Kathmandu, July 4: Janata Samajbadi Party Nepal Chair Upendra Yadav has warned that any attempt to weaken the Constitution’s core principles for short-term political gain could push Nepal into serious ethnic and regional conflict.
In a Facebook post on Friday on the debate over constitutional amendment, Yadav urged political parties and the government not to tamper with the Constitution’s foundation. He said any move to dismantle its core features would face strong resistance from those who support progressive political change.
Yadav argued that many countries protect key constitutional principles through unamendable provisions. He cited examples from India, Germany, the United States, France and Italy, saying these safeguards prevent temporary political majorities from altering the nation’s fundamental values.
Referring to Nepal, Yadav said the Constitution was drafted by the Constituent Assembly after decades of people’s movements, the armed conflict and the Madhes uprising. He noted that Article 274 already prohibits amendments that undermine Nepal’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence or the sovereignty vested in its people.
According to Yadav, the Constitution’s non-negotiable features include popular sovereignty, the federal democratic republic, constitutional supremacy, the rule of law, separation of powers, an independent judiciary, fundamental rights, proportional inclusion, secularism and Nepal’s multilingual and multiethnic identity.
He said constitutional amendments should strengthen, not weaken, the federal democratic republic. He called for reforms to improve the functioning of federalism, ensure fair representation in the House of Representatives, National Assembly and provincial assemblies based on population, and make the federal system more effective.
Yadav also urged stronger constitutional guarantees for the rights of Madhesis, Indigenous nationalities, Dalits, women, Tharus, Muslims, Khas communities, backward classes, minorities, persons with disabilities, sexual and gender minorities, and economically disadvantaged groups. He stressed proportional access to state power, resources and opportunities and called on political leaders to put aside short-term interests and focus on freedom, equality, good governance, development, prosperity and social justice.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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