Op-ed pages of broadsheet dailies published in Kathmandu on Tuesday have given space to a host of issues such as the failure of the constitution amendment bill, and the Prime Minister’s visit to New Delhi.
Why the amendment failed?
The government’s bid to amend the constitution to address the demands of the Madheshi Morcha failed as Parliament shot down the motion few days ago. In this context, Mahabir Paudyal, in his lead article for Republica, says the exercise of the amendment was centred on appeasing India rather than the RJPN. He asks, ” When you propose to amend the constitution just to give a face saver to the power that only two years ago subjected you to immense hardship and suffering, how can you expect it to be endorsed?
He says that the bill was bound to fail and so it did.
Similarly, Chandra Kanta Gyawali says in his piece for Nagarik that the amendment failed because it should have failed. He says the bill was against the spirit of the constitution as it proposes changes to the provincial boundaries. According to the constitution only the new Parliament and the provincial assemblies have the right to do so.
Deuba’s Delhi visit
Prof Shreedhar Gautam, in his lead article for Annapurna Post, says Nepal cannot move ahead in the path of development until unfair treaties between the two countries are annulled and solutions are sought to the problems that have arisen due to the open border.
Gautam says that India disrespects Nepal because Nepalis, in large numbers, are still being recruited in the Indian Army and because of the open border, thousands more head south in search of jobs. Until these things continue, Nepal cannot gain respect in India.
Similarly, Aditya Man Shrestha in his piece for the same paper says that as Deuba said in New Delhi that he will attempt again to get the amendment passed, it has become clear that the bill was not in the interest of the Madheshis. He says that on the eve of the Prime Minister’s visit to India, Nepal had publicly said that India-assisted projects are moving ahead at snail’s pace. But in his statement in Delhi, Deuba said he was satisfied with the progress made in the projects. He argues that Deuba should have at least touched upon the plight of Nepali-speaking people in India.
After the floods
In his piece for Republica, Bhairab Raj Kaini revisits official data of losses from the recent floods. He quotes official figures to compare the damages done by the quake, the blockade and the floods. According to figures, milk production has been hit hard by the floods, more than in the post-quake and blockade period. He argues that government now needs to provide relief to farmers in the form of fertilisers and seeds. For the long-run, Nepal needs to focus on better managing disasters.
