Expensive "loktantra"
When the political parties and their MPs don’t become responsible towards the nation and the people, Parliament becomes an economic burden for the nation. The House of Representatives constituted after the November 2022 general elections, has approved only three bills, out of over two dozen important bills waiting for final approval. The previous parliament was also ended without approving the necessary bills. The winter session of parliament is specially for rectifying the bills. However, the parliament session was obstructed by the UML earlier and the Nepali Congress at present. After the NC obstructed the House meeting demanding the formation of a probe commission on the alleged involvement of DPM and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane in misusing cooperatives’ funds, the government ended the parliament session effective from April 14 at midnight.
The problems in the cooperatives have surfaced as political leaders, specially those in the UML, are associated with different cooperatives management. If the government introduce a law for blacklisting the loan defaulters and also the management is found misusing public money, it is not a big deal to bring cooperatives on the financial track. However, the government is delaying in formulating necessary laws following the suggestions given by the highlevel commission. This is because there is a strong penetration of big cooperative operators associated with different political parties.
Many sectors, including micro-financing, are facing problems. Due to the lack of commitment of the political leaders, the loan shark problem has remained as it is. If the government develops the necessary laws, these problems can be resolved immediately. However, due to the acts of some vested interest groups, parliament is reluctant to rectify the bills.
The government is preparing to host the third foreign direct investment summit. Experts have identified the necessity for new laws to attract foreign investment. There is needed new laws in different 15 areas. Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal is saying that he would bring an ordinance resolving hurdles in attracting foreign direct investment. Will foreigners trust the law brought through an ordinance, which is effective only for six months?
The important thing is that the three supreme leaders of the major political parties are involved in different scams. Some bills are against their vested interests. Therefore, they are spending time just to defuse parliament. Be that as it may, the significance of parliament has been ended and it has been proved that the government may run by escaping parliament. Questions have been raised on why we needed such a large House of Representatives; why we needed the proportional elections which have contributed to political instability and which has been an organ massively abused by the political parties; why we needed the National Assembly, which has also been abused massively by the political parties. A directly elected parliament and an upper house with a dignified personality nominated by the government/political parties would be enough for the nation. As said by our Prime Minister Dahal, the constitution is incomplete and there are many errors, we believe, they should be removed by scrapping the present system.