Much ado about nationalism

The political bickering at the center has reached a new height, something resembling the chatter at Janakpur’s fish market ever since Prachanda made his infamous speech at Naya Baneshwar, subtly shifting the focus from civilian supremacy to national integrity. Animosities are running high, and rhetoric rather than rationality dominates the discourse. Rifts within each of the major political parties have become apparent. Even as the High Level Political Mechanism was taking shape, it was already clear that friction within the parties would make the body dysfunctional.

Meanwhile, bandas are being organized by the Rastriya Janamorcha opposing federalism. They claim federalism, particularly that based on ethnicity or language, will lead to the disintegration of Nepal. It is not surprising that opposition to federalism comes from a limited demography belonging to a certain caste and a certain class. What is surprising though is that a substantial number of people support this cause without realizing that they are being used as foot soldiers in this battle.

Let us get his clear – federalism is a solution to aspirations towards self-governance by minorities while maintaining national integrity, not the dissolution of the state. What federalism in Nepal aims to achieve is ‘holding together’ the different nationalities that exist within Nepal (the other theoretical model of federalism being ‘coming together’). Naming the future states along ethnic lines is merely acknowledging their existence and their history.

How can we, as citizens of Nepal, whole heartedly support the Gorkhaland Movement aimed at achieving autonomy – clearly based on ethnicity – while oppose those within our territory?

We have made a habit out of fear mongering. We have made it our habit to bring up nationalism whenever any political problems beset us. Nationalism, as it is interpreted and exploited today, is a curse, not a cure.

We have a short time left to draft our new constitution. By focusing on whether or not federalism is good for the country, we are losing out on other critical issues. The focus now should not be on the appropriateness of federalism but rather on how to best manage it. Federalism has already been sanctified by the blood of numerous martyrs in our interim constitution. By the same spirit that our leaders never forget to recall – the spirit of the Jana Andolan II – we also cannot betray the cause for which so many laid their lives. The different ethnic movements were historic events of great significance. To bypass their achievements is grave injustice.

There are critical issues that we have chosen to neglect in our arguments about federalism. Why are districts taken as the building block of future states? Can districts also not be redrawn? Districts were deliberately designed to contain ethnic discontent by ensuring that sizable numbers of marginalized ethnicities could not be politically organized in any given constituency. And what about minority rights in the states? Rather than crying hoarse about how other ethnicities would be discriminated against in the states, should be not be focusing on how to ensure that they are not discriminated against? Should we not rather be talking about the limits of authority of the central and the state governments? Or the structure and role of the judiciary?

The sooner we get our priorities right, the better, because come the deadline for the promulgation of the constitution and we fail to do so, we will be opening up a Pandora’s Box. There are varied interpretations on the prevailing provisions in the interim constitution, and if anything, this should have taught us why it is important to have a clearly defined and well drafted constitution. Had we done so in the past, we could have averted much controversy. Yet, it seems we (or rather our leaders) never learn.

Both the world’s shortest and the world’s longest constitutions have so far survived the test of time – the former without many amendments and the latter with many amendments and interpretations. The task we have at hand may not be as difficult to complete as it may appear, but its significance is of paramount importance. By focusing on all the wrong things and by the method with which politics is currently being practiced in Nepal, however, we may very well be inviting a catastrophe.

We have made it our habit of taking to the streets to gain political currency. We have made a habit out of fear mongering. We have made it our habit to bring up nationalism whenever any political problems beset us. Nationalism, as it is interpreted and exploited today, is a curse, not a cure.

So, as our leaders tour disputed territories or celebrate Prithvi Jayanti, let us keep one thing in mind. Our priority remains the drafting of an inclusive and pro-people constitution. Time is running out. For long we have suffered from political instability, partly caused by constitutions that were anti-democratic. And time and again, the dead horse of nationalism has been flayed to distract us from our genuine aspirations. Let our personal biases or beliefs not cloud our rationality. Let us ensure that this time, this constitution is truly ours, truly the people’s.

daulat.jha@gmail.com