Thousands of people gathered at Dashrath Stadium and declared a separate Newa autonomous state on Saturday–exactly 10 days after the Maoists had done the same. The Kathmandu Post reports:

The UCPN (Maoist) had, on Dec. 16, declared the Newa Autonomous State amid confusion and controversy over the border of the state. Representatives of the Joint Newa Struggle Committee (JNSC), the rally organiser, maintained that the earlier declaration had ‘failed to include them’.

The JNSC made sure all major parties were included in the festivities. From The Himalayan Times:

Leaders, including Maoist vice-chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha, politburo members Hit Man Shakya, Hisila Yami, Central Committee members Shashi Shrestha, Pawan Man Shrestha; CPN-UML Valley in-charge Rajendra Shrestha, Krishna Gopal Shrestha, Sapna Malla Pradhan and Pasang Sherpa; and NC leaders Tirtha Man Dongol and Indra Bahadur Gurung were present during the function.

In fact, they were so inclusive that all Newar families in Kathmandu Valley were asked to send a representative to the program. Or, they were told, they would face a fine. In their defence, they put up a pretty good show, starting with the Nepali national anthem. They then went onto unveil the Newa state’s national flag, national anthem and language.

We have to remember that declaration of autonomous states have so far been called symbolic, therefore of no legal consequence. That’s why we should not wonder why Maoist leaders attended the function that seems  like a challenge to their announcement. Republica writes:

Maoist vice chairman Narayanakli Shrestha said that the declaration of the autonomous province was a “slap on those elements opposing federalism and constitution making”. Referring to the declaration of autonomous provinces by his party, Shrestha said people themselves have declared provinces so there would be no turning back.

Nor should we read too much into the fact that representative from Nepali Congress, a party that has yet to submit a detailed concept paper on federalism to the CA, spoke in favour of ethnicity-based provinces. From Republica:

Nepali Congress leader and CA member Tirtha Ram Dangol said that eight districts of Bagmati zone, seven of Narayani as well as Dolakha and Ramechhap districts should be integrated into one and declared Newa Autonomous province. He also claimed that 218 Janajati CA members would press for ethnicity-based provinces.

A representative from Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’s UML party–that has been calling the Maoists’ declaration of autonomous states unconstitutional–endorsed the new state of Newa. Republica reports:

Speaking at the function UML leader Rajendra Shrestha said that his party has already delineated autonomous News province and this should be endorsed in the Constituent Assembly.

Our political parties seems to be getting along incredibly well these days.  Since everyone agrees on so much, we just fail to see why they can’t get back to the CA and write the constitution as they are supposed to be doing.

(Posted by Indu Nepal)