Trimmed Words: A Lean Read (International Edition, English)
On April 10th, Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli demonstrated his penchant for lengthy public speaking engagements. Whether within the confines of the prime ministerial residence at Baluwatar or during community events across different regions of the nation, he speaks almost daily. Over the weekend, upon returning from a week-long trip to Thailand, Oli spoke at an occasion held at the Gokarna Forest Resort. The next day, he met with representatives from remote western areas seeking financial backing from the government to operate Khaptad Engineering College in Doti as part of their annual budget request. Oli continued this pattern on Monday when he delivered extensive remarks at the Himalayan Dialogue conference hosted at the Everest Hotel located in Baneshwar. Subsequently, on Tuesday, he traveled to Janakpur where he presented a discourse before members attending sessions of the Madhes provincial legislature. That very evening found him addressing a large crowd assembled in Sauraha town, which serves as the administrative center of the Siraha region. In recent weeks prior to these occurrences, the premier has similarly spoken at legislative bodies situated throughout several states including Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim.
However, this seasoned Communist leader frequently appears to overlook either his listeners or the topic he’s addressing. There is nothing amiss about the Prime Minister deciding to visit each provincial assembly one after another for speeches. Yet, questions arise regarding his true intentions behind these visits. As reported, some members from the Madhes Provincial Assembly felt that much of the lengthy discourse delivered by him was out of touch. These assemblies are being visited during a period where provinces are increasingly becoming focal points for those opposing federalism. Provinces are portrayed as financial burdens on national resources, thereby fostering negative sentiment towards the provincial governance model among the populace. The Rastriya Swatantra Party, which holds the fourth position in terms of representation within the House of Representatives, has publicly called for significant reforms suggesting that current structures have utterly failed to meet their objectives. This party did not participate in recent provincial elections. Similarly, the fifth-place Rastriya Prajatantra Party along with several minor factions advocate abolishing provinces altogether.
Nevertheless, the provinces harbor their own complaints. They consistently express frustration over the inability of provincial bodies to function properly because they do not possess an independent police force and face various other challenges. For many years now, these regions have insisted on having their own dedicated police forces as well as amendments recognizing the federal Civil Service Act. The core request from these areas is to enable full implementation of the authorities granted under Schedule 6 of Nepal’s constitution. Multiple chief ministers made numerous trips to Kathmandu with hopes of gaining focus from federal leadership. Despite pledges from prime ministers across different administrations to fulfill these requests, nothing substantial has materialized so far.
Ensuring that the provinces function effectively is likely the most critical yet challenging aspect of implementing both the new constitution and the federal democratic system. Currently, these provinces seem bewildered. Under these circumstances, it falls upon the prime minister to engage positively with provincial leaders, provide them with a definitive course, and clarify the ambiguities surrounding their rights and duties. Regrettably, various prime ministers have fallen short in fulfilling this essential role.
The prime minister’s statements should hold significant influence. It would serve little purpose for him to visit various regions and speak at their gatherings unless he genuinely supports their successful operation. Actually, he could gain greater popularity amongst provincial legislators and political figures by strengthening them through appropriate legislation and transferring additional authority. Consequently, he wouldn’t have to do too much talking.