Nepali Times
GAGAN THAPA
Guest Column
Don't kill the CA


GAGAN THAPA


Within the week that is left in the life of the Constiuent Assembly (CA), there will either be an attempt at euthanasia, or the body will be rushed to the intensive care unit. Whatever happens, we should remember that this elected House represents a desire for peace among the people though a national consensus.

Since parliament will continue to function for a few days even after 28 May, one hears arguments that the CA should just be allowed to lapse since the other organs of state will still have legitimacy. That line of thought may or may not have legal validity, but it is absurd and unworkable. Some within the NC and UML seem to have surmised that a parliament without the CA will be beneficial to them. And the Maoists are rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of cashing in on the political vacuum and public anger if the CA is not revived.

If the CA is dissolved, the peace process comes to a halt. In such a case those in the NC and UML who think they'll benefit will be in for a rude shock. Those who believe in the politics of the gun, of course, will rejoice. And if the country goes back to conflict, the two sides within Nepal will be fighting a proxy war for the national interests of our big neighbours.

Let's use the week before the CA expires to chart a course post-28 May. Blaming CA members for the past year is not going to get us anywhere. The constitution is only going to work if the politics are fixed first. The CA is not supposed to mend the politics of this country, it is supposed to give legitimacy to a political agreement. But if we go on trying to finish each other off, then the constitution is going to be dead, and we will all soon follow.

Hopefully, the urgency of it all will allow us to find the political consensus on power-sharing to be able to extend the CA and then get the peace process back on track. The parties tried to find a 'package deal' that would include the peace process, constitution and power-sharing. But it did not succeed because they were not negotiating in good faith. During and after the Maoist strike, marathon meetings tried to untangle the knots of army integration, but there was a deadlock. It is clear that the transformation of the Maoist party into a mainstream player cannot happen as long as it has an army.

It is also clear from public Maoist pronouncements that the constitution and peace process are sideshows for them. It is their self-declared goal that first and foremost is state power. The Maoists haven't given up their desire to come to power through the gun, and as long as that is the case nothing else will fall into place. Until the Maoists realise that a federal, secular republican Nepal will not be possible without liberal democracy and pluralism, everything else is just empty talk. And therein lies the knot that has tangled up the peace process.

There are so many contradictions in the Maoists' public statements and their stands in the committees of the CA that there is no space here to list them all. Their idea of a 'peaceful' strike is to brandish khukuris and staves, their idea of an agreement is to threaten interlocutors with a fist. They show one face to the Nepali public and another one to their sympathisers in the international community. Such duplicity does not build trust.

To be sure, it's not just the Maoists who are the obstacles. There are plenty of problems in the NC and UML too. But both are committed to the peace process and constitution-writing, they can't backtrack. They aren't the ones threatening to go back to violence. Their future in this country will not be determined by the gun, but by what they do here on to win the trust of the people.

The only way forward is the transformation of the Maoists into a mainstream party that plays by the rules, and the moral pressure that the other parties can bring to bear on them. They may not be able to agree on everything right away, but they must prolong the life of the CA and buy time to resolve those issues later and offer the Maoists another chance to change.

Gagan Thapa is an NC CA member. A longer version of this opinion was printed in Himal Khabarpatrika, 15-30 May.

READ ALSO:
Running on empty
War games, Prashant Jha
The PLA speaks, Ekal Silwal
Flagellating the self-flagellators, Rabi Thapa
Online incline, CK Lal



1. A. Bhattarai

I wonder when persons like you will be Prime Minister of Nepal...!!!!???

Good!!!! Keep it up!!!!



2. Dreamer
you had three four years to transform Maoist into a mainstream party.. You had couple of years to write consitutions and in all you have failed miserably...

A dream without a deadline is a wish......my friend..




3. jange
"The only way forward is the transformation of the Maoists into a mainstream party that plays by the rules, and the moral pressure that the other parties can bring to bear on them."

And how exactly are you supposed to achieve this? You have had 3 years and you are nowhere near to achieving it.


4. Disappointed
To a point, Gagan comes across as a savvy, intelligent leader with the modern outlook necessary for the 21st century. With all the hype surrounding him, I decided to look into some of his thoughts and ideals (not all yet), and I am quite not satisfied with what I have found so far. Though he talks about globalization and the need for Nepal to find its niche, the virtue of democracy and pluralism etc etc which are all fine, he still skirts the issue of  #1 importance in Nepal today which is how to resolve the ethnic issue which is basically key to resolving the peace process. Being a 'janjati' I believe this is what the country's leaders need to fix first and create an equal society before we talk about nation building and economic progress.

Due to this, and for lack of a better word, his views are superficial at best and palatable to a constituency of privileged elite and middle class, internationalists, media ... all bastions of traditional forces, and to a large extent the youth, but I think that is only because he reflects youthful vigor, as opposed to the crop of old hags out there.

If he aspires to be a truly mass leader he needs to take a stand on the ethnic issue for that is where the root of all problems lie. It is for no wonder he gets the privileged class and the media all excited with his savvy persona, but doesn't evoke a mention with the ethnic and rural populace elsewhere. 

Over time, he risks being branded another leader of bahun-chettri clan who like to talk big but do nothing. As for me I still find him ok compared to most of the repulsive characters we have in our politics today.


5. Nirmal
The only way forward is the transformation of the Maoists into a mainstream party that plays by the rules, and the moral pressure that the other parties can bring to bear on them.
 whose rules? what rules? Moral pressure?...And what about the old parties like the NC? now all you people seem saints in front of the Maoists, haina? Gagan please write sometime without the intention to make friends. Go beyond mere polite words, NC's glorious past and NC wallas and its aasepase, there is a whole world to penetrate and explore.

By the way, nobody knows which political agenda or axis the NC and this losers alliance do have apart from waiting to see what happens in next politbureau meeting of the Maoists. well, makune prabriti is adamant on integrating only 3000 rebels. That's all? With this everything is going to be resolved? If so long live NC If not wait for the NC to become another prajaparishad. "personalities" like Gagan in the NC still have time to open a liberal democrat party and serve the people or go serving the NC, a Bauko birta(as someone in this site mentioned somedays before).


6. Disappointed
btw - his article is no different from hordes of NC-UML wallahs who parrot the same anti maoist spiel. just another polarizing opinion rather than bridge building expected from a promising leader. Quite disappointing!!

Just further proves Maoists are the new mainstream today.


7. jange
The hypocritical and opportunistic stance of politicians like Gagan Thapa is a key reason why we are in this mess. Gagan Thapa is happy to partake of the political fruits of Maoist violence (CA, federation, removing monarchy etc.) but objects when Maoists continue to use violence to obtain Maoist political objectives.


8. Arthur
So this is the famous Gagan Thapa, supposed to represent a younger generation of Congress leaders with a 21st century "liberal democrat" outlook instead of the tired, empty talk of the old Congress leaders (and their UML counterparts)!

Absolutely nothing to say about restructuring as a federal state and building a new Nepal. Just the same old tune that the Maoists must give up and "transform themselves" into another UML sharing the power of a failed state that has a military veto with the Congress under Indian guidance.

No wonder the FNCCI is stepping forward to represent the elite in negotiations with the Maoists as to the place of the bourgeoisie in a new Nepal.

It will be interesting to see whether FNCCI can actually organize a new party to represent actual "liberal democrat" elements opposed to the Maoists in Nepal. It seems obvious that Gagan Thapa is no more capable of doing so than the older "leaders". His mindset is the same as theirs - state power must not be "captured" through democratic elections. It must be "shared" among the politicians of the status quo.






9. Nirmal
Sorry to disappoint the commentator Disappointed but Democracy, Federalism, Secularism, Inclusivity and republicanism is the mainstream today. Nothing more and and less than this could be today's mainstream politics. The maoists often gets lost on double ideological criteria as well working guidelines and others limit their political space only by reacting to them.


10. Manik

Thus speaketh GT.

There was a time when 'ganatantra' was the 'mantra'-GT Dai was the mass hero in the streets of Catmandu. There was a tinge of high-hopes in the man he ought to be when he made to the congregation of nepali politicking brass. He has been an utter dissapointment since. Now, I firmly believe that GT was a lucky &*#!$% who happend to be in the right place in the right time(during the aandolan). Politicking must be contagious; now, his politik-psyche is  no different than of any other 'Whatever Kangres' (budho)neta. Looking at the developments in his personal life and the news of his so called 'romantic' side that was all over in facebook and cheap tabloids- I was in a shock to know GT dai that I never knew then.

First and foremost, my hope was- that he would put up a fight within the 'whatever kangres' party and revolutionise the kangresi politicking/leadreship, but it seems now, he knowingly threw himself in the merri-go-round, and waves his hands like his in-laws.

GT Dai- nobody expected you to write the constitution, or bring the maoists to mainstream. I am dumbfounded in myself that I couldnt recognise the the immunity of ur integrity-that it was/is so weak. To cut it short, your purpose was to help towards building a 'strong' Congress party brother!!! YOU are too novice and inexperienced to build a new Nepal(proven now). But you can blow trumpets IN the party within, u can be the change agent to transform 'whatever kangres' party to THE CONGRESS PARTY of nepal- but seems like all of the bums ar ur in-laws and you are busy receiving tikas and dakshinas and trying to 'shit-higher-than-ur-arse' calling to save the CA and asking the maoist to transform! How amusing!

'Whatever Kangres' stinks better than Bagmati GT Dai!!! Work yourself to clean it up - Kathmandu already looks better with a clean bagmati!!!! DO NOT TREAD THE WATERS THAT YOU DO NOT KNOW OF. THINK HARD GT , THINK HARD- OR YOU'LL BE LOST IN TIME!!! And I wont spare a dime when you are lost.



11. K. K. Sharma

As a member of NC, this is just another qusiling expressing instructed thoughts.  


12. hange

There you go again Arthur.

"His mindset is the same as theirs - state power must not be "captured" through democratic elections. It must be "shared" among the politicians of the status quo."

Actually, what he's saying is that state power must not be captured by veiled and/or explicit threats which is what the Maoists use every day. 

Disappointed brings up a good point though; GT needs to address the ethnic issue.  How do we form a republic?  Then again this is something that PKD & BRB, for all their posturing, shouting, and fist salaams, have been unable to resolve either.



13. Sunita Tiwari
I have always enjoyed reading and listening to the likes of Pradip Giri and Narahari Acharya. I'm sorry, I cannot say that about Gagan Thapa. Your lame analysis is no different than the NC-UML current rhetoric of blame-maoist-and-tame-them. I thought you were quite different from the myopic kangresi leadership consisting of 'babu's and 'maiya's.  It is really sad to face the truth that Nepal will still receive nothing more than sorrow and misery, even from new generation of eternally-good-for-nothing Nepali Congress 'leaders'.

14. Anil Pandit
Do we really need CA and constitution ? I have seen constitution being amended as many times leaders want. Hahaa. Has any one paid attention to that? Is this a piece of words which can be changed according to convenience ? Why do we need to waste money on these incompetent people who in a  way want to extend their salary and allowances ? They are true leaders and since they were not able to give us constitution on time, the CA term should be extended only in the term that they will work for free till constitution is written ? Can they pledge that. If they can, then only we should extend CA assembly. Otherwise, why should we extend something which is incompetent and waste our resources. Why should we waste our time, they can just copy and paste constitution of some other democratic nations and say that's out constitution; what's wrong with that ? There are few countries in the world, where they have many ethnic diversities; like australia, cananda, US, UK, New Zealand, where people are living peacefully and harmoniously. Does their constitution have preferred or previliged class?
Food for thoughts.


15. rishav
Gagan Thapa is talking sense. The Maoist do need to transform themselves into a civilian party still and that requires dismantling of the PLA and paramilitary YCL. It is also true that they need to stop their double talk as well, it does not gain the trust of both international and national politicians but most importantly the people of Nepal.

With a large young voting population in Nepal, Gagan Thapa is the ideal man to lead NC, with his father in law Arjun KC as a kind of mentor figure in the background. If the NC really want to get back into Nepali politics and attract new voters taking advantage of the Maoists failures Gagan is the man. Deuba, Poudal and etc etc have had their time and we need a new direction now, look at the UK and USA. Barrack with democrats in America and Blair with the Labour party before him in the UK.  The NC needs to reform and will certainly right now take back votes from the Maoists, even despite the Maoist's threats of violence.

I hope the NC make a decision based on the future for Nepal and not for the short sighted gain of senior politicians. If Gagan does not get the leadership, a lot of young needed votes and voices will be lost to the extremist Maoists. Let our young have the chance to talk, debate and represent without be sidelined by an age dependent hierarchical system. We lost a generation of young youths to democracy and freedom of speech by the lure of a utopian crazy extreme ideology, lets not lose another. Lets us not ignore our young and give them the guidance to lead and not be afraid for them to take over.


16. sukhdev teli
"The only way forward is the transformation of the Maoists into a mainstream party that plays by the rules, and the moral pressure that the other parties can bring to bear on them. They may not be able to agree on everything right away, but they must prolong the life of the CA and buy time to resolve those issues later and offer the Maoists another chance to change." How GT?

So this is the guy that NC is banking on? Someone who makes such as absurd irresponsible remarks? If mainstreaming the Maoists was that easy, what was he doing so far? Wake up gagan, wake up!



17. Arturo
Do not kill the CA. 

601 good-for-nothing law-nonmakers will be unemployed. Their unemployment will cause deep unrest. Thousands of NGOs and hundreds of INGOs will lose funding when there is no CA to support. An entire "political-aid industrial complex" will come tumbling down like a house of cards. Many expatriates will be out of jobs. That will negatively affect the lifestyles of all those who take part in this CA racket. Media will have nothing political to report. Journalists will be out of job. Bloodthirsty Maoists will wear feather-skirts, shout meao meao and do naked tarawar dance on the road, snatching up virgins and congressi karyakartas for lunch. Thousands of buffaloes and chickens will be sacrificed to appease the gods of unrest. Short of an earthquake measuring 9.9, calamities of unthinkable magnitude will ensue.

Gaganjee, the one who is aptly named the all-seeing sky, is right to warn us.  


18. Loday Sherpa

Gagan Thapa could be the right man among other NC leaders acceptable to the mass today if he takes ethnic issue seriously. Maoists were catapulted to a largest party because it claimed to be championing the cause of ethnic and the poor class. On Friday so called peace assembly at Basantapur during the week long strike by Maoist amply indicated the beginning of friction between the elitists and the poor in Nepal.  

It is now time for other leaders to rethink about these issues to retain their fragmented credibility.

 

 



19. Niranjan Koirala
It is disgusting to see NC trying to checkmate progressive forces in the country- all in the name of systems and procedures This is exactly what the previous regressive regimes had done to the NC. How can you young stalwarts forget the history of your own party? Was calling a street parliament by the then deputy speaker, Mrs Yadav constitutional? Was the eventual restoration of parliament constitutional? Wasn't the institution of monarchy abolished with just one sentence in the restored parliament?. Aren't some people still not saying that it was not the "proper" procedure?.....I can understand oldies like Koirala, Deuba. Poudel, Mahat, K.C talking in that language. But even young people like you??? Please do not betray the spirit of the party you belong to. Don't start sounding like them at your age, for God's sake!,   

20. Never mind

I call'd the devil, and he came,

And with wonder his form did I closely scan;

He is not ugly, and is not lame,

But really a handsome and a charming man.

A man in the prime of life is the devil, Obliging, a man of the world, and civil;

A diplomatist too,

well skill'd in debate, He talks quite glibly of church and state.

------------------

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour. I Peter (ch. V, v. 8)

---------------- 

For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. [1 Timothy 6:7]. 

 --------------

Whoever rewards evil for good, evil will not depart from their house. 

Memento mori.



21. NEPALI (BILL FRIDAY)
Do not wait May 28 to extend the term of CA. Extend it for six months and bring the Constitution. If you cannot bring Constitution in another Six months return ALL salary, perks and allowances of 601 CA members for past two years to Government Treasury because you do not deserve to get it. YOU ARE ALL FIRED but can continue to work until November 28 to wrap up your work. YOU MUST RETURN YOUR COMPUTERS, ACCESS KEYS BY NOVEMBER 28. YOU WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO ENTER CA BUILDING AFTER NOVEMBER 28. 


22. npal
gThapa is part of the problem. what was he thinking when kowtowing with maoists in the name of republic back then? opportunism is not a long term game-plan in politics. take your share of the blame.


23. Bashu

Gagan himself probably wasn't expecting that everyone reading his article would agree with him. His argument that there wouldn't be  level filed if parties without arm compete with a party with arms and armies. And, for sure, so long the Maoists compromise in their stand of pushing nepal towards the Mao's type 'people's republic' there will be no constituion in Nepal through the current constitutient assembly.

The problem with Gagan is that he only seems to express his views through media. He hasn't so  created  a mechanism that ultimately will take his ideas to all corner of Nepal. It may be having mechanism within NC or an organisaton outside.

Until he comes up with some sort of organisational apparatus to support his ideas..his voice will dissapear with the wind.

What is wrong with dissolving this CA and electing new one with say hundred odd members to draft the constition. It is a joke to extend the current CA after it failed so miserably within its contract time.

Current CA's contract with Nepali people is over. The contract can only and legitimately renewed by fresh mandate or election.



24. Arthur
Nirmal #9, "Democracy, Federalism, Secularism, Inclusivity and republicanism is the mainstream today". Yes and there are people who oppose the Maoists while supporting that mainstream. But who put forward that agenda and made it the mainstream? Wasn't it the Maoists?

MKN just admitted that he didn't really support the whole idea of a democratically elected Constituent Assembly but only agreed to appease the Maoists. Congress never supported Federalism and UMLs continue to drag their feet about it. Several Ministers have openly come out against secularism, demanding a Hindu state. Opposition to federalism and secularism means opposition to inclusion. Only republicanism remains. Did the other parties join the Maoists in opposing Monarchy before or only after the King put them in prison?

hange #12, true, the words GT uses are the same as yours - accusing the Maoists of trying to capture the state by intimidation and violence. He does not explicitly use words accusing the Maoists of aiming to win an absolute majority in elections and take full power instead of sharing power with the other parties in a coalition government.

But the actual situation is that the large majority of political killings since the ceasefire have been of Maoists by anti-Maoists. So we know who actually relies on intimidation and violence and have to look beyond the formulaic words to understand the real meaning. What remains when you ignore the "violence" mantra is the meaning "capture the state".

When GT talks about "mainstreaming" the Maoists, "power sharing" and "playing by the rules" I think he means that only parties who want to share the spoils of office like the UMLs, Congress and most of the Madheshi parties are "mainstream" and that old system of looting that has resulted in Nepal becoming a failed state must continue with the Maoists just being given their "share" of the loot.

The Maoists do intend to "capture the state" and transform old Nepal into new Nepal. That is what GT like all the older politicians of old Nepal is afraid of.

In fairness to GT it should be mentioned that his article is actually a warning to other anti-Maoists that their beliefs that they could benefit from dissolving the CA are "absurd and unworkable". The anti-Maoist stuff seems to be secondary to making that point and just what any kangresi is required to say.

Arturo #17, nicely put! But I suspect that with the CA dissolved there will be even more NGO and INGO and journalistic activity in the "political-aid-industrial-complex". Think of the opportunities for seminars about the crisis in five star hotels. Foreign embassies have already become more active.

Until old Nepal actually gives way to new Nepal the "political-aid-industrial-complex" is the only activity that can really flourish and it will flourish with every twist and turn along the way.

Niranjan Koirala #19, surely if Gagan Thapa sounds just like the older leaders of the party he belongs to that means he represents the real spirit of that party? If he was more progressive it would not be the spirit of that party. I think you must be referring to the spirit of some other party with the same name in a much earlier period of history. It is a bit like complaining that MKN doesn't sound "Marxist-Leninist".






25. liars

Through the 3 years of CA's term, the CA members were busy touring europe for 'models of state restructuring';what they didnt realise that they were actually helping divide this country into ethnic lines. They were  busy punching CDOs, humiliating the army and haggling over petty issues. And now you want the CA's term to be extended?? what for? so that an assembly comprising of goons, dacoits, murderers and gays can enjoy the benefits of salary, perks plus other privileges while sitting on their asses and making provocative speeches which only serve to divide the country furthermore!!



26. Nirmal
Well Arthur, it was all but the compulsion of the Maoists to compromise on them(they consider them as burgeoise concept) how can you claim something that you don't say it yours by heart? For the Maoists, everything is tactics but for us, democracy is everything.


27. reader
i have a radical solution: how about not responding to arthur at all? like all else (including communism), easier said than done given the provocative drivel he shades every forum with that he contributes to on this website.

28. nishma

From the very beginning, I never understood all the fuss surrounding Gagan Thapa. Why does he get so much attention? It is sad to see the standards we have set for our "new" leaders. Is it his youth? Or his relatively good looks? Or the fact that he is married to the daughter of a corrupt minister? Or that he chants the stale, discredited mantra of NC-UML in an idealistic voice (as opposed to the stutterings of a Deuba)? I simply don't understand why he is seen as the hero of our generation. Nobody who wants real change in our dreadfully unequal society can fall for the drivel of this overrated, media-hyped, "democratic" figure. He represents the Same Old Nepal. I think most of us have realized it by now.



29. May
Doesn't King Arthur have anything better to do than to write 3,000 word unreadable diatribes tht go "Four legs good, two legs bad"? Reader: you have nothing to fear, I think most us have stopped reading his responses because they are so kneejerk and predictable. Yawn!


30. saru
To all and Gagan,

Stop dreaming. Federalism, republic, secular idea has failed. Stop thinking about bringing Maoist to table thru negotiation and peace. It is like praying in front of devil. We must stop thinking about reforming old political party like UML and Kangressi. Only way forward is to prepare for total class war which is inevitable. Give us leader who does not believe in talk but action and let us fight against these failed idea and bring new one from ashes of old Nepal to build New Nepal. This sound horrific but this is truth and no matter how much we close our eye to avoid the truth it will be coming back to haunt us. This is our fate 


31. ayush pradhan

well... i feel it would be a futile attempt to analyse the article already critically analyzed by the critical mass. However, i would like to summarize my humble opinion by quoting a portion of a statement by Pastor Martin Neimoller more than half a century ago....

"First they came for the communist, and i didnot speak out because i was not a communist; Then they came for the socialists, and i didnot speak out because i was not a socialist; Then they came for the trade unionists, and i didnot speak out because i was not a trade unionist;..................;Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me"..........

 



32. hange

Arthur,

I have yet to agree with you on anything, but you deserve praise for having taken the time to address every single response thrown your way- and your responses are more often than not professional and cordial.  Do you do this for a living?

Keep on posting-

 



33. jeevan
unfinished businesss of class warfare + unholy alliaces = todays's situation.Nepal I predict will be forever in transition much like some post- colonial African states.The Old parties never had and do not have guts to take on the Maoists.The Maoists don't have the guts to go back to the jungle,at least their elites.This is a quagmire.No amount of youthful persona etc. can overcome this fact.It will take an act of god to straighten it out or another uprising by an yet to be born generation may do it.


34. Arthur
Thank you hange!


35. Nick Sharma
Hange, It's thanks to people like Arthur that our quality of debate has gone up. I look forward to reading his comments. 

36. Sargam
#Mr. Gagan Thapa,


I do not mean to harping on about Nepalese political parties, as they are. But I must frankly evoke them that in today's stance of Nepal, no political party is really trustworthy with the exception of the NC, as far as I am concerned, to shun the Maoists from realizing their lethal design, and so much so this party never had the record of killing toll tagged on its front desk by comparison with the Maoist movement, and it, no matter what is said and called for, always stood for democratic and multiparty regime in Nepal.


And it boils down to the fact that while GPK was alive he could have been a great achiever of democracy in Nepal. But his vain aspirations to become the first president of Nepal shattered the immediate rehashing and revival of this democratic party, and throughout GPK was busy with avenging himself on his political arch-rival Prachanda, the awesome. By inadvertence, he worsened the opportunity of the Congress party, leaving behind no up-and-coming young politicians who would be available to entirely consecrate their lives for the sake of the party.


It is all a coordination thing, as such I must confess that I know practically nothing about you. So far I heard of you especially from those who want by all means to demean the NC because majority of them do not want democracy should be shored up in Nepal.


Almost everyday we read about the infighting in the NC to be the next designated leader of the party. To my great astonishment not a single charismatic and above the average leader emerged from the lot. After all politicians are a sort of the actors trapped in the same part, and some occasionally feel the need to tearing apart the script. Ain't they the salesmen engaged in the hard-sell approach?


Apart from those who are in league with die-hard Maoists I do not blame you all for your lethargic and non-bracing engagement in politics because so far apart from being a politician there is no other lucrative and a plum job around the corner.


Still, I am appalled to notice out of 601 CA members, apart from 240 elected from each constituency, the rest, that means, (601 -240) = 361 were simply boondoggled to cash the extra money provided by the stakeholders and donors meant for filling the treasury of different political parties. It is therefore evident that the citizens feel deceived by the CA members, hence the affiliated political parties, incapable of doing the job for which they were elected and assigned as well.


Mr. Gagan Thapa, your outing to save the CA allowances is considered by many inappropriate and not politically correct. Because you might have noticed by reading different op-eds of some Nepalese stranded all over the globe that you all CA members were not up to the mandate that people had accorded upon you.


Truly speaking, we really are in search of a charismatic, bracing and moderate man or woman in a million with developed commonsense, political and business acumen, who could lead Nepal toward a peaceful and prosperous better good. It ain't necessary for him to be affiliated to a political party.


We do not need somebody possessing propagandist logorrhea quality who is unable to weasel out from the political intricacies of his own making.


For once, Nepalese are ready to engage themselves on the path to hassle-free life so as to progress with certitude toward the path to global well-being of the nation with be-all and end-all sovereignty.


But for the time being Nepal is a country of laggards. They haven't found solution to ward off a political regime, not to name the Maoism of the past 20th century. Behind this, there is the acute problem of party politics like the NC which could never explain to its adherents very clearly that the Maoism is an outdated ideology which could outlive in China through the deliberate assassination of not less than 72 million innocent populace, victims of its atrocities, and equally couldn't really recommend a book like 'The Gulag of Archipelago' by the Nobel Prize winner Alexandr Solzhenitsyn who made a complete rundown of the victims-inmates of the defunct Soviet Gulag whose toll is estimated at 45 million, not to mention the regime of sanguinary Pol Pot, which decimated almost half of the Cambodian populace. (For exact cyphers please google and find out Wiki data.)


Today many journos are the direct victims of the goons hired by the zombies of Maoist movement to commit larceny, rip-off and blackmail because they never took pain to print and explain these past atrocities committed by communists in general all over the world and by Maoists in particular in China before 1978.


Which is why, we have on this thread a self-proclaimed alien who craps out to be the Maoists' scribe, and inclusive in their payroll, after his fit of delirium. Plus he hides himself behind the moniker of Arthur. This guy abuses of Nepalese' innate hospitality and some sort of a weird deference to the whites that this dork but wily fox takes advantage of by poking his nose in Nepalese affairs.


I have been living in the EU for more than a quarter of century where I adapted myself by learning their languages, their mores and culture. As a Nepalese I live with them I got married to one of them, but I never interfered in their internal affairs so far. How come this bugger is allowed to not only interfere in our politics but he becomes the sermonizer?


For me, it is inadmissible that a foreigner becomes the mercenary to impose on Nepalese the yoke of Maoism. I am of the opinion to warn him to stay out of our debates. Because already we have added his name to the list of those Maoist cadres who were in the past involved in the massacre of innocent Nepalese. His name has been added recently to the ad hoc list of Facebook duly created by some authentic Nepalese, those who will be judged by the court of The Hague when things will for sure come to normalcy. Till now no tyrant could escape from the vigilance of human laws, and his case will not be the exception.


Also, I am doubtful of his being a white or brown or anything. Because his case reminds me of 'The Guardian' which had of late the free web debates section wherein there was a guy with extremist viewpoints of the US G.O.P. or Tea Party, who was supposed to be dwelling at Seattle, the USA. We used to precipitate to send our op-eds with plenty of resentment and concern for ethics. And oneday we heard from a reliable source that the guy was simply one of the sons of the website diffuser.


I am dubious about his ID, whether 'Arthur' is simply one of the Dixit brothers who is testing the nerves of netizens by means of fallacious and rude remarks. Everything is possible in today's world of perversion.


All in all, Mr. Gagan Thapa committed a blunder by writing this article because he must be in the know by now as to how much the browsers on this thread are furious for this recurring failure of the politicos to respect the new agenda of political calendar. Anyway, there will be the CA extension for at least 6 months after May 28, 2010, at first sight.


The thorny problem of this sort would have been avoided had you benefited from the advices of a spin doctor as it is used abundantly in the West. Such a spin doctor would have helped you as to how to use the teleprompter while emceeing a political gathering, showing your forte sides to galvanize the crowd. This will come to Nepal slowly as the rest of things.


A fresh start for Nepal's political system where all sorts of shysters shall be promptly warded off and neutralized, where no warped minded swindlers shall be admitted in politics or elsewhere. But a new intake of CA members would be carried out without getting tainted and enmeshed in the political world of spin, and smear campaign; if not they would be heading straight into the manure pit of bitter experiences of life.



37. Raj
All politicians are talking about the yet to be constructed "CONSTITUTION OF NEPAL" as if it were a BABY and they are the Parents. 

Give us a break.

The CA were the chosen architects for making this design. They have not delivered on their commitment. The process they followed was not helpful for completing this process. They have failed.

It is time to chose new designers and architects for this purpose. Trust the people of Nepal to chose the architects to give its house a proper and livable house for all the Citizens of Nepal to live in.

Gagan Thapa, you have a future! Don't let yourself be outmaneuvered by old time politicians. Follow the Obama way!


38. Manik

Amusement in plenty!

What do you give an elephant with a diarrhea? ---A lot of Room! they say....and nepalitimes gives it to Sargam (who has lived a quarter of century in the EU) hahahahahaha

And Hange & Arthur going 'hoochie coochie' men, my goodness...whats been blowin in the air?

Are you guys out to outsmart LALCK? and make whoopee in the 'echo chambers'? hahahahhaha



39. not gagan
Gagan, you failed. Subhash Nembang should resign. He failed too. What's the point of being the Speaker of the House when no one listens to you? Is it politically incorrect to tell Nembang that he failed? Gagan, you guys are now only asking to extend your allowances. You know what? You will get your allowances because your salaries and perks come from EU embassies and those leftist-loony Scandinavians who are in love with the Maoists' bloodthirsty progressive ideals. Your salaries did not and will not come from the khalti of Nepali janata. That alone tells us who you guys work for. Not the janata for the EU embassies. Go earn your salaries from the sweat of other countries' citizens' taxes.

40. BUdabaaje

Of all the comments, #22 is the most honest and accurate. Ppl like Gagan are just opportunists. Here's the truth:.

 

REPUBLICANS ARE OPPORTUNISTS WHO USED THE MAOISTS TO CREATE A REPUBLIC.

That's it. That's the last 5-year history of Nepal in one sentence.

 

1. The Maoists never promised to "transform" into a "civilian" party.

2. This was a LIE spread around by Republicans to entice the Nepali ppl to believe in their mirage of a "peaceful solution".

3. Their (republicans') main aim was simply to use the Maoists to get rid of the monarchy – because they could NEVER have done it themselves.

4. Now that this aim has been achieved they're playing the blame-it-on-the-Maoists game.

5. But the biggest Liars, Cheats and Opportunists in our country are Republicans like Gagan Thapa themselves!

 

As npal puts it in #22:

 

"...opportunism is not a long term game-plan in politics. take your share of the blame."

 

- Have the guts to do that, Gagan bau?!



41. maya

Gagan Thapa does not have any job. He simply wants to make easy monthly salary and nice bonuses from being a CA member.

What is the purpose of the CA if it is dead-lock for such a long time by illogically(undemocratically) pushing aside the largest party (bigger than NC and UML) in the country. Gagan Thapa and his NC will be decimated if the CA is not extended so he is so desperate  to extend it.

How long NC and UML can run the govement in the buttress of nepali Juntas (the "temporary" "Nepal" Army)??



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(11 JAN 2013 - 17 JAN 2013)


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