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VOL. 28, NO. 20, Jan 23, 2009 (Magh 10 2065 B.S.) |
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"If Three Big Parties Undermine Us, They Cannot Make A Constitution Acceptable To Us" - Bishwendra Paswan
Member of CA and leader of Dalit Janjati Party BISHWENDRA PASWAN contested the elections for the chairman of Constitution Committee against veteran political leader and former general secretary of CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal. Paswan, a dalit from Siraha district, is a single member of his party to get place in CA under proportional representative system. Although proposed by RPP-Nepal leader Chandra Bahadur Gurung and supported by Sarita Giri, Paswan lost the elections against Nepal in the voice vote. After the elections, MP Paswan, 50, who completed his intermediate in law from Rajbiraj, spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on his position. Excerpts:
As you were defeated by heavy weight politician like CPN-UML general secetary Madhav Kumar Nepal, how do you feel now?
On moral ground I won the elections. Of course, Nepalji has majority in terms of number present in the committee but it does not mean that Madhav Nepal has popular backing. If Madhav Nepalji was really a political leader, he would have resigned and asked me to lead the committee.
But, former general secretary of CPN-UML Nepal secured overwhelming number of votes, didn't he?
Actually, he won the elections on the voice vote. We were not allowed to vote. Had the committee formed under the basis of direct elections, the situation would have been different.
Is it not true that Madhavji had adequate numbers to win the elections?
I had also support of 17 parties out of 25 representing in the parliament and two independent MPs. Of course, our strength is small in terms of vote but it does not mean that we do not represent popular vote.
But, there is a report that you secured just seven votes and Nepal secured remaining votes. How do you look at it?
Even there is conspiracy in the elections process. The elections took place on the basis of voice votes. The chair asked to support on the basis of voice. Finally, the chair announced the election of Nepal.
But, the meeting declared that Nepal won the elections by majority?
How did he win the elections without any election? Even Nepali Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala did not come and prime minister and Maoist leader Prachanda left the hall without taking part in the elections.
Do you mean prime minister did not vote him?
Yes, prime minister left the meeting hall hours before the election process began. Prime minister seems to know that Nepal is going to create trouble to him in future. Otherwise, there was no reason for him to become absent. There were many other members who were also absent.
Whatever you say, you needed to have majority?
This is not an election for forming the government and making a committee of parliament. We held the elections for members to draft the constitution. There is a need to draft a consensus constitution to the country. If three big parties undermine us, they cannot make a constitution acceptable to us.
The elections for Constituent Assembly were held expecting to produce the constitution acceptable to all. Don't you believe that the coming constitution will be a common draft for all?
If three major parties scrapped an old constitution under the pressure of force, why not other too does similar things. If the constitution is drafted ignoring other parties, it will give birth to another rebellion.
In the last three months, major decisions were taken as par agreement of four major parties. How do you say that next time they will not bind you to follow them?
In early days, we were like in mist. We don't know anything about the process. Now we understand the process and big parties have taught us a way to halt the CA. They have to take consensus our consensus.
If big parties start to prepare draft of the constitution by consulting with all 25 parties, it will take years and years to draft a constitution. How do you look at it?
Again, this is the constituent assembly and its prime role is to draft a new constitution acceptable to all groups, political parties. If you draft in haste, there will be accident in future.
When major political parties have been saying that they have given equal chance to dalits, how do you look at it?
My elections and role played by them are good examples how much differences there are between preaching and implementing by big parties. If they really love dalits, why did they oppose my candidature? Just giving a few seats to dalit and appointing them in some positions do not make a political party champion of dalit cause.
Why did you contest the elections knowing that you will lose since your opponent was backed by three major political parties –Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN-Maoist and other fringe communist parties?
Just leading a party for ten years does not make any politician a great leader. If he wants to prove that he is a great leader, he must show something different. Although I am a dalit and represent a small party, it does not mean that I will bow down to any proposal submitted by three party alliance. My candidature is against the hegemony of three big parties.
Majority of other parties are claiming that Nepal has past experience of drafting a constitution and he is also known as a flexible leader. How do you look at it?
Whatever other parties and former general secretary of CPN-UML said about, the constitution of Kingdom of Nepal 1990 –which was drafted by a committee of which Nepal himself was a member - was scrapped by the agitation launched by him. So you cannot say that his experience will work. If constitution of kingdom of Nepal 1990 failed, Nepal also has to bear responsibility. If that constitution was bad, how can he be good?
Do you mean you are more capable than him?
Just wearing three-piece suits and speaking in soft tones do not make a man capable. Of course, I am inexperienced in politics representing a small party but that does not mean that I am inferior. Of course, Nepalji leads a big party. This is a small country and everybody knows everyone else. There is nothing to hide. A leader needs to have capability to win the hearts of all. Nepal played a foul game to defeat me. The election was not transparent and open.
How will small parties like yours prepare strategy for future?
These elections gave us an opportunity to come closer. This election strengthened our unity. If big political parties try to bully us, we will stall the house and oppose their move. They must listen to our voice.
