issue with India. India had been a true friend of Nepal all these years and Nepal’s sudden distancing could be either due to familiarity that may have bred contempt or due to new found love in China. Either way, it has distanced from India for its undoing. It is pertinent to note that K P Oli’s move to dissolve the 275-member House sparked protests from a large section of the NCP led by Mr. Prachanda. Unlike KP Sharma Oli, Prachanda is rather well disposed towards India than China. But ever since KP Oli came to power, he was accused of being subservient to China and many decisions he had taken caused inconvenience to India. Moreover, KP Oli is acting like a dictator and this is very dangerous for this country. Perhaps, he may have plans to convert Nepal in to a military regime in which he may be the supreme authority. This should not happen and the democracy in Nepal must not die. People and political parties favoring democracy must raise to the occasion to safeguard democracy. Now with the Opposition party coming to form a new government in Nepal, things have taken a new turn. It is hoped that Nepali Congress will be able to form a new coalition government putting an end to the political impasse. It is also hoped that the new government will be able to restore good old ties with India once it comes back to power.