‘’Fair is foul and foul is fair,’’ say the three witches in Macbeth play written by Shakespeare, father of English drama, confusing Macbeth, the main protagonist of the play. The Shakespearean drama is full of conspiracy and confusion, murder and blood and ending in tragedy. Sometimes Nepal’s political scenario bear a resemblance to Shakespearean play where conspiracy is common and people suspect each and every activity of another character like Nepali politics of conspiracy and revenge. From Maoists’ insurgency to the palace massacre and their relations with palace and India are not less interesting than Shakespeare’s play written 500 years ago in 16th century. Fascinatingly some characters even say ‘’we are plaything in the hands of Lord.’’ Exactly in the same vein, some Nepali political leaders are openly entertaining the public with their nude and immature remarks like a child demands with the parents to drop ‘moon.’ Shakespearean characters are in the shadow after the last week completed 601 member constituent assembly election.
Following the embarrassing election defeat of the Maoists, a radical Communist party of Nepal which launched a bloody rebellion for 10 years in 1996, has refused to accept the election defeat after it emerged third political force in the Himalayan nation. It was the biggest political party with over 200 seats in the first Constituent Assembly but in the election held on 19th November across the country, the Maoists party has secured only 80 seats - that too including proportionate representation system votes (it has got only 26 seats in the 240 directly elected seats). The Nepali Congress, the largest and the oldest Democratic Party, secured 196 seats while another Communist Party with democratic credential got 175 seats. Other seats were taken by smaller and regional parties.
After the disappointing defeat, the Maoists has said that they will not accept the election results saying ‘’the election was rigged.’’ However, their downfall was inevitable due to their own aggressive and undemocratic activities, opportunistic policies and split in the party and most importantly their caste based agenda in the election.
First of all, the Maoists party campaigned with ‘caste based ‘agenda in the election which was opposed by major political parties including Nepali Congress and CPN, UML. This was the most contentious issue of the constitution drafting. Like the Russian Communist dictator Lenin, Maoists had also assured the people of ethnic origin of caste based state during the 10 year long insurgency which claimed the lives of around 15,000 people, and displaced thousands across the country. It was the most controversial issue of the Constituent Assembly. With the Maoists’ pledge and incitement for ‘caste’ based state, the harmony among the multi ethnic community Nepal was tarnished with reports of conflicts among different caste and ethnic groups. And with this many parties and organisations with caste identity were formed dividing the country further and deepening the crisis deeper and wider. Maoists’ wanted caste based state only to the ethnic people whose population is less than 36 percent while Brahmin, Chhetri and Dalits whose population is nearly 50 percent would be stateless or minority group within the country. Their unfair and autocratic decision was completely opposed across the country and the recent election reflected that feelings clearly. Why would those group vote for Maoists?
Not only the Maoists, other parties formed on the basis of caste agenda got zero seat in the directly elected 240 seats across the country. The caste agenda was absolutely rejected by all caste and creed. Then how could the Maoists win the election when it was advocating only for the rights of less than 40 percent of the population?
It is worth mentioning that Ashok Rai, who was the vice chairman of CPN,UML, the second largest party in the Constituent Assembly, left the party to form a new party of caste agenda but secured zero seat. He was a popular leader and if the people had voted for him he could get significant amount of votes but he failed even to get the votes of his own caste- Rai which clearly showed that the people irrespective of their caste did not support this agenda which Maoists flout to accept. It is quite interesting to note that Communists who refute to accept religion, culture and caste anywhere in the world is playing caste card in Nepal. Playing with words is Communist propaganda where distribution of dream plays major role whether it is in Communist time Russia or North Korea. The issue of Chechnya of Russia has become almost global issue at present. The issue of Chechnya and the agenda of the Maoists on caste based state is almost like peas in a pod. Lenin assured the Chechens to give self rule after the successful completion of the revolution in Russia like the Maoists assured the ethnic and tribal people in Nepal. When the revolution was over, it was Lenin who massacred the Chechens and the seed of violence and bloodshed continued to multiply making it one of the greatest trouble of not only Russia but also the world. Where is self determination in Communism? Is it in China? Is it in North Korea? The election result is the distribution of unrealistic dream to the people who understood it is not realistic. Neither the people voted for the caste based agenda nor Terai based parties’ agenda of ‘one Madhes.
Another set back to the Maoists was the armed cadres. In the last election they had weapon and nearly 20,000 armed fighters in addition to about half a million militias known as Young Communist League (YCL). They were enough to terrorise the voters with threat but this time, some of the fighters joined the army and some others left the parties with heavy heart because their remuneration provided by the state was also taken by the party and there was corruption and irregularities which was one of the reasons of the split the party which seriously affected in the election. Moreover, there was voters identity card system this time so less chance of vote rigging.
Furthermore, corruption in the party was so high that not only the former fighters but also the senior leaders of the party were demanding investigation against the senior leaders including Prachand whose life style was described as more luxurious than the former King and his mansion in the centre of Kathmandu was also the issue of discussion not only among the political opponent but also within the party and sympathisers. In addition to these inconsistencies, activities of Prachand’s son shadowed the roguish conduct of the former crown prince Paras. Most importantly, who would accept Communist rule in the 21st century when people have seen the dark side of the Communist system across the globe. ‘’ I was a Maoist supporter when I was in Nepal but when I came to the UK, I realised that this is not the right system for us,’’ said Narendra Sharma, a student in Reading. ‘’ Why there is issue of immigration in the UK because of the East European where there was communist system, so I realised Communism is the worst system,’’ he said. This observation reflects the views of the youths in Nepal.
However, there is again hue and cry when the loud voice of Maoists echoing with the so called ‘academic’ or ‘activist’ is not fulfilled. It is the fundamental rights of the people to vote the candidate or the party of their choice. So they exercised their rights in accordance with the democratic values and norms without fear and terror for the first time in many years. There was neither the fear of political armed gang nor the Maoists’ weapon during the election. Despite some sporadic incidents, the election was reported to be peaceful, free and fair. Not only the major political parties but also the international election observation group lauded the election. Maoists were also one of them until the election was completed and vote counting commenced.
Following the embarrassing election defeat of the Maoists, a radical Communist party of Nepal which launched a bloody rebellion for 10 years in 1996, has refused to accept the election defeat after it emerged third political force in the Himalayan nation. It was the biggest political party with over 200 seats in the first Constituent Assembly but in the election held on 19th November across the country, the Maoists party has secured only 80 seats - that too including proportionate representation system votes (it has got only 26 seats in the 240 directly elected seats). The Nepali Congress, the largest and the oldest Democratic Party, secured 196 seats while another Communist Party with democratic credential got 175 seats. Other seats were taken by smaller and regional parties.
After the disappointing defeat, the Maoists has said that they will not accept the election results saying ‘’the election was rigged.’’ However, their downfall was inevitable due to their own aggressive and undemocratic activities, opportunistic policies and split in the party and most importantly their caste based agenda in the election.
First of all, the Maoists party campaigned with ‘caste based ‘agenda in the election which was opposed by major political parties including Nepali Congress and CPN, UML. This was the most contentious issue of the constitution drafting. Like the Russian Communist dictator Lenin, Maoists had also assured the people of ethnic origin of caste based state during the 10 year long insurgency which claimed the lives of around 15,000 people, and displaced thousands across the country. It was the most controversial issue of the Constituent Assembly. With the Maoists’ pledge and incitement for ‘caste’ based state, the harmony among the multi ethnic community Nepal was tarnished with reports of conflicts among different caste and ethnic groups. And with this many parties and organisations with caste identity were formed dividing the country further and deepening the crisis deeper and wider. Maoists’ wanted caste based state only to the ethnic people whose population is less than 36 percent while Brahmin, Chhetri and Dalits whose population is nearly 50 percent would be stateless or minority group within the country. Their unfair and autocratic decision was completely opposed across the country and the recent election reflected that feelings clearly. Why would those group vote for Maoists?
Not only the Maoists, other parties formed on the basis of caste agenda got zero seat in the directly elected 240 seats across the country. The caste agenda was absolutely rejected by all caste and creed. Then how could the Maoists win the election when it was advocating only for the rights of less than 40 percent of the population?
It is worth mentioning that Ashok Rai, who was the vice chairman of CPN,UML, the second largest party in the Constituent Assembly, left the party to form a new party of caste agenda but secured zero seat. He was a popular leader and if the people had voted for him he could get significant amount of votes but he failed even to get the votes of his own caste- Rai which clearly showed that the people irrespective of their caste did not support this agenda which Maoists flout to accept. It is quite interesting to note that Communists who refute to accept religion, culture and caste anywhere in the world is playing caste card in Nepal. Playing with words is Communist propaganda where distribution of dream plays major role whether it is in Communist time Russia or North Korea. The issue of Chechnya of Russia has become almost global issue at present. The issue of Chechnya and the agenda of the Maoists on caste based state is almost like peas in a pod. Lenin assured the Chechens to give self rule after the successful completion of the revolution in Russia like the Maoists assured the ethnic and tribal people in Nepal. When the revolution was over, it was Lenin who massacred the Chechens and the seed of violence and bloodshed continued to multiply making it one of the greatest trouble of not only Russia but also the world. Where is self determination in Communism? Is it in China? Is it in North Korea? The election result is the distribution of unrealistic dream to the people who understood it is not realistic. Neither the people voted for the caste based agenda nor Terai based parties’ agenda of ‘one Madhes.
Another set back to the Maoists was the armed cadres. In the last election they had weapon and nearly 20,000 armed fighters in addition to about half a million militias known as Young Communist League (YCL). They were enough to terrorise the voters with threat but this time, some of the fighters joined the army and some others left the parties with heavy heart because their remuneration provided by the state was also taken by the party and there was corruption and irregularities which was one of the reasons of the split the party which seriously affected in the election. Moreover, there was voters identity card system this time so less chance of vote rigging.
Furthermore, corruption in the party was so high that not only the former fighters but also the senior leaders of the party were demanding investigation against the senior leaders including Prachand whose life style was described as more luxurious than the former King and his mansion in the centre of Kathmandu was also the issue of discussion not only among the political opponent but also within the party and sympathisers. In addition to these inconsistencies, activities of Prachand’s son shadowed the roguish conduct of the former crown prince Paras. Most importantly, who would accept Communist rule in the 21st century when people have seen the dark side of the Communist system across the globe. ‘’ I was a Maoist supporter when I was in Nepal but when I came to the UK, I realised that this is not the right system for us,’’ said Narendra Sharma, a student in Reading. ‘’ Why there is issue of immigration in the UK because of the East European where there was communist system, so I realised Communism is the worst system,’’ he said. This observation reflects the views of the youths in Nepal.
However, there is again hue and cry when the loud voice of Maoists echoing with the so called ‘academic’ or ‘activist’ is not fulfilled. It is the fundamental rights of the people to vote the candidate or the party of their choice. So they exercised their rights in accordance with the democratic values and norms without fear and terror for the first time in many years. There was neither the fear of political armed gang nor the Maoists’ weapon during the election. Despite some sporadic incidents, the election was reported to be peaceful, free and fair. Not only the major political parties but also the international election observation group lauded the election. Maoists were also one of them until the election was completed and vote counting commenced.