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VOL. 27, NO. 34, May 09, 2008 (Baishakh 27 2065 B.S.) |
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“We Were Punished For Our Wrong Stand - Sunil Kumar Bhandari
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Having spent four decades long as an activist of Nepali Congress, SUNIL KUMAR BHANDARI, 60, was recently in news when he challenged the central committee decision writing note of dissent. Bhandari, who is also a central committee member of Nepali Congress, spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various issues including NC debacles in recent polls. Excerpts:
Why did you write the note of dissent in recently concluded Central Committee meeting regarding the nomination of the members for Constituent Assembly?
My conviction said it is enough now and I have to oppose. There is a limit for compromise and sacrifice. How long shall I give up my conscience to support proposals and resolutions picked up from the pocket of party president. I wrote a note of dissent when party president proposed the least of candidates to central committee meeting nominated for the CA without any consultations and discussions as if we are just a rubber stamp.
Some of your party colleagues claimed that you wrote a note of dissent as a reaction against the withdrawal of your name from CA nominee? What do you say?
I have spent more than 40 years in the party just for the cause of nationalism and liberal democracy as propounded by our leader B.P. Koirala. Had I aspired post and position, I would not have followed B.P. Koirala whose view is highly objectionable in our party now. All the prices I have to pay because my political and ideological stand.
Was it first time when your party president and prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala presented the proposal in the party’s central committee for endorsement?
In the last two years, party president has imposed all his decisions on us and we fulfilled our duty as a rubber stamp Whether on the issue of party unification or changing the party’s statue as to republican, prime minister Koirala took all the decision on his own. In all the time, Koirala secure our consent. All the decisions were taken in convenience of leader rather than party’s ideology.
If that was so, why you did not oppose such steps in the past?
I always firmly stood behind Girija Prasad Koirala, brother of legendary leader B.P. Koirala, hoping that he would not betray the cause of nationalism and democracy and his own brother. I hold the view that Giriababu is a leader who can pursue national reconciliation. I proved wrong when he makes alliance with extremist party like Maoist to destroy democratic values and culture. People have already punished us for our wrong ideological stand. It is unfortunate to say that our leaders have betrayed to national reconciliation.
Do you think your recent reaction will bring any changes in the party’s decision making?
I cannot expect a big change. I have taken a personal risk just to show that there are persons who are not blindly support all the moves. My conscience encourages me to challenge leadership.
Don’t you think you may be punished for your actions?
I don’t care about punishment. They can deny me my role in central committee but they cannot force me to abide a decision against my conscience. In democracy, every one has right to dissent.
Do you mean recent decisions of your party harm nationalism and democracy?
The results speak volumes. After recent elections, the status of Nepali Congress has changed from majority party to second largest party. Never before in the history of Nepal external interventions are so naked even a leader from neighboring country came to dictate us what to do and what not to do. This is a shameful. We are failed to identify national forces and make compromise and unity with them to curb the influence of external force. We have decided to remove the monarchy paving an easy way for external influence in national politics.
But, large number of your party colleagues blamed that persons like you who want to maintain the status quo are more responsible for the recent debacle. They argue that your party needs to change past ideological stand to reemerge as a major party. How do you look at it?
This is completely wrong. If that is so why Sushil Koirala, Mahesh Acharya, Dr. Shekhar Koirala, Home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula, Arjun Narshing K.C, Madhu Acharya and so many others who are champion of Loktantra new version of democracy have lost the elections? People would have voted all of them.
Then, why NC has lost the elections?
Nepali Congress has lost the elections because we sacrifice our stand propounded by B.P. Koirala. In his last book Raja, Rastriyata and Rajniti, B.P. Koirala has explicitly said that Nepali Congress will loose its utility if it gives up its stand on national reconciliation. His prediction comes true. Of course, we lead the change along with radical communist but we have lost our glory, prestige and identity. We sacrifice our relations with traditional force to promote radical extremism.
Your party leaders prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has repeatedly said that he has been sincerely following B.P. Koirala’s national reconciliation with certain modification in the change context?
This is again a betrayal to our leader B.P. Koirala. Who we are to modify the idea propounded by B.P? We don’t have right to interpret him in accordance with our convenience. This is a great injustice to B.P. Koirala who has firmly written his stand without any ifs and buts. If we see B.P.’s idea is objectionable in the present context, NC leaders can declare he is irrelevant. For me, B.P’s idea is more valuable than his statue or picture.
As other Congress leaders say, don’t you think B.P’s idea is too old?
B.P.’s idea about nationalism, democracy and politics is crystal clear and it is relevant for all the time. B.P. Koirala has given his views in several articles and books. Only those who never read B.P. can make such comments In his recent book Raja, Rastriyata and Rajniti, he made it clear that Nepali Congress will loose its utility if it gives up the policy of national reconciliation. We all are paying the price for ignoring national unity.
How do you see the possibility of revival of your party?
It is unfortunate to say that Nepali Congress faces humiliating defeat and ideological deviation when B.P.’s own brother Girija Prasad Koirala is at the helm of party. There come ups and downs in the history of any political party. If honestly correct our mistakes, our party will revive in national politics.
Who do you blame for present state of the party?
Along with prime minister Koirala, we are also responsible for the present situation. Our greatest mistake was that we were unable to speak truth for petty interest. When our nation is in a great crisis, we are failed to sacrifice personal interest and take risk to preserve our nation by upholding B.P. Koirala’s call for national unity and reconciliation. We quietly listen and gave nod to Girijababu.
Don’t you think you too are also responsible for present situation?
I don’t have any hesitation to say that I am also responsible for present circumstances. We have never shown guts to say spade is spade. Even when Girijababu disclosed that he was misguided and misled by some of our colleagues, we did not dare to speak the true picture of the country and party.
What step Nepali Congress need to take?
There is still chance for Nepali Congress to improve its image and gain prestige. As Nepal has been passing through a major constitutional and national crisis, Nepali Congress can again need to show its guts calling for unity among all the political forces. We have lost everything running in false promises and now the time has come for party leader to speak reality. There are no other alternatives for this.
But, a strong section in NC has been urging Girijababu to be the first president of Nepal. Will he sacrifice this opportunity?
At the cost of country, B.P. Koirala has shown guts coming to Nepal to face death penalty. As he is in his last leg of political carrier, G.P. Koirala too has to show his guts to break the circle of vested interest and speak the truth.
Don’t you think to be a first president is more important and significant than other matter?
It is irrelevant who is who is going to be a president or prime minister. One of the most pertinent issues now is whether our country will remain sovereign, independent, and democratic.
Are you hopeful that your leader will come to speak truth?
If we do mistake as in the past, Nepali Congress will be just a part of the history. We have to work not to create hostility and conflict but to work for national unity. There is still a last chance for our leader to correct a mistake and stand as a toll leader. As a worker of Nepali Congress, I hope that things will change.
It means don’t you believe that the reason behind the recent debacle is because of your party’s stand as a status quo?
In pluralistic democracy, you need clear cut ideological stand to contest the elections. It is not a question whether there are large numbers of youth members or women candidates or old candidates. People vote political party on the basis of its ideology and political stand. Communists have ideology of Marx, Lenin and Mao but our parry does not have shown its own identity. The recent elections have shown that Nepali Congress has its ideology as propounded by B.P. Koirala.
How do you see the future of Nepali Congress?
If Nepali Congress gives up present trend of extremism and stand for the party of national reconciliation, there is a space to come back. Our experiences of political course of last sixteen years have shown that we cannot compete with extremists.
How many leaders are there like you in your party?
There are many other leaders but they remain silent because no body wants to take risk of political carrier.
