While warning about the dangers of a delay in writing the new Constitution, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged Nepal’s political parties to go by consensus, not numerical majority.
“The Constitution should be written on the basis of consensus,” Mr. Modi said at the inauguration and hand-over ceremony of the Trauma Centre, built with Indian support, in Kathmandu. “A Constitution written on numerical basis will not be in Nepal’s interest.” Nepal’s Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, who has been advocating voting on disputed issues, was on the podium when Mr. Modi aired his views.
Mr. Modi said the new statute should reflect the aspirations of Madhesis, Pahades, the Maoists and other people in the country.
India’s past insistence on the Constitution in time — Mr. Modi himself had spoken about this in August during his bilateral visit here — was construed in some circles here as Constitution by any means. His remarks on Tuesday are likely to dispel that impression.
The ruling parties — the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML — are at loggerheads with the Opposition parties, including Madhes-based ones, over the contents and the process of writing the new Constitution. While the NC and the UML want to opt for voting in the Constituent Assembly if consensus proves elusive, the UCPN (Maoist) and the Madhesi parties have insisted on “consensus only” approach.
The NC and the UML, along with the coalition partners, have more than two-thirds majority in the 601-member Constituent Assembly.
There are sharp differences among political parties on state restructuring, model of governance, electoral system and the judiciary. The January 22 deadline, many political analysts fear, may be missed because of the stance of the political parties. Mr. Modi did make it a point to say that India would not interfere in the process. But some of the leaders reached by The Hindu for their reaction have not taken kindly to his remarks, although they refrained from outright criticism.
“He should have limited his remarks to the risks of delay in Constitution-writing, especially when two political factions are fighting over the new Constitution,” Ram Karki, Politburo member of the UCPN (Maoist) said.
Nepali Congress’ CWC member, Dr Shekhar Koirala, also felt Mr. Modi should have taken up the matter in private with Nepal’s political parties. Dr. Koirala said the Opposition parties would be upbeat after Mr. Modi’s remarks. “But we should not view it negatively.” He said had been advocating consensus and an all-party government, including the UCPN (Maoist) and Madhesi parties, to ensure a timely statute.
Madhesi Janadhikar Forum Nepal chairman Upendra Yadav welcomed the Indian Prime Minister’s remarks. “He spoke the right thing; we have been all along saying that Constitution should be written by consensus.”
The CPN-UML’s Shankar Pokharel said while consensus was an ideal goal, “voting is democratic and sovereign right of the Constituent Assembly.”