Opposition Parties
What They Should Understand

By Yug Bahadur

The nation is going through troubling times at present. The government is facing challenges from different sides and it is finding difficulties in tackling the problems that have arisen in tune with the times.

Perhaps, in the eleven plus years since democracy was re-ushered into the country, this is the most crisis ridden period for the whole system, not only the government or any political party.

One does not have to recollect all the political upheavals that have taken place in the past decade or the mistakes that were committed during that time, to take stock of the present situation. No one can deny that a lot of errors have been committed and the nation also suffered for some years of turmoil because of a Hung Parliament. However, at the same time, it is also true that the troubles facing the nation and the people now, are not the makings of any one government, not at all the shortcoming of the present government.

A series of failures, on the part of the different governments and also the political parties, have contributed in creating different crisis and also in demoralising the people and shaking their faith in free politics. Apart from factors who want to work outside the Constitutional framework, the political leaders have no one but themselves to blame for the apathy that has developed among the general masses.

However to leave aside the weaknesses of the parties and to delve on the troubles facing the nation now, three events have badly shaken the people and they are expressing serious concern on whether the political parties are behaving responsibly or not.

First, the rigid stance of the opposition parties to not allow the proceedings of the recently concluded Winter Session of the Parliament, then the mass slaughter of policemen at two posts in Rukum and Dolakha districts and now, the continuous street agitation of the six Left parties, led by the main opposition party in Parliament, the CPN (UML).

Quite naturally, being in the driving seat, it is the responsibility of the government to ensure good governance and provide security to the people. However, the opposition parties too have an equal role to play for political stability in the country. Specially now, when there is a serious challenge to the whole constitutional and political process of the present democratic system. All those who respect the Constitution of the country, cannot remain oblivious to the threats that face the nation. No one should forget that such a threat comes not only to the government or the ruling party, but to all the people and to the political parties that are functioning under the present democratic Constitution.

Meanwhile, no one can deny the fact that there is a feeling of fear among the ordinary people. And such a psychosis is present not only among those citizens who live in the rural sectors, but even among those people living in the urban areas, including Kathmandu. They are very much concerned about the deteriorating law and order situation. How can the people be reassured about their safety?

Definitely not, by street continuing agitation, destruction of public property and regular disturbance of normal life through protests like chakka jams and bandhs.

Maybe the government is at fault too. Specially in not being able to provide enough security at some places and then using too much force in other cases, like during the protests organised by the opposition parties. But the government’s failures must not be aggravated further. Specially when both the nation and the people are suffering from their actions.

Many people have expressed their unhappiness with the very first protest strategy of the opposition parties. Quite logically, they questioned the decision to not allow parliamentary proceedings to take place.

Obviously, voters and supporters of different political parties have the belief that different problems facing the nation and the people can be solved in the Parliament through discussions. That is the sole reason why they have voted for their respective representatives.

But when no discussion is allowed to take place, how can one expect any solution to come forth, even if it is related to the investigation of a corrupt deal or the resignation of an official, including the Prime Minister.

Still, even when several weeks of the stalemate continued in the Parliament, the people still had hopes that the warring political parties would come to a compromise and a solution would be arrived at to end the political crisis. But sadly, no such thing happened and the last session of Parliament will definitely be recorded in history as a session where not one single work was accomplished, though it came at a cost for the ordinary tax payers.

But apart from this crisis, the government faced more troubles when scores of policemen were killed in rapid attacks on police posts by the Maoists insurgents. Here it must be acknowledged that the government has failed to provide security to the people and to its own security forces in some districts of the country. Providing strategic support in terms of manpower and also logistics is necessary if the morale of the police personnel and the faith of the people in the security system of the government is to be re-instilled in such areas. The authorities have to ask themselves whether this has been done.

But again the support of the opposition parties is necessary in dealing with such a serious matter. When the attention of the government is distracted in a continuous way through disruption of parliamentary proceedings and agitation on the streets, it becomes difficult for the government to tackle other issues before it.

This does not mean the opposition should not differ in their views with the government and protest against it. This is their right and it is the very essence on which the charm of a functioning democracy is based. But when there is a threat to the very system for which all pro-democratic forces fought for, shouldn’t they get together to give priority to that problem?

Also, do the opposition leaders from deep in their heart sincerely believe that a Prime Minister, that also a Prime Minister whose party has a majority in the Parliament, should be forced to step down through street agitation? Can they honestly answer this question?

The nation is definitely facing political and other problems, but cooler heads, both on the government side and on the part of the opposition needs to prevail, if the problems are to be tackled. Taking rigid stands and not budging an inch, will not help defuse the crisis. If the opposition leaders truly have the interest of the nation and the people in mind, they should stop all activities that are harmful for them and seek other ways to make the government hear their voices.

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