By Babbler

We do not say that governing through ordinances is ideal. However, this remains the prerogative of the chief executive. Under the present constitutional provisions, the ceremonial President does not have the authority to keep an ordinance pending or return it without approval.

President Ram Chandra Paudel, who was expected to resign after the September 8 and 9 Gen Z movement on moral grounds, made every effort to remain in office. He was compelled to appoint a new prime minister in circumstances critics say were inconsistent with constitutional provisions, creating a constitutional vacuum despite his repeated praise for the constitution.

The Rastriya Swatantra Party swept away the March 5 elections, and Balen Shah became prime minister. The Shah-led cabinet prepared several ordinances and sent them to the President’s Office for approval. However, President Paudel attempted to reject an ordinance related to the formation of a constitutional commission. After the ordinance was returned, the cabinet decided to resend it to the President’s Office.

The government’s message was clear: either the President should approve the ordinance or face the possibility of impeachment in Parliament. The President now appears to have only two options—sign the ordinance or resign. Power greedy President Paudel has ow ended the crisis by approving it.

President Paudel has also been criticized for approving the citizenship amendment bill, which opponents argued had already expired. Former President Bidya Devi Bhandari had earlier refused to sign the controversial bill.

Genuine and Fake Squatters

Many so-called squatters were found living in seven-stored buildings or permanent concrete houses built on valuable public land in the capital. Some openly admitted they were affiliated with political parties and had occupied public property under political protection.

For years, the squatter issue remained unresolved due to political backing. The Shah-led government has now demolished illegal structures in several encroached areas. In some places, even churches had been constructed.

Surprisingly, many squatters were later found to be fake, as they owned land elsewhere and even possessed vehicles.

The government should resolve this issue by providing land to genuine squatters while taking legal action against those who illegally occupied public land under political patronage.

Digital UML

The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) has announced plans to transform itself into a digital party, which is a positive step.

However, the UML and other political parties still appear reluctant to introduce digital or computerized voting systems. In neighboring countries, electronic voting is increasingly common, but Nepal continues to rely on traditional methods.

This raises an important question: if political parties support digital transformation, why are they hesitant to trust digital voting systems?

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

Pokhara, Bhairahawa, and the Real Question of Connectivity

It is easy to conclude that Pokhara International Airport and Gautam Buddha International Airport are failures, but that is an incomplete analysis. The real issue is not the airports themselves, but connectivity, market strategy, and diplomacy.

Take Queenstown Airport in New Zealand. It serves a small tourist city with lakes and mountains, and its runway is only 1,900 meters long. It is not even the capital city. So why is it successful?

Because of:

• Strong jet connectivity with major Australian cities such as Gold Coast, Melbourne, and Sydney
• A clear tourism strategy
• Aggressive promotion in target markets

What lesson does Queenstown teach Nepal? Building an airport alone is not enough; markets must be connected.

Where are Nepal’s weaknesses?

1. No solid flight strategy with India
Where is the plan to directly connect Pokhara with cities like Lucknow, Patna, Kolkata, Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Hyderabad? Where are tourism packages targeting Indian pilgrims visiting Muktinath Temple? There is still no proper road from Pokhara to Muktinath, and landslides have left roads in poor condition.

2. Complete failure in the Chinese market
Nepal has failed to “sell” Pokhara in China’s tourism market. The infrastructure desired by Chinese tourists is lacking, and there is no direct connectivity plan with Chinese cities.

3. Bhairahawa, Buddhist circuit, and regional connectivity
Where is the concrete plan to connect Bhairahawa (Lumbini) with Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Taiwan? This was Nepal’s greatest opportunity for religious tourism.

Nepal also needs its own aircraft. Where is the national flag carrier with operational aircraft? The management team should realize how much damage has been done to Nepal Airlines. The airline seems too occupied with airport handling services while ignoring larger business opportunities.

The real problem is not the airports but the mindset: blaming India, refusing to admit Nepal’s diplomatic weaknesses, lacking market strategy, and assuming flights will automatically come after building airports. This flawed thinking has encouraged corruption in airport construction.

What should be done?

• Target at least one million tourists from India to Pokhara
• Plan to bring another one million tourists from China to Pokhara
• Promote Pokhara for mountains, spirituality, and adventure tourism
• Develop Bhairahawa as an international Buddhist center and expand geotourism up to Palpa

The product to sell is not airports, but routes, markets, and experiences. Neighboring countries are Nepal’s biggest tourist sources. Queenstown Airport teaches a clear lesson: connectivity and a clear strategy lead to success.

The new government must not repeat the mistakes of previous governments. What Nepal needs now is not blame, but practical planning and diplomatic initiatives.

— Ranjan Kumar Dahal

—

• According to the Economic Survey 2081/82, Nepal’s GDP (at producer’s price) at constant prices (base year 2067/68) increased from Rs. 1,870 billion in FY 2072/73 to Rs. 2,797 billion in FY 2081/82. This indicates real GDP growth of around 50 percent during the period.

However, at current prices, GDP increased from Rs. 2,608 billion in 2072/73 to Rs. 6,107 billion in 2081/82, representing approximately 134 percent growth. But this rise shown in current prices does not reflect actual growth; due to inflation, it appears much larger than the real 50 percent increase. This is why constant-price data is used to measure the economy’s real progress.

— Surya Raj Acharya

—

Dear South Asia,
China now allows zero-tariff imports from African nations, attracting significant Chinese capital and investment into Africa. Meanwhile, South Asia remains trapped in disputes over Indian ego and Pakistan’s role as a terrorist state. Are you prepared to become the poorest region in the world?

— Yasiru

—

Why accept the foreign-backed MCC but not our own country’s ordinance?

— Swagat Nepal

—

Foreign government officials on official visits meet their counterparts; this is also international protocol. Only in very rare and exceptional circumstances are there deviations. In most cases, countries follow reciprocity. When our secretary visits another country, they are received by an equivalent official. So why should our Prime Minister or President meet them when they visit Nepal?

Countries must respect equal sovereignty because one state is dealing with another. Poverty or wealth has nothing to do with this.

Therefore, such news should not be presented negatively with terms like “no entry.” Sometimes meetings are simply not possible due to busy schedules. Eventually, the concerned party will realize their mistake.

Until 2046 B.S., we were very careful about protocol. Later, due to personal interests and greed, everyone began seeking meetings directly with the Prime Minister. That was wrong. Now, Nepal is trying to return to proper diplomatic practice. No country should take this otherwise. If both countries follow reciprocity, that is fine—but why should Nepal alone behave submissively?

From a protocol perspective, this is correct. Please take it naturally.

— Rambhakta Thakur

—

India has continuously been sending untested food products into the Nepali market without allowing Nepali food inspection teams, reportedly due to pressure on previous governments. The government should impose strict rules to examine toxin levels in all food imports to Nepal from any country.

— Bhadohi Wallah

—

Nepal’s food authorities should strictly supervise all imported food items, including meat and vegetables. If any imports are found contaminated with poisonous substances, they must be destroyed. Importers should face legal action, pay hefty fines, and have their licenses revoked.

— Dhruba H. Adhikary

—

In a secular country like India, there appears to be a wave favoring Hindu nationalist parties, and such parties are already in power. But in Nepal, where Sanatan Hindu influence is deep, why are Nepali voters still electing those who support secularism? Are there really no Hindus in Nepal?

— Niranjan Thapa

—

Ambassadorial appointments are not a matter of open competition, brother. Qualified and self-respecting people do not participate in such contests. A person representing the country abroad as an ambassador is not merely a representative of political leadership.

— Lokesh Dhakal

Excerpted and translated by Sushma Shrestha.