Undermining constitution

The Himalayan Times

16 December 2022

Undermining constitution

Coalition politics means political principles of the partner political parties do not matter for joining hands together for doing undemocratic acts and do not care about even going beyond and undermining the constitution. This convenient political marriage takes place truly among Nepal’s political parties if none of them gets a majority in the general election, such as the case in the recently concluded federal and provincial elections. The five-party alliance, led by the NC, is determined to continue with the coalition government by hook and crook by wooing the fringe parties to join them even by freeing their cadre serving time in jail for crimes.

A “No-Not-Again” campaign, which was heavily run in the social media, urging voters not to re-elect the senior party leaders and other tainted leaders for their irresponsible political acts, remained partially successful. The people have been the victim of disinformation, manipulation and propaganda of the major political parties for the last three decades, which do not get tired of claiming that they are doing things for saving the constitution and “Loktantra”. The government's recent ordinance proposing to amend Section 116 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which allows the government to withdraw criminal cases filed against people, who were involved in crimes in the past, is nothing, but a ploy to bring the new political parties and their recently elected leaders into the coalition so as to give it a majority in the HoR. HELLO NEPAL

This is purely political fraud, an insult to the public, who have recently elected their representatives for the next five years. There has been wide criticism and street protests against the care-taker government’s unconstitutional move “NBA condemns ordinance on pardoning jailed politicians” (THT, December 14, Page 1). This controversial ordinance has violated the norms of the new mandate of the people in a parliamentary democracy. If the President decides to authenticate the ordinance, it might invite political instability.

Rai Biren Bangdel

Maharajgunj

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