KATHMANDU, July 16:Nepali Congress (NC) has proposed making its seven-province federal model as the party´s official position on federalism in the upcoming Constituent Assembly (CA) election.
In a political paper finalized by Vice President Ram Chandra Paudel-led committee after incorporating suggestions that came during the party´s Mahasamiti meeting held in Trivenidhaam, Nawalparasi in April, NC has proposed to delineate four federal provinces in the hills and three others in the Tarai.
NC has proposed to duly take into account the local demands for a single federal province in Mechi and Koshi zones and another one in Seti and Mahakali zones while also ensuring the rights of the indigenous nationalities in those regions. NC in the political paper that awaits official endorsement by the party´s CWC meeting proposes to root for multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious provinces.[break]
The NC´s proposal comes in the wake of some other political parties pitching the idea of single ethnic identity based multiple federal states in the hills and single Madhes autonomous state in the Tarai. Differences over the names and number of federal states in the new constitution was one of the major causes of the failure of the erstwhile CA to promulgate a new statute.
While proposing to allow the federal governments to choose the name of the concerned province, the NC has said that special consideration would be given to multi-ethnic identity, administrative and geographical accessibility and viability, history and culture while naming the provinces. Likewise, the territory of existing districts would not be broken while delineating federal state.
The NC has identified demarcation of geographical area of each federal state, conflict that may arise due to imbalance in allocation of resources among federal states, and balanced allocation of industrial and farming areas as major challenges for delineating federal states. The party has proposed bringing specific programs to promote the spirit of brotherhood and social harmony.
The Mahasamiti meeting that brought NC´s village level leaders from across the country together for discussion on key contentious issues of the new constitution had suggested to the party leadership not to go for more than eight federal states. They had also suggested to the party to stand against single-identity based federal state in view of the reality of mixed Nepali society.
Among other things, the NC has maintained that the federal states should be carved in such a way that the identity of the historically marginalized and ethnic, indigenous and minority groups would be manifest and their viability for progress ensured. The party has also proposed creating special cultural zones to ensure promotion of local languages, cultures and other local specialties.
Likewise regarding the system of governance -- another contentious issue of the new statute -- the NC´s political paper proposes standing firmly on the parliament-elected ceremonial president and executive prime minister accountable to the parliament. "The system of directly electing executive head does not make the government inclusive," states the paper while arguing that a system that has a provision of directly elected executive head is the most participatory, balanced and inclusive one.
Related story
Apple to use Google’s AI model to power improved Siri
