Touchstone Magic - Dwarika Pd. Shrestha

Nepali women love to have their ornaments made of 24 carat gold, whereas, the ladies in Europe and in the USA love it made of 18 to 22 carat gold. The 18 to 22 carat gold becomes shiny bright and suits to the white skin. The 24 carat gold shines like yellow metal. But the 24 carat gold preserve the resale value even after use, whereas, the 18 to 22 carat gold ornament looses its values after use unless its design is special and unique one. The choice differs and depends.

The quality of gold is identified through the touchstone. Rub the gold on touchstone that will help conform the real quality of it and know whether the gold is of 24 carat 18 or 22 and the like. The gold buyer due to the reason, try the gold on touchstone before buying. So touchstone is a means to know the quality of the metal. Those who do not do that could be cheated most probably.

Similar lesson has been experienced when the Election Commission’s (EC) recent announcement of the result of some of the constituents is studied. After the commencement of the CA election on 10th of April,2008 (three days before) in 240 Constituents of the country, the counting of votes have begun and the EC has announced so far the results of 68 constituents. Out of which the Maoists have won in 42 constituencies, the Nepali Congress won in 10 constituencies, CPN-UML won in 12, NLF won in 2 and the Madhesi forum won in two constituencies.

It shows that the Maoist is likely to have landslide victory winning in maximum constituencies with large gap and stunning victory. The Maoist will share the maximum number of 601-member Constituent Assembly.

The Democracy in Nepal is being exercised since last six decades i.e. from 2007 to 2064 b.s. or 1950 to 2008 accordingly in the name of like Multi-party Democracy, Panchayat Decomracy and the Improved Panchayat Democracy. The political parties other than Panchayaties except in the period of Panchayat Regime i.e. 2017 to 2046 b.s. or 1961–1990 accordingly have ruled over the country several times turn by turn. So, many of those leaders, whose names are heard in the market of politics here during the period of pre and post establishment of the CPN – Maoist have taken chance once or more times being assistant Minister, State Minister, Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and Prime Minister in the country. Thus all of those leaders have already become very well experienced of working as a ruler in the country. In the meantime, it is also true that people have well experienced them while working in power. Now the time has become proper to know whether they were still worth being elected and send to power. In other words, people have rubbed them on touchstone and know how much carats they were worth to.

As the result shows, it was found that almost all the heavy weight leaders of CPN-UML, Nepali Congress, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, the Panchayatwalas (RPP) and other like Jana Mukti Morcha and the like have faced a bad faith in the C A poll. All of them have to be lost even to the little known Maoist opponents. Shame to thee all!!! In other words, it seemed that the Nepali people rubbed them in the touchstone and found that all of those so called heavy weight leaders whether they belong to CPN-UML or Nepali Congress or other, other than CPN-Maoist were worth 14 to 16 carat gold only. Because they could not deliver what the Nepali people had expected while they were in power. Nepali people are peace loving democrats. They loved to be secured.

Here follows the list of some of the names of heavy weight leaders of different parties who were elected and lost in the recent historical Constituent Assembly Election as per the latest announcement of EC.

The defeated leaders;
Mr. Surya Bahadur Thapa, five times Prime Minister since the beginning of Panchayat Regime, lost the election even in his home constituency. Mr. Thapa is the President of Jana Sakti Party, a new political party and former President of RPP.

The defeated leaders of CPN-UML;
Mr. Madhav Kumar Nepal, former Deputy Prime Minister after the Multi Party Democracy System was declared, also lost in both of the constituencies including in his home constituency – Rauthat, Gaur. He had been elected thrice from the Rauthat constituency earlier. He was also the Secretary General of CPN – UML. He resigned from the post of Secretary General after his defeat only two days ago on the moral ground.

Mr. Bam Dev Gautam, former Deputy Prime Minister after the Multi Party Democracy System was declared, and also well known heavy weight leader of the CPN-UML also lost in the election.

Mr. Iswar Pokharel, former Minister during the leftists’ regime in multi-party system lost the election.

Mr. Pradip Nepal, sitting Minister of Education and well known intellectual member of CPN-UML lost the election.

Similarly, Mr. Siddhi Lal Singh, Ms. Vidhya Devi Bhandari, a widow of late Madan Bhandari, a heavy weight leader, Ms. Asta Laxmi Shakya, former Minister of Social Welfare, and other lost the election.

The defeated leaders of Nepali Congress;
Mr. Sushil Koirala, the Acting President of one and only old and large Democratic party – the Nepali Congress lost in his Home Constituency – Nepalgunj and tendered resignation from the post on the moral ground.

Mr. Govinda Raj Joshi, many times Minister holding the portfolios of Home, Education, General Administration and some other lost badly in his home constituencies.

Mr. Khum Bahadur Khadka, a powerful leader of the Congress and powerful Minister of Home affairs lost the election at Dang. He had been elected thrice earlier from the constituency.

Mr. Chiranjive Wagle, former two times Minister lost it.

Some of those who were elected in the present C A Poll are listed down as follows;

From CPN-Maoist

Mr. Puspa kamal Dahal or Prachand, the President of CPN-Maoist secured 23,225 votes in Constituency No.10, Kathmandu.

Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, the second top leader of the CPN-Maoist secured 35,119 votes.

Similarly, Mr. Dev Gurung, Ms. Hishila Yemi, Mr. Ram Bahadur Thapa or Badal, Mr. Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the sitting Minister of Communication and Bradcasting, Mr. Rajkaji Gurung, Mr. Sant Kumar Tharu and other. Believe it or not all of them have defeated their challengers from well known big political parties with large differences.

From Nepali Congress

Mr. Prakash Man Singh won in the Constituency No.1 of Kathmandu with large number votes of 14,318. He defeated his next contestant Mr. Pradip Nepal of CPN-UML with big difference. He had secured only 6000+ votes.

Prof. Ms. Suprabha Ghimire also defeated next contestant Ms. Vidhya Bhandari with big differences in the Constituency No. 4 of Kathmandu.

Similarly, Mr. Narahari Acharya from Constituency No. 5, Mr. Navin Raj Joshi from Constituency No.8 of Kathmandu, Mr. Chakra Thapa from Constituecy No.8 of Kathmandu and the like. They also won the election with great difference to their opponents.

Though, it is said that the present C A Poll is being contested by 56 political parties, only three big political parties i.e. CPN-Maoist, CPN-UML and Nepali Congress’ candidates’ name are read out while announcing the result. So it is obvious to know that only three big parties are contesting the election very strongly.

However, it will be now believed that the newly groomed party will win landslide victory in the Election. And at the same time it also should be known that the public verdict and the desire is ery strong and each and every political party and their activist must respect and learn. The ‘Junata’ is a big strength. ‘Junata’ keeps mum and studies well. They are peace loving one and love democracy.

Lastly but not the least the counting of votes is still going on. Hope it will be completed within the next couple of days. A good result is always expected. Let we Nepalis could enjoy our good luck very soon.

The End

Ethics Lession from Politicos - Dipeesh

This article was published in The Kathmandu Post, dated June3, 1998 under the Post Platform. The Kathmandu Post is an English Daily published from Kathmandu, Nepal. - Dipeesh

A thief trespassed into a building and cleared up all the costly goods from the house. When the owner came to know about theft, he shouted, “thief !, thief !, thief !”.

By that time, the thief had come out to the street. Pedestrians had heard the house owner shouting for help. So, being sympathetic towards the house owner, they wanted to help him. The thief, now on the street with a well loaded rucksack, pretended to help the house owner like others and ran towards the house shouting “thief !, thief !, thief ! please hold him.” The pedestrians looked far and wide but saw no one running whom they could suspect as thief. They were astonished.

Corruption, smuggling, bribery, commission and the like have become very common topics discussed almost every minute of the day, these days. But whenever it is discussed, everyone speaks against them like the thief who shouts ‘thief’. Corruption should be controlled; smuggling should be wiped out from the country; bla, bla, bla; though these mischievous works have been taking place since the last few years.

The mischief makers are reportedly well protected by almost all political leaders, sansads, ex-ministers, ministers and the like. Because, they protect the second group (the leaders…) whenever they need a good amount of money to contest elections, to build a house worth tens of millions of rupees, or possess the latest model Japanese Land Cruiser, i.e. Prado or Pajero. Consequently, the collection of revenues at the International Airport has been reduced by more than 50 percent. Smugglers have been active at the cost of government revenue and he Nepalese economy.

For the last few weeks, leaders and ministers are being heard speaking about controlling those mischievous deeds. The previous Prime Minister and leader of RPP Surya Bahadur Thapa was heard saying that increasing corruption has poisoned the fair political sky in the Kingdom. UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal suggested the other day that activists of UML should work to help eliminate corruption in the country. GP Koirala, the sitting Prime Minister has also been heard speaking boldly from the very beginning of his second time as Premier that he would work hard to eliminate corruption and smuggling in the country.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Finance, Tax Department is televising a notice daily to motivate people to voluntarily declare the value of their land and building and clear tax. But the surprising thing is that if leaders themselves ignore the notice who else can we expect to follow it.

A press clipping published in The Kathmandu Post, May 29 stated that ex-Prime Minister and President of CPN-UML Manmohan Adhikari has yet to ceclare the value of his land and building and clear tax although he has been delivered 12 inquiry letters from the tax office. Similarly, the sitting Prime Minister, GP Koirala has not yet declared the value of his land and building and cleared tax since the last 15 years although he has been delivered 17 letters of inquiry from the Tax Office.

On top of that, Parliamentarians has a long time back passed a resolution about declaring the value of the land and building and other properties belonging to any minister or PM within 35 days of becoming a minister or PM. But alas! the commoner has hardly heard anything about it since then. Are these not good enough lessons on ethics and moral values communicated by our political leaders to us. Are these leaders also not like the thief who shouts “thief?”

Constituent Assembly Election

- Dwarika Pd. Shrestha

Nepal decides on 10th April:-
Nepali people are going to the polling booth to elect their representatives to the Constituent Assembly (C A) on the 10th April, 2008 or 28th Chaitra, 2064 accordingly. The Constituent Assembly Election (C A Poll) is the first ever held in the political history of Nepal. Unlike the other elections, the C A Poll is administered hardly once or twice in a life time.

The Constituent Assembly is an assembly which is composed of certain number of elected members from all the constituents in an adult franchise system. Their main work in C A is to write a constitution, a supreme law of the country which defines the rights and duties of each and every citizen of the country.

Nepal is going to hold the C A Poll first time in its history. Thus for the first time the Nepali people have become fortunate enough to send their representatives to the Assembly to write the Constitution of their country as per their requirements. The proposed assembly will have 601 members altogether. They represent different political parties, communities, class and casts of all the regions of the country.

Three types of representation:-
The 601 representatives are categorized into three according to the Election law formulated by the Election Commission. The first category is the representation by the political activists individually being elected from their respective constituency. There are 240 constituencies in the country. Thus the number of individual representatives in the Assembly will be 240 i.e. one each from a constituent. The political parties, which numbered 56 have fielded more than 4000 candidates for the purpose. The second category is the representatives on the basis of the proportional representation of different party, caste, class, community and the region of the country. The Assembly will have 335 elected members of this category. The 56 parties have proposed the list of more than 5100 candidates for the purpose. Each political party has all rights to nominate upto 335 candidates in the Assembly provided the particular party secured maximum votes in the Election.

The member of this category is elected by the party leaders not by the voters. The voters in this category elect party not an individual. In fact, there will be two types of election in this election. In the first one, the voters vote for the individual candidate representing some political party, whereas, in the second category the voters cast their vote for the party separately. Thus they will cast their votes two times and cast two different ballot papers in two different polling boxes in separate booths. The ballot paper to be used for individual candidates will be colored light blue and the ballot paper to be used for the party for proportional representation will be colored light red. To make the system more transparent the Election Commission (EC) has made a system to submit the list of the candidates nominated for proportional representatives previously to the Commission. Because the related party will have full autonomy in selecting and nominating the candidate after they secured the sufficient number of votes in the Election in this category.

The Third category of the members will be picked up from the total consensus of the cabinet formed after the election. Thu number of this category member will be 26 only. This way, there will be 601 members in the C A.

Objectives:-
The main objective of the CA is to write the Constitution of the country. The new Constitution or the Supreme Law of the country must address all the fundamental rights and security of the citizens of the country. It was obvious that the proposed Constitution will be written on Federal type of Government. No one knows whether that will be like a Federal type of the USA or India or that of the South Africa. Yet, it should be believed that the main frame work of the Federal type of Government has already been formed. The shape and size of it is yet to see. Have patience and ‘Wait and Watch’ it.

Historical background:-
The concept of the Constituent Assembly in the world, is centuries old. So far 40 countries in the world have exercised it on their own way. The USA, The Republic of India and the South Africa are some of the countries which have contributed some lessons to the world in this aspect. The USA had formed an Assembly of the representatives of 13 states out of 50. They formed a Constitutional Draft Committee to write the Constitution. The USA is still working with the same constitution till now despite the several minor amendments took place in it. Russia also had a CA poll in 1917. Lenin’s group could not gain majority at that time. A few years later she formed the Constitution Draft Committee. The Russia is still working with the constitution written by them. The Republic of India has similar story about it after they formed a Constitution Draft Committee in 1947. South Africa, in 1990 made similar effort and contributed a very remarkable example to the world to form the C A through the Political Parties’ Conference and prepared the Constitution of the country.

The concept of the Constituent Assembly in Nepal is also not a new one. The necessity of the C A in Nepal was announced in 1950 itself by the late King Tribhuwan at the Tribhuwan Airport at his first return from India after his asylum on 3rd Falgun 2007 b.s. Late King Tribhuwan is also known as ‘the Father of Democracy”. But the new idea could not have materialized because of no political party existed at that time could carry it on to materialize.

The present burning issue of the Constituent assembly is an outcome of 2 latest Peoples’ Revolutions held in 2046 b.s. and 2062/63 b.s. The first Revolution brought an end of 3 decade old Panchayat Democracy in Nepal, whereas the second Revolution overthrew the powerful autocratic Kingship of the country. It’s true that the 2062/63 Revolution became more effective and successful since the CPN- Maoists joined in it. The Maoists were formed in a bush in 2052 b.s. in Rolpa, far-west of the country.

At present, the Maoists claim that the idea of the Constituent Assembly was introduced by them but the history says that the idea was introduced six decades ago through a mandate of the Nepali Congress.

Now wait for a few days more to find the reality.

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'Janata' 'Janata' and 'Janata'

'Janata', 'Janata' and 'Janata' (People, People and People)
Each and every Nepali political leader and worker pronounce the word 'Junata'. “For the security of Junata. Junatako adhikar” and bla, bla, and bla. But Janata are not the one only who are under their grip/s. "NO".

Each and Every one living in a certain territory of a country is known as 'Janata' of the country. No matter, whether he or she is living in a remote corner of the country or in a mid-zone or centre or capital of the country. Janata is a collective noun. It refers each and every one living in the country with his or her belongings from his or her very birth or authentically. Thus Janata is a big strength and an identity of the people of the country as a whole. No matter, whatever big is the territory of the country and the volumn of the population. For example, Nepali Janata is the one who belongs to a certain part or locality of the Kingdom of Nepal.In other words, all the people living authentically within the territory of Nepal is Nepali 'Janata'.

After 2062/63 People's Revolution the so called a 'Take-care Government' formed for one and half year period reportedly to manage the system of the country has now decided,after two full years to administer the Constituent Assembly Poll on 10 April, 2008 or 28th Chaitra, 2064 Thursday accordingly.This is the Third date they have fixed for C.A.Poll. They have already been failed to perform the C. A. Poll twice previously (This article is written on 6th March, 2008 Thursday).

(Updated on 2nd April,2008) Now there are more than 75 political parties who have fielded more than 4000 candidates to contest the election in all 75 districts of the country. Seven out of 75 parties are making their grounds stronger to regain power since the People's Revolution became successful to over power the Kingship in the country. Let's wait till the real outcome be made visual in the earth.