COMMENTARY
By Pushpa Raj Pradhan
On Monday, the Citizens’ Group leaders proceeded towards Baluatar in an attempt to capture Baluatar, the prohibited zone protesting Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s act of dissolving of the House of Representatives (HoR). The so-called civil society disappeared for a long time has been appeared abruptly. The demonstrators were encountered with the Nepal Police at Bhatbhateni, near Baluatar. Addressing the mass, former journalist and leader of the Citizens’ Group declared the police crackdown on the peaceful demonstrators as the beginning of the third people’s movement.
Obviously, the police action was expected against violation of the restricted zone and the demonstrators had attempted to agitate the general public.
The Citizens’ Group, which was disappeared when the country was witnessing different anomalies, has been surfaced at a time when the present system has been defunct. Understandably, the Citizens’ Group was highly dominated by those NGO activists who have a direct link with the westerners.
Perhaps, the westerners saw a threat to the present political structure of federalism, secularism, and republicanism, it is believed, they have become alert and they have started to mobilize their people!
Coincidently, the same morning, PM KP Sharma Oli, who is a communist believing religion as the opium, performed special pooja at the Pashupatinath Temple. This is the first time that Oli, a communist PM performing pooja at the Hindu temple. When Indian PM Modi was in Janakpur, Oli received him but didn’t take part at the special pooja at the Janaki Temple.
Therefore, the pooja on Monday is very much meaningful — possibly to attract the sympathy of the Hindu population; possibly to give a message to the Hindu nationalist government in India; possibly a gesture that he is going to initiate a move to restore Nepal a Hindu nation.
The Election Commission denied recognizing both the splinter NCPs. The EC has stated that according to the interim statute of the party, only the joint decision taken by the two chairmen and endorsed by the party general secretary will be constitutional. The decisions taken by the single party chairman cannot be constitutional. Oli faction’s leader and deputy prime minister Ishwor Pokhrel talking to the journalists has remarked that the EC’s decision as a positive gesture.
Now, to decide the fate of the party split, both the factions have to knock the court’s door. For the time being, the process for getting recognition has been prolonged.
The possibility is that both the factions may not be allowed to use the party name and election symbol in the upcoming election set for April and May. On this case, there is the possibility of reviving the then UML and Maoist Center again.
Otherwise, to split the party, the two chairmen should endorse a joint decision, which seems impossible.
What will be the SC verdict on the dissolution of the House of Representatives, it has not become clear.
Meanwhile, presently, except from Pushpakamal Dahal Prachanda, Madhav Kumar Nepal, Baburam Bhattarai, Upendra Mahato, Ramchandra Poudel, Gagan Thapa and Krishna Shitaula, other leaders such as Sher Bahadur Deuba faction in NC, Rajendra Mahato, Mahanta Thakur, Rajkishor Yadav in Janata Samajbadi Party, Kamal Thapa in RPP are seen in favour of the dissolution of the parliament.
On the other hand, Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai have held a meeting at Vice President Nanda Kishor Pun’s residence for launching joint agitation against Oli’s move.
However, in Bhattarai’s party, Upendra Yadav and Bhattarai are in favour of launching agitation, whereas, Mahanta Thakur and Rajendra Mahato are against the agitation.
We can assume that the establishment group in Delhi is in favour of dissolution of the Parliament, whereas, the section which had contributed for endorsement of the 12-point agreement, is against the dissolution of the Parliament. Accordingly, the westerners are against the dissolution of the Parliament.
“Regressive move”:
There left just one and a half years to complete the five-year tenure by the present parliament. The PM has called for an early election. Is the move for a fresh mandate regressive? However, a section of leaders, intellectuals, and professionals are lauding that PM Oli’s action as unconstitutional and regressive move. They are even trying to influence the Supreme Court, where the case is under the court’s consideration. Is this a democratic practice, it is a burning question.
Meanwhile, PM Oli’s rival Dahal-Nepal faction has announced the second phase of agitation, whereas, PM Oli has decided to demonstrate a human sea in favour of him. The NC, on the other hand, is preparing for launching agitation against the government.
Considering the covert activities of the foreign elements, especially south and west and the mood of Oli’s rival factions, political observers speculate that the nation is moving towards a violent conflict.
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