Nepal UML & MPRF’S Politics of Fallacy for Inclusive Democracy
THT Online
Nepal UML & MPRF'S Politics of Fallacy for Inclusive Democracy
American Chronicle:
Prakash Bom
August 23, 2008
The nation like Nepal, which has been ruled for century by feudal tradition of arbitrary rule of law at this point in 21st century, does not care political parties' political rhetoric or ideological gobbledygook in the name of people and democracy. But people's historic movements for democracy and the successful Constituent Assembly elections' have changed the overall state of mind of people towards the status quo of their mainstream political parties' behavior that contradict with the mandate of people for ascertaining inclusive electoral democracy. At this point, people care for such a political party, which is dedicated to and does comply with the people's mandate for inclusive electoral democracy, particularly nominating its party members to take government responsibility.
For example, in the formation of the cabinet of Maoist led coalition government the two main political parties – UML (United Marxist and Leninist) and MPRF (Madhesi people's rights forum) have nominated their candidates against the people's mandate for inclusive electoral democracy. Now it is the responsibility of people elected members of Constituent Assembly to protest such nominations for ascertaining culture of inclusive electoral democracy. Members of Constituent Assembly must trust in the process of democracy, as democratically elected representatives of people that such a process cannot be overruled by the power of any political party.
For instance, UML nominating their cabinet leader Bam Dev Gautam, who failed to secure the trust of people from the election of Constituent Assembly is against the mandate of people for inclusive electoral democracy. The majority of nominated cabinet members of UML are those whom people did not trust in Constituent Assembly elections. It is disgraceful to the people and shame to the leaderships of UML party to claim second leading position in the coalition government with the leadership who failed to secure people's electoral mandate. Can this be the democratic norms and principle that even there is a constitutional provision to nominate non-member of Constituent Assembly in an exceptional case a mainstream political party should cross the off-limit this far?
It will be democratically justified if Maoist led coalition government and Maoist party does not give UML second position in the cabinet with such a leader who has failed to secure people's trust out of Constituent Assembly election. It should have been Mr. Gautam's ethical responsibility not to lead the UML in the cabinet if he had respect for people's mandate for inclusive electoral democracy. With all due respect, UML party leaderships have not only failed to comply with the basic norms and principle of democracy but also obstructed the culture of electoral democracy from being implemented.
Similarly, cabinet member nomination of MPRF is against its own movement for Madhesi people's right for inclusive democracy because those whom party has nominated are the intruders, corrupt and power-monger who have taken unnecessary advantage of the situation. Party coordinator Upendra Yadav's attempt to justify such nominations on experience basis is to make rest of Teraians scapegoats. It is indeed outright dishonor of people who sacrificed their lives for the party. It is anticipated that sooner or later NC defected nominees can abandon MPRF if they fail to grab the power in their own terms and interest. Moreover, it is a disproportionate nomination in terms of entire Madhesi representations.
The political approach of these two main political parties of Maoist led coalition government is of the status quo of the feudal mindset of which NC has been the victim. Lately, some of the sincere NC leaders are questioning party mindset that led the nation to federal democratic republic yet failed to lead the party organization itself. Despite NC'S verbal commitment to the norms and principle of democracy many of its party leaders' feudal behavior that dominates the organization will obstruct the culture of inclusive electoral democracy. The revolutionary – meaning democratically committed to secular values of human rational and scientific thinking has to rise to play honest democratic politics in order to eradicate feudal values of the party. The hope lies on the young generations if the old-hacks are not afraid of young for losing their party-power. That has not yet become the scenario of NC party establishment.
Finally, it is Maoist party, which has chance to establish honest inclusive electoral democracy based on multiparty system despite its furious party name and peculiar ideology. As a matter of fact, it is the Maoist people's war that has drastically changed the mindset of people to reach to this point in history for mandating inclusive electoral democracy through the elections of Constituent Assembly. This is the mandate that what Maoist party has to carry on honestly much far ahead to so called mainstream political parties for radically transforming socio-political and economic lives of people of Nepal. This can only be achieved more honestly in multiparty electoral democracy and rule of law than any other political system that humans have experimented since Plato, Aristotle and Marx.
Political leaders of neighboring nations have observed closely that Maoist leaderships have succeeded in integrating Terai socio-politically to the nationhood of Nepal in terms of integration of nation. As per their analysis prior to this change Teraains were excluded in the socio-political process of the nation. Therefore, the Prime Minister Dahal's primary message to the nation and people on the nationalism is indeed the first and foremost responsibility of the government – protection of the national sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
His commitment to multiparty electoral democracy and rule of law as a Prime Minister of Federal Democratic Republic reinforces hope of people of Nepal for a democracy that give power to people rather than just a formal system of political rhetoric. His appeal to every government authority and people of all walks of life is professionally sensible and politically accountable. It is noticed that Maoist party has drastically changed the political positioning of the nation and if succeeded the nation will achieve socio-political and economic independence out of the global economics of 21st century.
However, success of Maoist led coalition government lies on the political behavior of other main coalition members – UML and MPRF. But Maoist party cannot or should not comply with their demand that obstructs the people's mandate for inclusive electoral democracy. For example, UML central committee nominating their party's cabinet leader who has failed to secure people's trust from Constituent Assembly elections.
Ethically, Maoist led coalition government cannot give UML second position in the government with the leadership of a nominee whom people did not trust. It will be dishonoring the mandate of people if such candidates are given responsibility, which eventually can set bad example of democratic practice. If Maoist party respects people's mandate then it should strictly comply with the ethics of inclusive electoral democracy, which people have set for all political parties to follow up.