Time Table
After reading your cover story (Constitution Making: Meeting Schedule February 05-19), I came to realize that the constitution will be promulgated in accordance with the interim constitution. Since Nepal has suffered a lot in the last two years due to the interim period, prolonging the interim period may result in more anarchy. Following the constitution of Constituent Assembly Committees, there is ample reason to believe that the country will have new constitution within a very short period of time.
Jeevan K.C
Via- email
Jamboree Jitters
Whatever your cover story (Constitution Making: Meeting Schedule February 05-19), I don't think 601 member jamboree will produce any document within next fourteen months. At a time when all the members are busy visiting third countries in the name of learning the constitution making process, there is nothing to be sure that the country will have new constitution by May 2010. Of course, chairman of Constitution Assembly may have good reason to rejoice as he is able to hold the election for CA's committees but formation of committees and selecting members is not alone enough to assure people that they will have a new constitution by next year. The way members of CA have been acting indicated that making constitution is nobody's agenda. It is just a ritual for all. Don't try to persuade us by saying that the constitution will be promulgated on time.
Shiva Shrestha
Via email
Easy Task
It is very interesting point you mentioned in your article. I agree with you that making new constitution is not a difficult task but what is difficult is to sustain the new constitution. Given Nepal's experience, it is almost certain that the new constitution formulated by CA will not last long. I too have similar question: Will the new constitution last? Even the statements delivered by political leaders show that nobody is careful about the stability of the constitution. What they care about is drafting the new one for the benefit for none. Fortnightly magazine like yours have a lot of works to do to pursue the idea that the making of constitution is easier than writing it.
Sudha Lama
Via email
Long Lasting
As you mentioned in your cover story, the constitution of India and United States last for long because the political leaders in those countries have full commitments towards the document. Although Indian is a diverse and big country, it has not changed its constitution for the last sixty years. Indian leaders have experimented their constitution successfully. Similarly, American politicians and people never talk about their own constitution as it is a least covered issue in the United States but it is very unfortunate to say that Nepalese politicians always talk about changing the constitution whenever they fail to deliver the goods to the people. I don't think any constitution will last in Nepal as long as the political leaders don't adhere to the spirit of the documents. For instance, former general secretary of CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal, who is leading the constitution committee, also was a member of the constitution drafting committee, which drafted the constitution of Kingdom of Nepal 1990. However, I have not seen any regret in the face of Nepal when the constitution was thrown into dustbin. Does anybody guarantee that Nepal will not follow the suit as regards to the new constitution?
Sheela Nakarmi
Via email
Dalit Rise
As a member of Dalit community, it gave me immense pleasure to read interview of Bishwendra Paswan, who contested the election with CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal. Although he represents Dalit community, he has shown his leadership quality by replying very interesting question about his election manifesto. This is for the first time when Spotlight decided to highlight the views of Dalit. I hope you will publish more interviews of dalits in the constituent assembly. I am very happy to know that Paswan finally has shown guts to contest the elections with heavyweight candidate of CPN-UML. Paswan must learn from Indian leader Mayawati, who is leading a government in Uttar Pradesh with high respectability.
Lakhan Pashwan
Via email
