Nepali Times
Constitution Supplement
Tamu province will ruin Tamus



Why is your party demanding a referendum to decide the fate of the monarchy when the Interim Constitution settled on the monarchy, federalism and secularism long ago?
Our party has taken the constitution-writing process seriously as it is a historic task. This is an opportunity for people to write their own constitution. Constitutions were written in the past but the CA should come up with a constitution that people can call their own. Article 157 of the Interim Constitution states, 'any matter of national importance should be made through referendum.' On this basis our party has been demanding a referendum to decide the fate of the monarchy, federalism and secularism.

But pro-republicans think your demand is regressive.
Whatever we are demanding is in line with democratic norms. It is not fair to refer to it as an anti-federal, anti-democratic move. There are clearly two schools of thought regarding federalism: those who consider it a means to progress and prosperity and those who think it will break up the country.

Which category do you fall into?
We have been demanding a referendum to decide on it. We accept the verdict of the people whatever it might be. The people's decision should be inscribed in the constitution.

How should we interpret the charge against you of attempting to reinstate the old regime?
This is a baseless allegation. Change does not mean all established norms and values should be destroyed. Change means creativity. But the annihilation of all matters of national importance in the name of change will ultimately bring destruction to this country. The 12-point agreement signed in Delhi does not talk about the abolition of monarchy but the end of a tyrannical monarchy.

What about the demand for a Hindu state?
Our country is the land of the origin of eastern civilisation. There are Christian and Muslim states where there are Christians and Muslims. Why can't a country where 85 per cent people are Hindus be declared a Hindu state? More than a billion people worldwide are Hindu, this is our identity. No one raised voices against Hinduism during Jana Andolan II. The decision came all of a sudden under the influence of foreign forces. But it is against our identity. Therefore, we have been demanding it should be decided on through a democratic process.

The question of ethnic identity is being raised instead of the religious identity of the past.
This is an absolutely wrong move. The way communal issues are being raised in the name of ethnic identity, this will disintegrate national unity and ruin the social fabric, pushing the country into civil war. Consequently, Nepal could be the next Nigeria or Uganda. We need to be cautious about the possibility of such a situation in Nepal.

Do you think you will get votes by opposing federalism in the future?
The demand for economic, political and social rights was raised as the state denied us those rights in the past. We demanded representation of Gurungs at all levels of the state. But in the name of identity, a conspiracy is being hatched to ruin Tamus.

How?
What is the point of creating a Tamu province when a Dhakal will ultimately be the chief minister? About 85 per cent of the people in the proposed Tamu province are non-Tamus. If they unite, Tamus will not get even the job of a peon. Constitutional provisions will probably not guarantee the position of chief minister for Tamus.

READ ALSO:
Constitution 2010, Nepali Times coverage of issues related to writing the new constitution



1. anuj
i guess, this guy must have been brainwashed by Mr. Kamal Thapa !!!

2. Kiran Gurung
Hey Mr Gurung... A return to HIndu-Nepal? Are you serious. Wake up to the new reality and smell the coffee man!!!

3. Nep1
I am not sure what this guy is talking about and where he gets his facts from but in the proposed Tamu State, the majority of the people are Tamus.

4. yassp
to above commentators, what's the problem with having referendum to decide on such issues? why are the so-called leaders of new nepal afraid of such real democratic exercise?


5. anuj

@yassp..it is not about referendum...what i am personally irritated with is his few statements against the spirit of Adivasi Janajati movement !!!



6. Virgo
Hey Chandra you wake up, are you Adivasi Janajati or what ?what's wrong with naming Tamuwan ? Look at in India, they have named Tamilnadu,Panjab and Gujarat etc. How many percents are Adivasi Janajati in Nepal? have you calculated properly?how dare you say 80%of populations are Hindus. are you son of Brahmin or chhetris?

7. toksang
Don't you get it, this guy is working for the Monarchist, he wants to bring the Panchay back!


8. Nep1
Instead of naming the provinces by the ethnic names, the real goal should be decentralization and empowerment of the locals by having the locals run their government instead of importing "intellectuals" from other parts of the country who don't appreciate or don't have any knowledge of the area they are responsible for. For example, A Gurung shouldn't be the main person responsible for an area that is predominantly Bhojpuris.
Buffoon like him are and will ruin Tamus. It's like a Newar politician saying majority of the people in the KTM valley are not Newars. He would be a laughingstock of the community. Luckily, this Idiot resides in KTM.



9. reader
Nep1, perhaps you should be aware of the changing realities of Nepal before you go around spreading the abuse. The majority of people in Kathmandu (city) were not Newars even according to the census of 2001:

Newar - 31.8%
Bahun - 21.5%
Chettri - 16.4%
Tamang - 5.7%

So you can imagine what has happened in the intervening decade. Unless the Newars have propagated at a mad rate, anyone who lives in KTM and has their eyes open will note how the Tamang population has increased, along with immigration in general, and that Newars occupy even less of the demographic pie. I'm pretty sure adding Patan and Bhaktapur won't make that much of a difference - Patan is 40% Newar and Bhaktapur 56% (2001 census), and it certainly won't make the majority of people in the Valley Newars.


10. Nepa1
Finally someone came out with the data...kudos but does the 2001 census reflect the actual demography. Can you give me the number/percentage of people who filled census. Please cool off the steam a bit cause I don't want you to die of heart attack, unless you are moron, I am not advocating ethnic states. I made a point that the so called leader didn't have his facts straight. No crawl back to your pseudo-intellectual _hole..
BTW, when I said KTM valley I was including both Patan and Bhakapur as they are included in the so called Newa State. 


11. toksang
with the attitude you have Nepa1, looks like you are the " Buffon and the Idiot". Can't you take an argument or a point of view without getting into personal attack. Or is that too hard for your ego.

toksang


12. Ktown
Nepa1, People like you is what's wrong with this country. Resort to personal attacks if you can't argue with the facts. Actually, since you don't know how census is carried out in Nepal ("Can you give me the number/percentage of people who filled census") I am guessing you don't live here. Thank goodness for that. And btw, census forms are not distributed in street corners for people to be filled out. Trained census enumerators visit household and ask questions, and they are the ones who fill the forms. So, I guess that would be about a few thousand. 

LATEST ISSUE
638
(11 JAN 2013 - 17 JAN 2013)


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