Consensus Blues of Nepali Politics

The ruling elites of Nepal who are invariably in the majority never want consensus to hear the voices of weaker sections of the masses. 

Photo: DECCAN Chronicle

When India PM Narendra Modi said, ‘Nepal should make a constitution on consensus taking confidence of dissident parties rather than majority voting’ sparked a political debate in Nepal. Mr Modi’s remarks in the course of his visit to Nepal during 18th SAARC summit in Nepal has provoked some leaders of Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal, United Marxist and Leninist (CPNUML) who are pro-rightist. Whereas the Maoist leaders are more assured of it, and thought to aid in their stance of consensus for the constitution. 

Mr Modi’s suggestion is taken as intervention by pro-rightist leaders of Nepali Congress and CPNUML. Those leaders, mostly belonging to the traditional ruling elite of Nepal, are not convinced to address all the subdued voices of the weaker section of the ethnically diverse Nepali society. Since they’ve been in majority throughout the democratic history of Nepal, they’re less likely to accept the representation and inclusion of all the people left behind. Whereas, Maoist leaders who are regarded as pro-leftist and close to all the disadvantaged people of Nepal are in favor of consensus in constitution building. Their demand is to address the voice of the people belonging to the weaker section of Nepali society who barely has a majority in the Constituent Assembly.

Leaders of NC and UML have criticized Mr Modi’s remarks. Gagan Thapa, a young and popular leader of the NC has said that Modi doesn’t have right to intervene in Nepali politics. In addition, Mohan Bikram Singh, the leader of a fraction of CPNUML said that Modi’s remarks over Nepal’s process of constitution making is intervention in Nepal’s sovereignty. Both of them belong to the ruling elite of Nepal.

Nepal holds the story of dominance by ruling elite in executive, judicial system and the legislature. Those ruling elites are Bahun, Chhetri and Newar, or popularly known as people of the mid-hill. After Janga Bahadur Rana, the powerful and cunning prime minister promulgated the Civil Code 1910 based on caste hierarchy the people belonging to lower echelon remained oppressed. His Civil Code is just a continuation of Jaya Sthiti Malla’s division of Nepali society into four categories—Brahmana, Chhetria, Vaishya and Sudra—based on the very Hindu philosophy of Vedic saint Manu. Even after so called restoration of democracy in 1950 the same group got a chance to exercise power. After two decades of democracy, then the King Mahendra declared Nepal a Hindu state which further helped mid hill people to prosper. As a result, they got a chance to gain education, collect property, acquire most of the political and administrative positions and patronized their cronies to rule the country. The situation remained same until the second democracy in 1950.

The majority voting system was further restored in 1950 after falling partyless Panchayat regime of the monarch. Yet, the people of lower hierarchy remained away from exercising democratic values in the country. It was until the third peoples’ revolution in 2006 which introduced inclusive democracy. A coalition government was made based on consensus. Realizing the fact that the mere majority voting could not represent all the people, the coalition government held the Constitution Assembly election following first past the post and proportional representation voting system. The interim government was formed from the Constituent Assembly, which also drafted an interim constitution.

The interim constitution is a short term arrangement for restoring peace and addressing the voice of the people left behind by the mainstream development. Its mandate is to make a constitution that can address the suffering of all the weaker section of Nepali society who have never felt associated with the state. Thus, there was an agreement of listening to the voice of all the people who normally do not have representation (or enough representation) in government.

However, those ruling elites of mid hill are not happy with listening to the voice of all those left behind. Although consensus was the only mantra to write constitution first, then follow the norms of constitutionalism i.e. rule of the majority, periodic election, supremacy of the people, democracy, rule of law and judicial review.

Narendra Modi who is watching the political advancement of Nepal closely, just uttered few words to reinstate what Nepal has decided to go ahead with. Some leaders are simply commenting on him to defend their greater share of several decades of power usage.