FEATURES NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

By Mukti Rijal

GODAVARI Alumni Association (GAA) has resumed the forum it had provided to discuss issues of contemporary relevance during the early eighties. The forum had then earned a distinction and popularity of its own kind and the GAA Thamel hall used to remain filled with elites and eggheads. After about two decades the forum has been resurrected. The last forum was the Mayoral debate during the deposed Panchayat era when Sarbottam Dangol, Roopjyoti had, among others contested the election for the Kathmandu Nagar Panchayat chief, said Deepak Gyawali.

Difficult Phase

Although the situation is different and multiparty democracy has been the ruling ideology, the country is passing through a difficult phase. It is very difficult to identify and pinpoint the root cause of the problems. For a country like Nepal whose political institutions are young and fragile, political culture and orientations are yet to pass the test of democratic touchstone liberal democracy itself may lie at the root of the difficulties. Liberal democracy Nepal adopted in 1990 following the People's Movement is the political theory of modernity. Its postulates are the most distinctive features of modern life. The esential postulates of liberal democracy are - the autonomous individual with his concern for privacy and liberty, the growth of wealth and the steady stream of invention and innovation and finally the limited and good governance. And intellectual outlook of liberal of democracy as a political scientist writes is one that could have originated in its fulness only in the post-traditional society of Europe after the dissolution of the medieval Christendom. Liberal Democracy in Nepal for the first time unleashed hitherto dormant and in subordinated social and political forces to establish identities and compete for roles, power and resources. Limited resources and institutional capacity failed to address to the rising revolution of expectations-social,political and economic. As a result social discontent and frustrations have set in. The current crisis situation can be ascribed to the inability of the political system to meet the rising people's aspirations and the indulgence to exercise in more in rhetorics than in substance. In other words, as a speaker said it was the result of governance failure accompanied by a significant erosion in systemic capacity to deliver.

Professor Krishna Khanal was the lead panel speaker in the forum while Deepak Gyawali and Hari Rokka were in the panel of speakers. Kanak Mani Dixit was the moderator. The theme of the forum was- Whither Nepalese Politics ?

Jhala Nath Khanal- CPN(UML) leader objected to the theme of the discussion because it seeks to obscure the rationale of the democratic polls to held on Nov 13. Krishna Khanal was very critical of the demagoguery and abstractions political parties exercise in to reap political advantage during the polls. Political parties should come to people with concrete package for resolving the country's crisis. He held political parties responsible for the current mess and said without proper road mapping no system can be driven without letting it go off the rail. He said the impending election is very crucial and if it could not be held due to one or the other reasons the very basis of the multiparty constitution would be in jeopardy.

Deepak Gyawali came down heavily upon the political parties and heaped blame upon them for their inability to manage internal dissent. He said that the government should hold local elections soon to ensure that untainted leaders grow and develop from the bottom. He found fault even in the system envisaged by the constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal and posed " if our electoral system is democratic and inclusive enough why dalits and Marginalised have no representation in the national parliament?" He demanded that constitution should be amended also to guarantee the protection of the local governance units.

Hari Rokka said that the base has changed so should be the suprestructure. He emphasised that our cultural and social plurality needs to be protected and promoted so that marginals are integrated in the national framework. He talked at length about the emerging political relations in the country and said solutions should be sought taking the new power relations into account.

Serious concern

Leading personalities from the civil society interacted with the panel of speakers and expressed their serious concern over the tensions exacerbating in the country. Some argued that solution to the present crisis should get precedence over the elections while others contended that there is no alternative to elections. A few even doubted on the possibility of the peaceful elections. The interaction was lively and reflective of the current national mood. Thanks to GAA for this initiative and hope this forum continues to reflect and debate on the current situation in the country.

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