Repeating same mistakes, hoping for different result
Sometimes things can take a turn for the worse in days. Just when it seemed the much-awaited constitution would get delivered on time, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai sprung a surprise on Nepalis by prolonging the pain for another three months.
Sometimes things can take a turn for the worse in days. Just when it seemed the much-awaited constitution would get delivered on time, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai sprung a surprise on Nepalis by prolonging the pain for another three months.
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The decision to extend tenure of the constituent assembly one more time was taken by the major parties and later endorsed by the cabinet on Tuesday. A bill has been registered to amend the interim constitution again to allow the extension.
But seven days ago, the scenario was different. Things looked bright when Maoists, Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) and Madhesi parties forged consensus on federalism and forms of government.
They agreed on restructuring the country into 11 states and it was decided that a federal commission will fix their boundaries while their names will be finalised by the federal assemblies.
However, the euphoria soon evaporated when various groups started violent protests and strikes demanding incorporation of ethnicity-based states in the new statute. Surprisingly, the Maoist leadership too added fuel to the fire.
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As conspiracy theories did the rounds, Bhattarai put security agencies and Nepal Army on high alert to foil designs that could affect promulgation of the new statute within the May 27 deadline.
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As conspiracy theories did the rounds, Bhattarai put security agencies and Nepal Army on high alert to foil designs that could affect promulgation of the new statute within the May 27 deadline.
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A day later, he forwarded the proposal to extend the CA tenure one more time. Once the bill is passed and the interim constitution amended, it would become the fifth extension of the CA - set up in 2008 for just two years.
Unhappy with the surprise that challenges a Supreme Court order preventing further extensions, NC and CPN (UML), who gave grudging approval to the Tuesday agreement, have expressed reservations against the move and are opposing it.
Repeating the same mistakes and expecting a different result seems to have become a habit with Nepali leaders.
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.
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