“Unilateral declaration of federal states is a path that will lead to the declaration of a new constitution from the streets, bypassing the Constituent Assembly. This must be stopped now,” Acharya said at the Yala Maya Kendra, Patan Dhoka, where he was the penultimate speaker in a function organized to release a book entitled “Dekheko Muluk” (Country as seen by me) penned by journalist Kanak Mani Dixit.
Acharya, who said he was speaking as a citizen rather than as the chairman of the Constitutional Committee, added that rather than focusing on what the president should have done, and whether what he did was right, the focus now should be on defining the role, rights and authority of the president and prime minister in a new constitution that is supposed to be promulgated by some months from now.
“There can be no civilian supremacy as long as there is a parallel army in the country,” Acharya further said. “There can be no civilian supremacy as long as UNMIN is there in the country, as long as the status of the disappeared is not ascertained, as long as the wounds of the war are not dealt with, as long as the captured property is not returned, and as long as those displaced cannot return home.”
Acharya also said that the parliament that represents the people should not be undermined. Instead, it should be given business and made able to address the plights of the common citizenry.
He further said that he fears what the future generations would say about him. “I don´t want my children and grandchildren to say ´What was Nilamber, who was there, doing back then?´”
Referring to the book by Dixit, Acharya said as long as a culture of tolerating a differing viewpoint or a differing observation does not take roots in the country, peace, democracy and civilian supremacy is not possible.
Speaking earlier, CPN-UML leader Pradip Gyawali criticized the intellectual class for scratching the back of those who are in power.
Dixit´s book chronicles important events in the nation´s history in the past two decades as seen and understood by the author. This is Dixit´s first book in Nepali. He, however, penned another book before this, which was published originally in English.
Dixit said that journalists like Tika Bista and Uma Singh, who are truly working in the frontlines, inspire the journalist fraternity in the country.
Related story
Nepal's closeness with China not at India's expense: Ambassador...
