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Defending National Integrity of Nepal from Political Impropriety

Prakash Bom - 7/1/2008

Nepal as a nation of multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-lingual in its entire history of state formation since the period of Kirat and Lichhivi dynasty prior to this modern republic period its national integrity had never ever been politically trivialized as of the Madhesi political parties' demand for 'one-Madhes-one-province!'

We all know the reason of downfall of Shah dynasty since 1951 after the termination of Rana hegemony for democracy. We had hope in Shah rulers but in the end we had no choice except to reject them out of our own desperation being tired of living in poverty and injustice. Basically, it was administrative failure because during 12 years of democracy the political parties could not bring any change. That is to say, the elected representatives of district and village were nothing but puppets in the hands of government executives who were appointed by the central government politically to control all local administration.

This is the reason we need federal government system, which competitive electoral governance mechanism can give people opportunity to administer their own local community to bring about radical change in the socio-political and economic lives of people. The logic is that people's elected representatives can have more direct accountability to their people and constituency than non-resident government's employees as administrators of districts and locals. Federal system therefore is fundamentally different from the decentralized unitary government system because elected representatives of people can only administer the local governments – state or local.

The federal system, therefore, cannot just be for the rule of the people of marginalized Madhesi, Dalit or indigenous nationalities but for the sake of entire nation to get radically transformed beyond caste, creed and ethnicity. But if again one of the marginalized groups' politicians is trying to force its own homogeneity over the rest is nothing but the abuse of the norms and principle of federalism. Therefore, Madhesi political parties' demand for 'one-Madhes one province' is nothing but the political impropriety, which can be a threat to the national integrity of Nepal in the long run.

This does not mean that Madhesi demands for Madhesi autonomous state and formation of other autonomous states is against federal government system. On the contrary, the electoral mechanics of the federal government system makes state autonomous and gives it power for self-governance. But this all depends on how constitutional provisions are set in the constitution for the federal electoral system. This is where legislators need to pay close attention rather than obstruct the normal business of CA, which is nothing but the attempt to put cart before the horses.

It is time for entire nation to come up with national solidarity to support every Madhesi demands for the sake of Nepali people except for the demand of 'one-Madhes one province'. We must oppose this demand in everyway because it is an attempt to abuse federal system out of political impropriety if not defended that can undermine national integrity. Basically, what Madhesi politicians are attempting with their threat to bring entire nation stand still if this demand is not fulfilled in order to gain power over Nepal simply establishing 'one Madhes one province.' It is clear that their demand for 'one-Madhes one province' is for power to control southern gateways of Nepal and threaten national integrity. This is where they think their big dice in the current politics can be secured.

It is clear to the world community that these Madhesi political parties' leaders do not represent entire population of diverse communities of Terai. Their representation boils down to the Terai Hindu community of Maithali and Bhojpuri lingual groups. There are Terai indigenous communities, Dalit communities, Pahadis indigenous and Hindu Khash communities in entire Terai, which have ethnic, cultural and lingual rights for establishing their own federal autonomous states. Therefore, Madhesi politicians' Maithali and Bhojpuri lingual groups can not superimpose their propaganda based homogeneity to wipe out the identity of other ethnic groups with 'one Madhes one province' political impropriety.

It is my foremost appeal to the people's representatives of Constituent Assembly and the government for introducing 'one-Madhes one province' bill and vote against with the simple majority. For the sake of national solidarity and dignity of the sovereign people of Nepal call such demand thereafter anti-nationalistic. As a result, the bill can never return again to intimidate the national integrity. This will be the most democratic way to defend our national integrity. Even if such a democratic resolution could not appease the Madhesi expansionism and Madhesi leaders intend to take the street to threat the national integrity then it will be unfortunate for the nation and people of Nepal that the nation with its all power must defend its national integrity.

In the meantime, I have my humble request to the civil society, intellectual communalities, legal communities, Indigenous organizations and NGOS of Nepal for immediately doing something about it from their own capacity to defend our national integrity. 'One-Madhes one province' is the only demand of Madhesi political parties that all Nepali nationalities must defend our national integrity from the attack of their political impropriety.

For example, leader of MDF Upendra Yadav has in public tried to homogenize Tharu endogenous calling them Madhesi because they live in Terai in support of 'one-Madhes one province' demand. The legal and Indigenous communities can defend national integrity, for instance, is by filing writ at the Supreme Court against Upendra Yadav for making such public statement. My question is that if members of legal community can file writ against the declaration of republic why they cannot file writ against the leaders of Madhesi political parties' demand 'one-Madhes one province' at the Supreme Court, which threats national integrity?

It should have been a great urgency for all Nepali nationalities for doing something by now in defense of our national integrity against Madhesi political parties' practice of political impropriety. Nepal and Nepali people have no issue against Madhesi parties' other demands except for the demand of 'one-Madhes one province.' It is a time for people of Nepal to speak out against nationwide with our all means – legal, media, and public awareness in defense to our national integrity. It is time for all nationalist political parties to speak out to defend our national integrity.

In regard to major political parties' stand in Constituent Assembly on this demand has been solidified including NC. But the party leaders other than Madhesi who represent districts of Terai too must speak out in public to defend national integrity. If the pressure is put from around the nation and from all walks of life of Nepali nationalities against 'one-Madhes one province' demand we can honestly defend our national integrity now and for the future from such a political impropriety of political parties which intend to take unnecessary advantage of the situation.

It is per the premise of federalism that states can be autonomous and have right to self-governance through the practice of competitive electoral democracy that in every level of federal government bodies people's elected representatives are appointed for governance. The inevitability of expediency is that as much as states are autonomous and have right to self-governance that much their local governments are autonomous and have right to self-governance. Basically, the grass-root authority of federal system lies on the local government, which neither the state nor the central government can overrule as long as it is constitutional. Therefore, the demand of Madhesi parties for 'one-Madhes one province' ambitiously greater than an autonomous state is the political impropriety. Therefore, Nepal and Nepali nationalities must defend its national integrity from such political abuse.

It is time for the political parties and Nepali people from every walk of life to defend national integrity from the abuse of political impropriety during drafting new constitution and restructuring state under the federal government system of the Federal Democratic Republic Nepal. Those who are aware yet refrain from their responsibility at this transition period in defending national integrity and sovereignty of Nepali nationalities will betray the nation and history will name them traitors.