“Monarchy Was The First Loser Of The Upsurge Of Extremist Communists, India Will Be Another Loser”
Rabindra Nath Sharma
Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal president RABINDRA NATH SHARMA is a well known politician. Sharama spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various issues regarding the contemporary political situation. Excerpts:
Do you see any possibility of holding the elections for Constituent Assembly?
If one looks at the ongoing political events on surface, possibility of holding the elections is doomed as Terai’s armed movement is yet to die and the distrust between the people living in Terai and Chure Bhawar is widening. The Maoists, too, are still intimidating people and creating other obstructions. Necessary laws are yet to be passed. Beneath the surface, there is a different picture. Those groups who want to hold the elections at any cost don’t care about free and fair and conducive environment that are prerequisite for credible election.
As Maoists claim that Constituent Assembly election is their agenda, what has prompted them to block the elections?
Certainly, Constituent Assembly election was Maoists’ agenda in the past. But now, it is just a slogan. They don’t want election because they fought twelve years long struggle not to restore plural multi-party democracy but for dictatorship of proletariat. They will not establish one party system through the elections. If they give up their ideology, there will be division in the party. No political leader whether he is Prachanda or Dr. Baburam are in a position to change their stand as their utility in leadership will end after giving up their ideological stand. Prolonging the present situation will serve their interest best.
At a time when many are saying that Maoists will sweep the elections, how do you look at it?
If election is held in free and fair manner, Maoists will not win even a single seat allocated for the first past the post system. Of course, they will win some seats on the basis of proportional representation. Maoists may not have a position as they have now after the election.
What about the response of international community?
International community including India wants to have election so that the government gets legitimacy. There is no doubt that there is a need to hold free, fair and impartial election to take the current political situation to its logical end.
How do you hold the election when large numbers of new armed groups are terrorizing the southern plains?
There is a political solution to terai’s problems. We have to start not only negotiations with armed and unarmed groups of terai, and Chure Bhawar but we also need India’s support to pressure these groups. If we start our work now, I don’t think they will create any problem for CA. I still see Maoists as the main stumbling block in holding election.
What is the way out to bring Maoists into the election process?
Maoists may participate in the election in case all other political parties agree to guarantee certain seats for them in coming election. Till Maoists do not get such guarantee, they will obstruct the election.
What about other parties?
Among the constituents of seven parties, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have shown interest to hold the election. Political parties like ours also need election as we want to establish legitimacy of people. For other small constituents of alliance, election is not their priority. For instance, United People’s Front - which will hardly win any seat in the parliament – is represented by a minister now. Similarly, United Left Front – which will not win a single seat, too, has representative in the government.
Do you mean to say that if Nepali Congress and CPN-UML agree to allocate certain reservation to the Maoists they would allow holding the election?
If two major parties allocate safe seats to Maoists, the election will be held. Again, it is going to be election for the sake of election. So far as holding free and fair election is concerned, I don’t see any immediate possibility for that. Even if the election is held, that is going to be just a kind of election, which do not reflect aspiration of people.
Don’t you see prolonged political instability in Nepal will have spill over effects on our neighbors?
Nepal’s prolonged political instability will have spill over effects on both our neighbors. As a geographically closer neighbor, it will hamper India much more than other neighbor. However, our two neighbors cannot alone bring political stability in Nepal. Though India is still a decisive power in Nepal, it has to face other forces now. In the past, south of the Himalayas used to be India’s sphere of influence but that is gradually changing. The change is also brought about by development in Tibetan Autonomous Region including the improvement of transportation network. The role and importance of China has also increased. As a neighbor, China, too, has its stake.
How do you see China’s involvement in Nepal?
China has not directly involved in Nepal’s internal affair but it has indicated that it will not remain aloof in case of growing instability. The recent statement given by new Chinese ambassador to Nepal is very meaningful and significant in this context. Through the ambassador, China reaffirmed its commitment that it respects sovereignty and integrity of Nepal. It says that any foreign interference in Nepal’s affair is not acceptable to China. It indicates that china wants its presence is in Nepal.
Does China have any ally in Nepal?
Chinese know that they don’t need to create force to defend their interest in Nepal. If you see the present case, one of the powerful parties of eight party alliance is gradually switching towards north.
How do you see the role of other players?
As the world’s sole super power, America also has a strong presence in Nepal. Apart from that, there is the United Nations Mission in Nepal. The history of UN missions in the other countries show that their presence complicates the situation rather than resolving it. Though UN’s mandate is just a year, it will be here for a long time to come.
As you said Nepal shares a long open border with India, what support Nepal needs from India to attain stability and prosperity?
As I have mentioned, India is still a decisive power in Nepal. We need all out support from our southern neighbor to bring stability and prosperity in Nepal. The relations of two countries are bound by geography, history and culture. As India has open border, prolonged political instability in Nepal will have spill over effect on India. At a time when India’s Maoists have been expanding their areas of influence following methods and strategies adopted by Nepalese Maoists in the past, growing Maoist influence in Nepal will definitely be harmful to India.
How do you see India’s attitude towards the present political situation and monarchy?
After meeting with Indian political friends and officials recently, I have reached to a conclusion that India is not against the institution of monarchy. Indian politicians and officials were definitely hurt by some actions King Gyanendra took after October 4, 2002 and February 1, 2005. After these events, India and Nepal were unable to develop political understanding. There are complaints in India that Palace did not fulfill its commitments made to India. They said that even the King’s action was hostile to their security interest and that Nepal’s monarch did not respect India’s sensitivity whether it was in Dhaka SAARC Summit or other international arena. They feel that while India supported monarchy in the entire crisis, the latter betrayed India whenever they required its support. I must say that it is in the interest of Nepal as well as in the interest of India to have constitutional monarchy in Nepal. Once this institution is uprooted, no force can provide stability in Nepal.
How do you see Chinese stand?
China has not spoken anything about Nepal’s political process as it has shown that it will adjust with any system.
How do you explain the present stand of India that it will accept the verdict of Nepalese people?
This is a very vague and dubious stand. Will India accept verdict of Nepalese people to turn it into a tyrannical one party state? As the largest democratic country of the world, India must say clearly that India wants to see multi-party parliamentary democracy in Nepal. I don’t understand why India is hesitating to say so. There is also the need to change perception in India.
Will chaotic Nepal serve India’s interest?
As a friend of India, what I have always been saying is that only democratic and stable Nepal can serve the interests of India as it needs strong presence of democratic forces. From 12 point agreement to April’s negotiations, India reportedly was involved in Nepal with an intention of establishing democratic process in Nepal. As 12 point agreement is gradually producing hostile results by diminishing the role of democratic forces in Nepal, the time will tell how justifiable the agreement to restore democracy in Nepal will be.
What do you suggest for long lasting peace in Nepal?
No single political force is decisive in Nepal. If all the political forces within eight party alliances and outside eight parties unite and major external players back them, then there will be possibility to bring the peace and normalcy in the country.
There is rumor that the efforts are underway to convert the present interim-legislature into the Constituent Assembly. How do you look at it?
It is the Maoists who want to avoid the election. If the situation demands, they will not mind to declare this interim legislative parliament (I want to say as a Bhardari Sabha) as the Constituent Assembly. Even former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa warned recently about the possibility to turn this parliament into a Constituent Assembly. Maoists will press for that. If efforts are being made to turn the existing nominated parliament into a Constituent Assembly (CA), it is definite to invite unfortunate situation. Such efforts will trigger permanent chaos.
What do you read from Surya Bahadur Thapa’s recent remarks on the possibility of converting the present parliament into CA?
Look, I was not here when Thapa made that comment and I did not have any conversation with him before he made the comment. As a responsible and experienced politician, I don’t think Surya Bahadurji made that remark without any basis. This is not a running commentary but a matter of serious consideration.
How do you see the position of democratic forces and democracy now?
Communists are still far away from grabbing the power but monarchy was the main loser of the actions of October 4, 2002 and February 1, 2005. Monarchy was the first loser of the upsurge of extremist communists in Nepal and India will be another loser of this new upsurge. Democratic forces will be wiped out if this trend continues for long. In this scenario, I have not seen any possibility for long lasting peace and stability.
As a party registered as a follower of constitutional monarchy, do you see any possibility to secure majority in election in the present context?
If all political parties, which have faith in constitutional monarchy, unite, there is immense possibility to secure majority in favor of constitutional monarchy. I am not talking about the new monarchy. What I am pleading is the same idea accepted by United People’s Front and Nepali Congress in 1990 people’s movement. Actually, I was not a part of that agitation but our party accepted the constitution pronounced by them. All the parties which were born after the political change of 1990, they adhered to the line of constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy. When we are taking the stand for constitutional monarchy, they accused us as a monarchist. What about them when the constitution of 1990 was drafted by Nepali Congress and United Left Front. We have not changed our stand but other political parties have changed.
How do you see the institution of monarchy?
It is very tragic to say that we have completely ignored the importance and utility of the institution of monarchy on the basis of the behavior by an individual King. Whether I will be alive or not, I can predict that the country will have to pay a huge price for the present activities directed against the institution of monarchy. Whether one likes it or not, institution of monarchy is the only factor uniting and safeguarding Nepal’s sovereignty. If you ask me personally, I was the politician who was badly humiliated and w ho suffered much after King Gyanendra’s action of October 4, 2002. Although Special Court has already given me a clean chit dismissing all the charges of corruption, it will take a long time to heal the humiliation suffered by my family members, relatives and myself. Whatever political and other personal cost I had to pay, as a country of multi-religious, multicultural and multi-linguistic with diverse geography, I still believe that only the institution of monarchy has the capability to unite and protect the identity of our independent nation.
Don’t you think removing monarchy will establish stability in Nepal?
The world’s history shows that declaring republic will not bring democracy and stability in the country. Afghanistan, Cambodia and Iran are very good examples how the state as a whole were devastated after the removal of monarchy and how authoritarian systems replaced old liberal systems. Monarchy is the essential factor for country’s stability. Some countries even restored the monarchy to bring the stability and democracy. Show me a country where republic democracy was established following the removal of monarchy.
Leaders and workers of eight political parties term your party as regressive, how do you look at it?
It is very strange to say that I was the only one to have opposed all the move of King after October 4, 2002 but I am termed as a monarchist and regressive now. Those - who are in power now - had applied for the position of prime minister when the palace announced tender for the position. They now claim themselves to be revolutionaries and progressive. All those who instigated the King for direct rule are now standing as republicans. Since I am old and in my last leg of political career, I will oppose all kinds of tyranny whether it is by eight party or monarch. I don’t have any hesitation to defend constitutional monarchy.
How do you see Girijababu’s stand?
Girijababu who is known as a strong politician has lost his credibility as nobody knows what stand he will take the next day. Every moment he has been changing his stands. He took oath as a prime minister by King in April but he backed the proclamation of House of Representatives and signed the document to suspend the monarchy. Whether it is his old age or political compulsions, Girijababu is unstable on his views. He has already taken multiple stands on monarchy. They have deviated their stand from the April agreement with the King.
Do you see the possibility to turn Nepal into a peaceful, prosperous and stable nation?
There is a need for wisdom among all. There is a need for understanding among democratic and liberal parties. The Maoists, too, must change their behavior. If the situation like this continues, all of us Nepalis will be losers.
