E-Kantipur

The long-standing impasse among the political parties may be a “political process of bargaining” for these stakeholders. But it has pushed a majority of the common people towards losing faith, energy and direction. I had a similar experience while travelling in Kaski, Baglung and Nawalparasi. I could sense a massive decline in public trust towards the political parties and their leaders while interacting and meeting with the people. They do not seem to have any longing for the constitution that is yet to be drafted. Life is dull on the periphery. The elders spend their time talking about declining cooperation within society. The youth are busy preparing to leave for Europe, the Middle East or India. The men and women are busy earning a livelihood for their family. 

We sensed such a situation while in the small town of Kusma. We, students and professionals, were travelling from Mechi to Mahakali as part of the Nationwide Youth Pressure Campaign for Constitution Making. One elderly woman came forward and asked, “What do you want us to do?” We didn’t have any answers. But we urged her to stay alert and prepared to exert constant pressure on the political parties to finish the constitution on time.

In other places, there were some hostile reactions. “Who has time for a campaign, all this nonsense?” “What difference would it bring in my life whether the constitution is drafted or not?” “Are these not the same leaders and political parties who had deceived us in the past?” They advised an attitudinal change among the politicians and maturity in handling the important issues facing our nation.

Ramesh, a young man of Baglung, said, “You members of civil society are as fragmented as any political party. You have a choice, ambition and association of your own. You try fixing society from your respective lens.” He advised civil society to urge the political parties to forge a consensus to write the constitution on time. However, he said, civil society must first be united and courageous. I knew my weaknesses and limitations, and, therefore, remained mum. 

The political parties and civil society are losing their legitimacy not only for failing to deliver but also for failing to prove the reason for their existence. Such apathy towards both the political parties and civil society is a threat to a democratic polity where political parties and civil society act as an agent between the state and its citizens. The political parties and civil society seem very comfortable squabbling about their respective political demands and leadership issues at the centre. But they fail to realise that a volcanic eruption is building up on the periphery. Such an eruption, if it were to occur, will not only end the legitimacy of both the political parties and civil society but also bring anarchy and chaos destabilising the entire fabric of society. 

The new constitution will not open the door for our transformation. But it is a necessary door towards our emancipation. We need to do a long march together. Until a democratic political system is consolidated, unless poverty and unemployment is crushed and unless we collectively define ourselves as a nation, we must march together in spite of our individual and ideological differences. This is the worldview that has been profoundly reshaped and established itself primarily after 9/11, the global health risk and global environmental and economic crises. Nepal is facing internal and external issues of the highest magnitude at this historical juncture of nation building. And we cannot solve these issues unless we consolidate our strength.

It is at this juncture that the political parties should revisit the 12-point understanding where the rebels agreed to a democratic transformation and the seven-party alliance agreed to a progressive socialist agenda thereby ending the debate of “isms” in Nepal. Theoretically, our collective march towards “democratic socialism” began a long time ago. Now we are devising a strategy to achieve it. As for civil society, the need is to understand the local, national, regional and international socio-economic, political, cultural, scientific and environmental undercurrents and work together for the larger interest of the nation. The time to break the impasse both for civil society and the political parties is today. Unless this is realised, our isolated efforts are not likely to bring any difference to what we passionately expect from our political parties. 

(Sameer is the author of the book Unfinished Journey: Story of a Nation)

sharmasumit77@gmail.com

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