Defending National Integrity of Nepal from Political Impropriety

[THT]

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.

Prakash Bom