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VOL. 27, NO. 46, August 01 , 2008 (Shrawan 17 2065 B.S.) |
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VICE PRESIDENT ON CONTROVERSY
Undesirable Trends
Even though the agitators withdrew their violent protests, the damage has already been done. A week after a positive sign emanated from the election of president and vice president – both from Madhes region – the scepter of politics of discord has hovered above Nepali political horizon once again. In the name of protesting against VP Jha’s oath taking in Hindi, divisive politics was practiced. Parties have decided to withdraw the agitation fearing communal discord – but only after damage was done .The action of VP Permananda Jha and reactions, both represent undesirable trends
By KESHAB POUDEL
After the five days (from 24 July) of unrest in the streets of Kathmandu, calm have started to be restored. During this period, the streets had turned into a battle field as eight student unions affiliated to eight political parties organized protest demonstrations demanding apology from vice president Parmananda Jha for taking oath in Hindi language.
From burning effigies and to organizing demonstrations, the agitating student unions – who till now had backed all the unconstitutional and anti-national acts of the present government - have taken to streets against the vice president.
Although it seems very spontaneous and natural, the student agitation showed that is well planned and very calculated. Initiated by All Nepal Free Student Union (Revolutionary), a student organization affiliated to Maoists, the so called anti vice president and anti-Hindi demonstration received backing from other two powerful student unions Nepal Student Union and All Nepal Free Student Union, two organizations affiliated to Nepali Congress and CPN-UML respectively.
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Students protesting VP Jha: Misplaced Anger |
Interestingly, the eight student unions – which include seven student unions affiliated to various factions of communist parties and one affiliated to Nepali Congress, was revived on Friday to broaden the agitation. However, vice president Jha was a common candidate of Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madheshi Janadhikar Forum.
As the pressure from student unions and political parties mounted against vice president Jha, the leaders from Madheshi political parties have come to rescue vice president on the issue of Hindi language.
As the anti-Jha agitation reached into climax on July 27 in Kathmandu valley, Madheshi Janadhikar Forum affiliated student front retaliated with CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist student front in Rajbiraj. This attack came just a day after the reaction of MJF leader Upendra Mahato.
"Hindi is a lingua franca of Madhes. It is common language of Madhes. Don't politicize the matter," challenged Upendra Yadav, president of MJF at a meeting of Constituent Assembly on 27 July.
On the other hand, the student unions affiliated to MJF blocked the road in Lahan demanding withdrawal of the petition filed in the Supreme Court against vice president's oath taking in Hindi language.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court on Monday issued a show cause notice regarding the oath taking. The bench comprising Damodar Prasad Sharma issued a notice to the vice president and the prime minister to furnish written reply within a week. The court has also accorded top priority to this case.
The Constituent Assembly meeting on the same day, unanimously, passed a proposal of public importance calling for restraint among all. The proposal registered by Maoist leader CP Gajurel also called on the government to maintain law and order.
Sudden Turn
With the election of president and vice president from Madhesi community, Nepal had begun a new chapter of reconciliation between Madhes and Pahad. The election had also gradually started to fill the gulf between these two communities.
However, in a dramatic and stage managed way, this hope for reconciliation between the two communities was shattered and divisive politics shot to prominence. "If political parties dominated by Pahadis continue to raise the issue of Hindi, we will be compelled to launch anti-Nepali language agitation in Madhes," warned Hridayesh Tripathy, leader of Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party. "Hindi is our common language and it is going to be an official language of the single Madhes Pradesh."
Going one step ahead, Maoist leader Dev Gurung – whose party came to power under 12 point agreement signed in Indian capital New Delhi, accused foreign backing behind vice president Jha. "Our three-months-long exercise for forging alliance with CPN-UML was scuttled overnight by Indian rulers," said Gurung in Biratnagar on July 27. "The same foreign power has backed the vice president."
However, Gurung did not say anything how sudden the students union affiliated to three parties – which still has different alliance in the CA- join bandwagon against vice president and anti Hindi movement.
“If vice president Pramananda Jha’s decision to take oath in Hindi unjustifiable, no one can justify the demonstrations launched by student unions and other agitating groups against vice president Jha and Hindi language. Both the acts are against nation’s interest and serve the purpose of other.
Initiated by the student unions of eight parties, some regional groups like Tharu Kalyankari Sabha and lawyer’s apex body Nepal Bar Association also joined the bandwagon against vice president Jha clearly dividing the nation opinion on the basis of regional politics. The lawyers from Madhesh, political parties and elites back vice president Jha.
Vice president Jha’s decision to attend the Bhotejatar festival in Nepali national dress along with ice president Dr. Ram Baran Yadav's sparked new wave of demonstrations in Janakpurdham and Rajbiraj - two major centers of Madhes.
As a lawyer and retired judge ऽ vice president Jha is not unknown to constitutional provisions, but he has succumbed to political sentiment of his party due to some compulsion. “Of course, my mother tongue is Maithali but it is our party’s directions to take oath in Hindi,” said vice president Jha.
It was really unbecoming for a person who was going to occupy the high ceremonial position to have made such decision that attracted widespread denunciation.
"But the way a section of political activists of seven political parties, who ignored all kinds of anti-national works committed by their leaders in power in the past, raised the issue in the press gives an ominous sign for the future political trend. There had been several violations of constitutional law and constitutional norms by the ruling alliance in the past but all these did not get that kind of angry response, which this single incident has generated," said a political analyst.
"This is dividing the Madhesi and Pahadi community in two extreme camps. Divisive politics that was coming up in a highly agitated way was to a great extent subsided by the election results after which every sensible person of this country had heaved a sigh of relief with a feeling that there would be no more serious conflict between people of hills and terai. But, Nepal's problem is not that easy to be solved. One has to see the adverse trend in a broader conflict of the region, the way resentments are being expressed is partly natural and spontaneous and partly through an unseen hand intent to fish in the troubled waters," said the political analyst.
At a time when the country needs reconciliation, people of all sections of this country have to be careful and visualize the repercussion and reactions of their rash activities which could invite more dangerous divisive game than what was going on before the election of CA.
"Based on experiences of the past, one has to be cautious about a dangerous rebound of the actions going on at present on the issue. What vice president Jha did was not becoming to the dignity of the chair which he was going to occupy but the way sentiments are being flared up in an unruly protest is alarming and one has to be cautious of its dangerous spill over which may again arouse the same divisive sentiments which was pacified by the recent elections of president and vice president," said the analyst.
The people need to be aware of a game plan under which enough blood has already been spilled over in the past thirteen years. Was it the first incident against the nation's interest and prestige? The government headed by seven parties alliance committed series of anti-national policy in security, water resources and citizenship act and so many other issues.
Then what prompted the eight student unions affiliated to eight political parties to make a hue and cry this time? Even prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala himself had violated the constitution so many times in the past two years. Was the declaration of parliament, which made the constitution null and void, legal? Nobody opposed when home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula - who was wearing Pajama and Kurta - tabled the motion for the abolition of monarchy in the CA. Similarly, when the parliament passed the citizenship act and the interim government took a number of important decisions on water resources and security-related matters, there was silence all over. Didn't they hurt the national sentiment and pride?
In any case, VP Jha seems to have realized the mistake. Therefore, he appeared in national dress in Bhotejatra festival.
As both the persons, president Dr. Yadav and vice president Jha, represent the tolerant and assimilating character of this country, the present efforts will push them to the extremes, which will again widen the gap between the two communities.
