N. P. Upadhyaya (Aryal)
Biratnagar: The Nepali Congress which claims as the oldest party of Nepal and also considers itself as democratic political conglomerate , but in essence it isn’t.
In effect, the Nepali Congress is a party which is run under the whims of the sitting President.
The manner this party exhibited haste in extending its “vote of confidence” willingly to the incumbent Prime Minister Prachanda in Nepal’s newly formed Parliament speaks in a candid manner that the NC is isn’t a political entity that believes in a democratic system which necessarily demands the very presence of an effective and performing “Opposition”.
NC has a precedence of acting in an erratic manner even if the rank and file opposes the solo decisions made by the Party President.
To recall, late Girija Prasad Koirala was the one who never consulted his party men but yet imposed his personal conclusions upon the Party which was binding for all.
Back to the story, had the Indian regime hinted the NC to extend vote of confidence to Prachanda?
However, the fact is that Nepal’s new Parliament has the mystifying absence of “opposition” which then makes the sitting government to act in a authoritarian manner.
The government then functions in an autocratic manner in the absence of an Opposition.
The opposition less Parliament is more or less like what the erstwhile Panchayat system have had.
So is it the advent of Panchayat System in a surreptitious manner?
The concept of Opposition in a true democratic order, if it is so, is that as and when the “government” acts in an inconsistent and contradictory manner and which later crushes the people’s aspirations, then it is the “opposition bench” which then creates political havoc, expectedly, inside the Parliament that forces or say compels the sitting government to correct its erratic and anti-people moves.
In a way the Opposition bench in the Parliament is for “Check and balance” of the democratic order.
This is the beauty of a democratic structure.
However, the NC committed a blunder of sorts which has violated the basics of universally established democratic principles.
Better late than never, Dr. Shekhar Koirala has very freshly sounded his disapproval in having awarded vote of confidence willy-nilly to the Prachanda led government.
Dr. Koirala demands now that his Nepali Congress Party takes back its “vote of confidence” extended to Prachanda government a fortnight ago.
A high-class medical doctor Dr. Koirala is considered to represent the group that is against the “party’s establishment” controlled by NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba.
Mr. Deuba is whispered to be a political man who is “highly comfortable” to the Indian regime.
Dr. Koirala is the next President of the Nepali Congress; it is talked inside the party.
To recall, Dr. Koirala and his party colleagues’ enmasse awarded confidence to the Prachanda who is largely dubbed as Beijing’s man by the Godi media.
The question thus is: why Dr. Koirala initially voted in favor of Prachanda and now why Koirala prefers to withdraw his party’s support extended to a man who is taken as a Beijing hand by the entire Godi media (India)?
Is it that Dr. Koirala in the meantime noticed that Prime Minister Prachanda has excessive Beijing bend?
Or has the Indian regime hinted Dr. Koirala to scrap the party’s support to Prachanda-the new Nepal Prime Minister?
Needless to say, Dr. Koirala too is believed to be close to Delhi’s power corridors that rule Nepal.
Of late, the new Chinese Ambassador Chen Song too has activated himself and is meeting various political stalwarts who have a say in Nepali politics.
No less is active the Indian envoy in Kathmandu who, observers say, is almost the new His Majesty the King of Nepal sent by Delhi to rule Nepal after the real sovereign was forcefully deposed under Indian establishment’s instructions.
His (Indian envoy) influence and penetration in Nepali politics has no match. He will continue to rule Nepal as his “paid” agents are everywhere in Nepali politics, it is widely understood.
Will Dr. Koirala be able to convince his Party’s President Sher Bahadur Deuba to act as per his demands?
The supplementary question is also as to whether rest of the Party colleagues add strength to Dr.
Koirala’s fresh proposition?
Yet another question then come to our mind as to how the Indian regime will watch the entire events and how will it react to the outcome, if and when Dr. Koirala’s idea gets thumping majority?
All said and done, Dr. Koirala has set the ball rolling.
In fresh news, the Parliament secretariat just the other day has awarded the Nepali Congress the role of the “Opposition”.
To recall, the NC had voted in favor of Prachanda at time of the “vote of confidence” motion a fortnight ago.
By recognizing the NC as the Opposition in the Parliament, the essence of “democracy” virtually ceases to exist.
What could be the ugly and distorted picture of democracy wherein the ruling party also is told to act as “Opposition”?
Isn’t it the end of the imposed republican order?
Perhaps yes.
That’s all.