Incomplete team

MIN BAJRACHARYA

We might have stepped into the 21st century unknowingly and unwillingly, but the Nepali people are not all that foolish. It will not be easy to fool Nepalis who are ready to take to the streets for another 'full movement' after going through one 'incomplete revolution' and two 'half movements'. It looks unlikely that the draft interim constitution prepared by a 16-member committee will be accepted by well-informed Nepali people.

Prithbi Narayan Shah, who laid the foundations for modern Nepal, himself said, "Nepal is a garden of four castes and 36 sub-castes." It would be another matter altogether if we ignored what he said simply because his statue in front of Singha Darbar is covered in a red shroud today. But, if we are to take his words to heart, it's clear that the draft interim constitution committee does not include all the castes of Nepal.

Granted that perhaps the Shah king's words should remain unheeded. But the government of Nepal itself says that there are at least 61 indigenous castes, though the committee does not include all of them. The visually impaired, physically challenged, small and medium business entrepreneurs, students, artists, teachers, sports personalities, journalists, youth, gays, lesbians, transvestites, cabin girls, or the roadside vendors have not been represented in the committee. Nor have the farmers or labourers.

It might be interim, but it's still the constitution. The constitution
cannot be made unless the interests of all of the 26 million people from every caste, profession, and business are represented.