‘Time is not ripe for constitution amendment’

‘I was also held as a Naxalite’

Speaker of the House of Representatives and a former General Secretary of the ruling Nepali Congress Taranath Ranabhat, was not less a revolutionary than anyone else when he took up gun against the then autocratic Panchayat system three decades ago. Ranabhat, an MA, BL and B.Ed, took to politics in 2017 BS (1960 AD) primarily because of the influence of his father who suffered a lot in jail during the Royal coup when the late king Mahendra did away with the democratic system. His father was beaten up brutally on his feet and was hung upside down with his head facing the floor. The authorities had hardly agreed to release his father, even to observe the obsequies of his grandmother.

Recalling past experiences, the Speaker shares his heart-rending events, which he had narrowly escaped. "I have so many stories to tell," said a serious Ranabhat while his wife Narmada was listening quietly seated on the next sofa with diamond like teardrops falling from her eyes. Narmada has also languished in jail for the greater cause of democracy, experiencing several hazards and obstacles she had been through. Born in 1944, Ranabhat took to teaching also for some time during the rule of the Panchayat regime. "I was also a law practitioner, mine is license No 619," he said, pondering into his past. "When we were going to meet Subajnajee in India in 1971, I was caught as a Naxalite soon after I got off the train in Kolkata and detained for about four hours. My friends got me free."

Speaker Ranabhat, who has served a six and a half years jail term, spoke to Rudra Sharma of The Kathmandu Post on Saturday morning. Excerpts:

The Kathmandu Post: Since violence is escalating all over the kingdom and the Maoist problem is rather compounding, what is the way out? What may be the solution to the Maoist problem?

Ranabhat: Three things should be carried out simultaneously to quell the Maoist issue. First, the arms taken by the Maoists should be returned through the mobilization of the army. The role of the security forces should be limited just for disarming Maoists. Second, we should counter the Maoists ideologically and thereby draw them to the negotiating table. Thirdly, corruption must be addressed. Corruption is the root cause of the Maoist problem. Development should be given to the people at their doorstep. If development is implemented in the villages, then the Maoists cannot cash in on unemployed people.

Since the army has been mobilized for the last three months, what is the main cause that has led to the army’s inability to achieve success as expected?

Lack of information and proper organising of intelligence are the major causes. Information is the main force now. People do not feel secure when providing information to the security force. Our intelligence should be highly classified so that people can freely provide information without any fear. The environment should be such that people could provide information freely without any threat.

Since the opposition has been demanding for amendment of the constitution and government, including the ruling party that has accepted the demand of the opposition. What is your reading about the amendment of the constitution?

I personally think the time has not come for amendment of the constitution.

How will the functioning of Parliament be from now onwards?

Parliament will run smoothly.

Since many Bills have been termed as ‘finance Bills’, this has created some chaos on the nature of the finance Bill. Comments are rife that the Speaker should have checked it? What do you say about this?

Yes, many Bills are termed as finance Bills and the practice has created some problems. But I have checked the trend to a certain extent.

Since you are discharging a big responsibility as the Speaker, are you getting enough time to look into your constituency?

Yes, I agree that I am not providing enough time to my constituency. But I will never lag behind in fulfilling my duties and responsibilities to the constituents and the constituency.

Locals anxious about security

By Kamal Panthi

GULARIYA, Feb 24: Like many other district headquarters worried about security in these emergency days, Gulariya, the headquarters of Bardia district, too is feeling insecure, more so because as yet, the army has not been mobilised here. The fear has also been compounded by the fact that the Maoist rebels recently attacked the District Development Office, after which several office chiefs abandoned their government quarters, and have not yet returned.

And like many other district officials, Gulariya’s authorities too have been asking for more security from the centre. So when a night-vision helicopter of the Royal Nepal Army flew over the district on Sunday afternoon, there was a sense of relief all around.

But the apprehension that Gulariya is the next target of the rebels is growing strong. People here feel that Gulariya is vulnerable to rebel attacks as it has only one police post at Eghare VDC.

Several top officials here say that despite their constant pleas in the last three months, the army has not been deployed.

Gulariya is now manned by the Armed Police Force (APF), and a dawn-to-dusk curfew has
also been in place here since February 24.

Bouquets and brickbats for PDDP

Post Report

PALPA, Feb 24: The Participatory District Development Programme (PDDP), a development package launched in the district, is being termed as a "grand success" by some, while some others say that its budget has been squandered.

This year a total budget of Rs 74,54,772 has been earmarked for the implementation of PDDP in six VDCs of the district which has altogether 65 VDCs.

Deepak Pathak, Manager of the Bhairab Community Institution under the PDDP, is one of those who thinks that the Programme has done well. "My field which once did not yield enough to sustain my family even after a whole year’s toil, now has been bringing me an extra income of 30,000 rupees after I began vegetable farming on it, assisted by the PDDP," says Pathak.

But a District Development Committee (DDC) member, on condition of anonymity, says that the Programme’s budget has been misutilised. "There have been irregularities in the budget of the PDDP and I did speak against it in a DDC meeting, but my voice went unheard," he says.

But Ghapendra Bahadur G.C., Chairman of Palpa DDC, dismisses his official’s version. "The budget has been utilized fairly, and the voices against it are from those VDCs where the programme has not been implemented," says the DDC Chairman.

The PDDP package in the district is being carried out jointly by the UNDP, the Ministry of Local Development, the National Planning Commission and the Trust Fund of the DDC.

Wildlife Reserve sans water for rare animals

Post Report

HETAUDA, Feb 24: Rare animals and birds of the Parsa Wildlife Reserve are migrating to other places due to the inadequacy of water, according to reserve officials.

"The less number of water sources in the reserve has caused the migration of animals and birds to elsewhere," says Tika Ram Adhikari, the warden of the reserve, "illegal killing of these animals and birds is also increasing."

"Some of the animals are seen licking the leaves of plants to quench its thirst," says Adhikari.

The reserve, known for wild elephants, lies on 150 metres to 950 metres from sea level and has 30 wild elephants and 36 tigers, according to reserve sources.

"The reserve has no river or lake on its territory, thus, it’s very difficult for animals like the rhinoceros to live here," says Adhikari. "We requested resettlement of Sunbarsha village with the government, but this has been ignored," Adhikari further stated. The reserve beliefs if the 132 houses of the village is transferred, the water at the village will be adequate to help quench the thirst of these animals.

Another option can be constructing lakes and grasslands in the reserve. "If we could tap the water sources of Chure range and construct 10 lakes and grasslands, these rare animals can be reserved easily," says Adhikari.

The reserve is the habitat of 10 rare species among 32 species of mammals and 13 species of reptiles. The 499 sq. km reserve was established 16 years ago.

Education Day observed nationwide

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 24: News reports were received today from all over the kingdom that the twenty-seventh ‘Education Day’ observed nationwide amidst various cultural and educational programmes.

Most of the schools observed the festival by giving away prizes to the students securing the highest marks in the School Leaving Certificate Examinations(SLC), scholarships to the genius students and those from the deprived section of the society.

In the headquarters of Khotang district, the District Education Office (DEO) conducted an inter-school speech contest and folk dance competition in the presence of Krishna Prasad Lamshal, the Chief District Officer(CDO) in the district. The winners were conferred with prizes. Inter-school speech contest and folk song competition was also organised by the DEO in its premises in Humla district.

The students securing the highest marks in the SLC and in the district level examination conducted by the district board were conferred with prizes in Dolkha, Dhankuta, Hetauda, Janakpur and Siraha districts.

Lady Jaycees in Hetauda gave away ‘Manjuri Singha’ prize to a student securing the highest marks in the SLC examination.

In Janakpur district, three genius students from class one to eight, four students from the depressed section of the society and five talent students in the primary level of the proposed Baghchauda Secondary School were accorded with scholarship.

The DEO at Palpa district organised inter-school eloquence and cultural programme to mark the festival. The winner schools were given away prizes. Education and Cultural Society in Morang organised Inter Secondary Regional Essay competition to observe the festival. Inter-school eloquence was also held in Dang district.

Public Library in Pokhara launched a three-day ‘book exhibition’ starting from today to mark education day. "The library has been organizing book exhibition on this occasion from past two years," said Sru Bhakta, a renowned litterateur.

Taboo still stalks inter-caste marriages

By Shyam Shrestha

KHOTANG, Feb 24: Here is yet another troubling tale of an inter-caste marriage. When Ganesh Lamsal of Pathari-1 in Morang district married his sweetheart from another caste, he knew he was asking for trouble, but didn’t think the opposition from his family would last that long.

Ganesh is a Brahmin, the so-called upper caste, while his wife belongs to what is considered as the lowly Biswokarma caste.

"When I went to see my father after seven years of marriage with two daughters, he threatened to commit suicide if I brought my wife to his house," says a dejected Ganesh.

The marriage even affected his further studies, and that has been a big blow since Ganesh was a good student having secured a first division in the School Leaving Certificate Examination. Family tensions meant that he had no peace of mind to pursue a career.

"When I faced opposition from my father, I asked my sister for help. But even she refused, saying that I have got to give up my wife, and leave my two daughters in a child care center," she says.

Ganesh has still not been able to carry out the birth rituals of his daughters, as the priests refused to comply.

Parbati’s dream of going to school coming true

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 24: Parbati Tiwari, a 15-year-old girl of Kavrepalanchok had dreamt of going to school. Now the dream is not too far away for her.

Parbati’s family landed up to the capital’s street after they were chased away from their village some six years back where the father was unable to pay back his loan.

Still father did not realize until he suffered from cancer and died. "We were all left on the streets for so many months," Parbati recalls a bitter moment of her life.

Parbati, who was exploited and suffered for years while earning her daily dole, seems finally hopeful of her life. " Now I can reach my destination to become doctor and help the poor children of Nepal," says Parbati.

Parbati is now studying in Co-opearative Bungamati School in Lalitpur. It was Nepal RUGMARK Foundation (NRF) that brought her to the school for free edudation some five years ago.

Parbati studied hard and took advantage of the flexibility provided to fast learning children who receives excellent award almost every year in the school.

Parbati is not the only one. There are 317 children who are beneffitted by this foundation. Some of the children are getting long-term benefits like education, shelter, food and vocational trainings.

NRF is an international trademark system for promotion of child labour. The NRF initiative, established five years ago in Nepal to eliminate child labour from carpet industries.

Keshav Bhakta Mathema, General Secretary of NRF, speaking on the 5th annual general meeting, said almost two third of the capacity of the carpet industry in Nepal has already been with RUGMARK logo.

"The RUGMARK programmes and efforts made by other organizations and carpet enterprises, number of children working in carpet factories in Nepal, has remarkablay been reduced in the last five years."

Nepal’s first international correspondent remembered

Post Report

KATHMANDU,Feb 24: On the occasion of the 52nd National Democratic Day, people remembered the contribution and service of Late Raghu Nath Prasad Rauniyar. He is known as Nepal’s first correspondent journalist, who reported Nepalese events in Indian Newspapers and lived through the blazing revolution against the Rana regime.

Former Minister Ram Hari Joshi and Indian Ambassador I P Singh together revealed a book, "Pride of the Nation: Nepal’s First Journalist, Raghunath Prasad Gupta Rauniyar".

Rauniyar served Nepal and its people as an active journalist, sensitive leader, writer and poet, and was an activist of Human Rights, too. His services for the people should not be forgotten this time.

Addressing the programme, Indian Ambassador Singh said, "the country should remember such a Great Spirit. He communicated the spirit of Nepalese to Indians. That’s why the revolution succeeded in 1950."

Journalism has come a long way from then and now. The days of yesteryear lacked the present facilities of the fax, email, and telephones. Even then, he ceaselessly wrote for the nation, participants said at the programme, adding that’s why we should be aware as to why his picture appears on the stamp ticket.

The late Rauniyar’s sons, Ramesh Kumar Rauniyar and Umesh Kumar Rauniyar edited the published book written on the life story of their late father.

‘The Art of Living’ concludes

Post Report

KATHMANDU,Feb 24: ‘The Art of Living’, a four-day meditation programme concluded yesterday, was based on yoga and meditation.

At the closing ceremony, attendants of the programme confessed their own perceptions on the advanced course of ‘The Art of Living’. Shri Ravishankar founded the program.

Participants attending the programme said that it offered techniques that helped to lead a stress free life. The benefits of the "Healing Breath" workshop increased energy, youthfulness and enthusiasm.

The programme helped them to eliminate negative emotions like anger, anxiety, depression, sadness and fear etc. The programme also helped them to increase self-confidence, cheerfulness and joy.

Teacher of the programme, Niranjan Dev, addressing the people, said, "Guruji (Ravi Shankar) wants to introduce a Youth Training Program for Nepali Youths, which helps in boosting confidence for the young, because so many young people have no definite path to follow. They are always in a dilemma."

"The country has many problems, and problems basically come from the people in general. The first is to eradicate the personal problems of people, which shall retroactively lead to a permanent solution of all other problems. And this is when the programme will reach the end of its roots", he stressed further.