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VOL. 27, NO. 45, July25 , 2008 (Shrawan 10 2065 B.S.)
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“Whether One Lives In Himal, Madhes Or Pahad, We All Are Nepalis”
President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav
In his modest apartment located at Bagdole, Lalitpur, which has suddenly become a center of attraction, there is a crowd of well-wishers and supporters. The newly elected president DR. RAM BARAN YADAV is busy meeting with people from various walks of life. Just a few hours before taking oath of office, Dr. Yadav, who had worked as a medical attendant of Nepali Congress leader B.P. Koirala during his last days, gave an exclusive interview to KESHAB POUDEL. In the half-an-hour-long interview, Dr. Yadav stressed the need for reconciliation among all the political forces and all the Nepalis people living in different parts of the country. Excerpts:
You have reached to the highest position of president, which you might not have imagined before. How do you feel after becoming the first president of Nepal?
As a human being, it is the happiest moment in my life. Looking at the road ahead, however, I don't have much excitement. I know many people will not believe in my statement. We are here to establish a democratic system in Nepal and we have struggled for such a long time to establish and institutionalize democracy. Nepali Congress Party to which I belonged has been struggling institutionally for more than 60 years to establish democracy in Nepal.
What will be your first job as the president?
My first duty is towards protecting the constitution. I am a custodian of constitution. The challenges now are how to follow the constitution and protect it. Under my constitutional obligation, I need to play the role of a referee to make politics fair and free. I have to be confined to my constitutional role and obligation.
At a time when none of the political parties have absolute majority in the Constituent Assembly, there are signs that political parties will engage in making and breaking of government? What role will you play amid such situation?
There is a clear cut provision in the constitution regarding the formulation of the government. After the amendment of the constitution by Constituent Assembly, there is a clear cut provision in making/breaking the government. According to the constitution, the parties need to develop political consensus among them. If they fail to develop consensus, then the party will form the government which has majority in the CA.
Whom you will invite?
Since no political party has majority, the mandate of the people is such that all party should go together. One of the important jobs of CA is to institutionalize democratic republic, formulate the constitution on time by wrapping up the politics of violence and hold the elections on time to provide the stable government in Nepal. These are the mandates given by the people.
You have spent almost all your life in Nepali Congress and you became president as a candidate of Nepali Congress, how can one believe that you can accommodate all political parties? There is NC in your blood.
As a worker of democratic Nepali Congress Party, we fought to establish universally accepted democratic norms in the country. Like my party I firmly believe in multi party democracy, rule of law, individual freedom, fundamental rights, freedom of press and human rights. Within these universally accepted values of democracy, I sacrificed my life for nationalism, democracy and socialism.
How do you accommodate other?
I don't think any political party will have any problem on these values of nationalism, democracy and socialism. Even those who have been raising the slogans of regionalism, ethnicity and castes find equal treatment in the democratic system. We 25 million Nepalese have chosen 601 members as our representatives. When we failed to find consensus, we decided to go for election to choose a president.
How do you look at your elections?
I was chosen by the representatives of 25 million people. Even my contender had contested the election and chosen the democratic path. Even the parties whose candidates lost the election reconciled with Democratic Party. This helps to advance democratic culture. Through the democracy culture, we have entered into a new phase of political process where people of different castes, regions and ethnicity will have equal opportunity. History has bestowed on me a great responsibility to lead Nepal as representative of all Nepalis. If the country will succeed, I will automatically succeed.
As a person who spent his entire his life in Nepali Congress, don't you think that your conscience will be influenced by Congress while taking major decisions?
Every human being has certain weakness. One cannot overcome such weaknesses one hundred percent. Now that I have been entrusted the responsibility of Nepal, I have to give up my weaknesses. As a president, I have to rise above the party and personal interest to bring all the forces together. That will be my fist duty.
Violent groups in Terai have been creating a lot of problems and some are even raising communal and separatist slogans. How will your election as a first president of Nepal from Madhesi community make a difference? What formula do you have to prevent the country from disintegration?
I am not here to give new formula. We have already made our system more inclusive. The adoption of proportional representative system is one of them. As you know, democratic system is itself an inclusive system. If we practice it for a long time, democratic system will bring equality and opportunities to all. Of course, Nepal is yet to be one hundred percent inclusive but it is gradually going to be inclusive.
How do you see the CA?
This CA shows how inclusive it has become where all the ethnic groups and communities from Himal, Pahad and Madhes are represented. Even during the last 10-12 years of democratic practice, there was a gradual wave of inclusiveness. Had democratic system stabilized in the last fifty years, the country would not have been forced to see these kinds of tendencies of regionalism and ethnicity.
How do you make the system more inclusive?
Only through the democratic practice, we can make the whole system inclusive. If we continue to practice democracy generating economic opportunities, this kind of tendency will automatically die. As far as the Madhesi problem is concerned, only democracy can address such problems. As a Nepali, we need to rise from regionalism, communalism, and ethnicity to make our Nepal prosperous. Whether one lives in Himal, Madhes or Pahad, we all are Nepalis. We are now in the age of modernity where one can get equal opportunity through the practice of democracy.
Nepal is in a big crisis for its existence. Don't you think so?
Of course, the situation is fragile. We Nepalese have certain inherent quality as we are known for the spirit of accommodation. For centuries, we have a long history of accommodation. The discrimination on the basis of religion, ethnicity and caste is created by human beings. We have two stocks of people in Neal: Aryan and Mongol. Whether one lives in Madhes or Himal, all of us are Nepalis. In between the geography and races of these people, the nation got its boundary in 1816.
How do you solve the problem of national crisis?
Every aware people want to see Nepal as an independent nation between Asia's two great countries. All the leaders are aware about the need to make this country prosperous and developed as an independent nation. I firmly believe that we can solve all the problems faced by the country including regionalism, ethnicity and caste.
You are a follower of B.P. Koirala who always preached for the need of national reconciliation, which your party has already abandoned. What do you say?
There is a need adjust certain things in accordance with the situation. The global situation at present is different than that was in the past. B.P's nationalism is based on reconciliation of all the forces including the King because there was monarchy at that time. Monarchy has been removed because of the role of the king.
How you are practicing the national reconciliation?
Even now we can reconcile with all the forces. Even the king can contribute to national reconciliation as a commoner. There is space for all. As a citizen of Nepal, I became president. Our party still follows the policy of national reconciliation propounded by B.P. Koirala. Of course, political context has changed now.
As per the present constitution, president of the country will be the Supreme Commander of Nepal Army. How do you see the role of Nepal Army in coming days?
Nepal Army has gradually grown as a democratic institution and army has been supporting the present democratic set up. Now CA is the highest body represented by people. It state different bodies like Army, government, judiciary, and legislature. The army men are also our brothers and sisters.
How do your observe the role of army?
They also desire welfare of the state. I am constitutionally the supreme commander of the Army and I have to look after their problems and difficulties. We need to protect and preserve the national and international image of the institution of army.
At a time when there were demands for mass inclusion of Madhesis in Nepal Army, yourself a person of Madhesi origin has became the supreme commander of the army. How do you look at it?
All these major issues will be addressed by Constituent Assembly. All the issues will be debated and addressed by CA. We have committed to make army institution more inclusive. I am committed to protect the interest of Madhesis as well as other communities. I don't want to go out of track now.
As an active political worker, how will you remain silent spectator as a president? Is it possible for you?
I am taking up the responsibility of the president. I will abide by the Interim constitution of Nepal.
