Today’s newspapers have highlighted the news about the Indian move of easing supply of essentials to Nepal through some border points, days after a stifling blockade threw life out of gear throughout Nepal. Notably, India has not yet reopened the Raxaul border point, the major artery through which most of goods from India and other countries enter Nepal.
India’s External Affairs Ministry on Saturday directed officials to ease the covert blockade (against Nepal), according to Nagarik’s front-page lead news.
Naya Patrika has written that India has stopped short of making a formal announcement regarding reopening of the border points as it has not conceded imposing a blockade in the first place. On Saturday, according to the daily, Indian Ambassador had reached Prime Minister’s Official Residence in Baluwatar to inform the latter about his government’s decision. The daily said the Indian establishment has instructed agitating United Madheshi Democratic Front chair Mahantha Thakur to enter into an understanding with Kathmandu. India wants to save face in Nepal by making the Nepal government fulfil the demands of agitating Madheshi forces.
According to an Annapurna Post report, the Indian government has sent a message to Nepal, calling it to import petroleum products through Kakadbhitta, Bhairahawa, Biratnagar, Nepalgunj, Kanchanpur and Dhangadhi.
Beware of power centres conspiring against constitution
Analysis
Gunaraj Lunitel
With the promulgation of the new constitution and entry of the country into a difficult situation, the Legislature-Parliament has entered the business of forming a new government. The way the new government takes shape will indicate whether or not the new constitution gets implemented or not.
This issue is too crucial to be ignored. The country has just passed through a two-week-long Madhesh movement. The citizens have left behind their fear that the Constituent Assembly II, too, may not be able to deliver a constitution. The coordination between the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML, the UCPN-Maoist and the Madheshi Janaadhikar Forum (Loktantrik) made constitution promulgation possible.
It was unfortunate that Madhesh-centric parties left the Constituent Assembly while the Parliament was on the verge of introducing the federal constitution. This gave an impression that the constitution-making process had left behind more than half the population of the country, despite efforts to bring all concerned on board the process.
Amid the prevailing chaos, India imposed a blockade for days. Now, the southern neighbor has declared that it will ease the same. But there are things to worry about.
The understanding reached while introducing the constitution is at risk. Different power centres are vying for the prime minister’s post. Some leaders have shown greed for the top post.
It will be timely to note that the 1990’s constitution failed because of violation of the provision governing the passage of treaties and agreements regarding sharing of natural resources through a two-third majority of the Parliament.
Power centres will seek to block implementation of this constitution if they feel it will not serve their vested interests. These centres think they can establish a firm grip on Nepal’s natural resources by sabotaging the implementation of this constitution.
In the event of failure to make CPN-UML Chief KP Sharma Oli the prime minister, people will realise whose designs succeeded. That will ultimately make the Nepali Congress unpopular. Top leaders should take this in mind while taking steps. Otherwise, constitution implementation will suffer a huge setback.
Let’s hope political parties work to defend long-term national interests and focus on constitution implementation rather than focusing on petty, short-term interests.
Leaders galore eager to become PM
Nagarik
Kathmandu, October 4
UCPN-Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said different leaders have shown eagerness to become prime minister. Dahal noted that this is contrary to an understanding that UML will get to head the new government to be formed after promulgation of the new constitution.
He said this while addressing a district-level training organised for different sister organisations of the Maoist party. With the political upheaval, the incumbent prime minister, Sushil Koirala, has also shown eagerness to head the next government, Dahal said.
