The Relevancy of New Political Force in Nepal in Terms of Development

TRANSCEND MEMBERS, ASIA--PACIFIC, 9 Nov 2015

Shree Prasad Devkota and Shiba Bagale – TRANSCEND Media Service

Nepal is one of socio-culturally diverse countries and rich in natural resources in the world. It is filled with diverse types of people with their unique culture and lifestyles. Similarly geographically, culturally, economically and so on people have own existence of living and cultural representation. Only utilizing the available resources, Nepal can move ahead in the phase of development but there are so many hindrances. There are different plans and policies, rules and regulations, political manifestos but still the process of development is in slow pace. So there is the urgent need of a government ruling system that respects the rights and needs of different people throughout the country. And effective government policies should be introduced and implemented; people should be encouraged to speak their minds and make demands to their government and encouraged to help shape government policy and practices.

Nepalese Political Parties and their Political Agenda

If we see the political manifestos of three major parties of Nepal, i.e Nepali Congress, CPN UML and UCPN Maoist, there is no principally different political agenda; they are advocating guaranteeing freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom to establish associations and/or political parties, freedom to choose profession/trade, freedom to mobility and end of functional discrimination. Similarly, the political agenda are concerned on assurance of fundamental rights to all citizens to education, health, employment, housing and food-sovereignty. They are seen as a campaigner of equal rights in all areas including inheritance rights and focusing on marginalized and disappearing ethnicities and group’s rights to protect their language, culture and traditions. They ensure rehabilitation, compensation and social security to citizens affected by armed conflict in their election manifestos. They take duty of their citizens to protect basic labor rights, dignified employment, and protect the rights and record the unorganized informal sector labor; strong support to the ILO Core Labor Standards. They are promised to fight against the corruption and show the dream of New Nepal. The manifestos are to address all the issues of the children, male- female to the senior citizens and providing fundamental rights to all.

Different Realities

Whatever the political parties committed in their political agenda, the real circumstances are entirely different. People and political parties did many revolutions for the prosperous country. In different revolutions, thousands people became victims, homeless, missed family members, gave their life but they are not getting justice. They are looking reasons of being victimized, justice and support. Similarly, the senior citizens, victims of armed conflict are fighting for their rights through the medium of occupy Baluwatar to get their rights. This seems lacking of crucial implementation of the manifestos. Without fulfilling the basic needs, the country can’t be developed. And the development is affected by various factors like poverty, gender discrimination, corruption, political unwillingness, educational status, security system and a bold decision in favor of the country.

If we see the poverty status it is very less. Though there are several programs and projects for poverty reduction but 25.16 percent of Nepalese are living below the poverty line. The national agenda of education is to provide the employment and develop entrepreneur but the youths are compelled to go abroad either to study of to work. Remittance has become the largest source of financing but there is no concern to the responsible authority on more than 5 dead bodies a day received in TIA. Whatever the government committed to education for all by 2015, still here are some percentage that are out of the school education. Reaching the unreached is still the challenge. The practical education is still lacking. Also the educational corruption is one of the big issues to be solved urgently. In the name of affiliation, admission huge amount of money is used. National Labour Market Report shows that unemployment rate is 2.1%. This is because of definition used by NLFS- “employed any person who has at least worked one hour in the previous week”. 67.9% of the unemployed youths are aged fewer than 30.

People of rural are dying for single tablet but the political leaders are investing a huge amount of national budget in their personal luxury. A pregnant woman dies on the way to the health centers but the situation of urban is different. People are misusing their power in different cases like murder, rape, violence and discrimination but who is responsible and how many are punished? is the serious matter to take in concern. There is fear to open the door of a house and go out. Who will face acid attack, when the female will be raped, how many Suntali Dhami, Sangita and Seema will be the victims of such cases? When the victims get justice? These are some of the cases, but there are more than this cases which are hidden within the home, family and society as their voices wouldn’t be heard and don’t want to make it public as there is fear of life. When the people will be free to move in a secure environment. Where are the laws, policies, political manifestos, and ministry? It seems that all the plans and policies, manifestos are not for the public but it was for the sake of the international agencies.

Political parties, their sister organization, socially excluded groups are organizing Nepal Banda and strikes regularly to fulfill their hidden interest and it directly affected the livelihood of the common people . It has neither harm to the political parties nor the gain, but these types of strikes are just to show their political presence. Because of these types of strikes the prices of daily needed goods are hiking day by day. And again there is no harm to the elites but the poor are facing the problem. Corruption is another business to the people to have a prosperous life. Commission for the Investigation of Abuse Authority (CIAA) is also not far away from corruption. The CIAA members are also corrupted and caught in the red hand. So where is the state and rule of law?

Though the political parties are urban centric, the basic need of the urban people are not fulfilled. Then when is the time to get apples of Jumla to other part of Nepal? The apples of Jumla are in the damaged without adequate transportation and the people are compelled for imported apples. There is political conflict in the use of the local resources too. So the corruption has been increased as the political parties are being money minded. There is no hidden interest to develop the nation rather they prefer individual development. There are so many issues and problems as a part of development but the basic needs are not fulfilled. In this aspect how could we think about the overall development of nation? The basic needs like food, cloth and shelter are not provided to the people of the nation. Apart from this, load shedding, scarcity of pure drinking water, health, and sanitation is the cross cutting issues to be solved in an urgent basis but there is only being the political interest of the leaders to be in power. The infrastructure development is distributed through political power rather than willingness.

The dream of the people of the country to get new constitution from the Constitutional Assembly has been fulfilled but their needs and demands are not addressed still. The people are not getting and experiencing any change before and after the promulgation of Constitution. The long waiting desire of the people for getting their voices heard and getting a meaning of living in a peaceful and prosperous environment has been swept away. This is because of the lack of vision, mission and objectives of the existing political parties after the constitution formation. And the other way is still some of the parties, and peoples mandate are not clearly addressed by the Constitution, though the signatories of the Constitution are more than 90%. So the unofficial blockade and the revolution of the Terai focused political parties have already been two months and are still continued. This has really created humanitarian crisis in Nepal.

Physically, not being colonized and we Nepali are always parroting it. But we never think on how to become independent on the post colonized form of the developed countries. We are totally being dependent. From a small to big deal we have to cry in front of providers. And if we see the latest political scenario, two month long revolution of the Madhesi parties and the unofficial blockade has really hampered all the Nepalese’s in one or another way. But who is listening the voices, who is taking the initiation of solving those all? All are in the game of ministerial distribution. It’s a bitter truth that we the landlocked countries always should maintain good relationship with all the neighboring countries, but only the popular speech advocating the patriotism/nationalism doesn’t fulfill the present demand of the people. The people have seen many political parties, leaders and their rules but in the name of democracy, different revolution, what the people has got? Are their basic needs fulfilled? Are they getting the feel of exact democracy in their practical life? Time and again, the same manifestos, same arguments, same crocodile tears in the name of nationalism doesn’t work. So, the need of action oriented leaders and political force is seen the urgent requirement of the people.

Conclusion

If we see the political scenario from the Rana rule to the CA election of 2070, the main agendas of the political parties is to develop the nation and make the country peaceful, prosperous. All manifestos have given a high priority to people but the scenario is different. The political agenda and the agendas of the common people are not matching. But still the people are compelled to be the member of the political parties to fulfill their demands and there will be no work without political parties. The political power is in highest position and no one can go against it so the social crimes, social injustice, discrimination are rising in the name of political parties and the criminals are protected politically.

None of the political parties and the political leaders is willing to solve the problems faced by the common people. All the parties are using the people only as their vote banks. Now the people are concerned about their rights and duties so no one is ready to listen the speech of the leaders covered with the myth realities. The monarchy system is changed to federal democratic republic nation, plans and policies are changed but the rulers are same, political leaders are same. So when will they fulfill the present needs with their occupied mindset? The people are seeking to get their basic rights rather than the political ideologies. So there is a gap between the people’s interest and interest of the political parties. The demand of the people is only fulfilled when their interests are fulfilled. It could be only possible with the new political force having vision and mission to fulfill the basic needs of the people rather than the political interest. Whoever comes with action oriented plans then it will only guide the need of the people from the local level with the participatory development. And the people are waiting for the day to come to fulfill the basic needs.~

Nepal is one of socio-culturally diverse countries and rich in natural resources in the world. It is filled with diverse types of people with their unique culture and lifestyles. Similarly geographically, culturally, economically and so on people have own existence of living and cultural representation.

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Shree Prasad Devkota is an M.Phil graduate of Kathmandu University. He has done several researches on conflict, education and conflict management.

Shiba Bagale is an M.Phil scholar of Kathmandu University. She has done several researches on educational issues and currently working as Trainer at TITI.

This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 9 Nov 2015.

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