Nepal set for uphill task as crisis looms

Nepal’s celebrated its fifth republic day on Monday. But the air in Kathmandu especially at Tundikhel Ground, the official venue of celebrations, was of gloom. Utpal Parashar reports.

Updated on: May 28, 2012, 23:47:03 IST

Hindustan Times | By Utpal Parashar, Kathmandu

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Nepal’s celebrated its fifth republic day on Monday. But the air in Kathmandu especially at Tundikhel Ground, the official venue of celebrations, was of gloom.

In 2008, the country abolished monarchy and became republic on this very date. The newly elected Constituent Assembly to draft a new constitution also met for the first time on the same day.

But with the CA getting dissolved on Sunday midnight without completing its task and fresh elections due in another six months, the country faces a fresh political crisis.

The new constitution, Nepal’s seventh, after end of the decade-long Maoist insurgency, was expected to usher in lasting peace and rid Nepal of its tag of least developed nations.

That will now have to wait.

“It’s a very sad development in Nepal’s history. My government had not spared any effort in trying to complete the constitution,” said Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai in his address at Tundikhel.

Apologizing to the nation he appealed to all Nepalese to make the November 22 elections to elect a new CA successful.

Terming it unconstitutional, Bhattarai’s decision to hold elections has been opposed by Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist), the two biggest parties after ruling Maoists.

“It was a unilateral decision by the Prime Minister and we are going to oppose it,” said NC general secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula. Leaders from CPN (UML) also aired similar views.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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