KATHMANDU: The ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) failed to stand for people’s multi-party democracy and was unable to include the same in its political document. However, the two chairpersons of the ruling party have taken initiatives to change some of the perspectives and positions taken on national and international issues.
The Prime Minister and the Chairperson of the ruling party KP Oli agreed to adopt the ideology of Janabaad (populism) as proposed by co-chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
A senior leader of the party Madhav Kumar Nepal also toed down the line of the party as proposed by both the chairpersons and readily accepted the ideology of Janabaad to pursue in future at the place of the multi-party democratic system. As an insider of the party says, ”Two chairpersons Oli and Dahal have used their power to delete some of the portions already inserted in the political document of the NCP.”
The original document had amongst other contained the following sentences, ”…….We are committed to adopting only peaceful methods for bringing change and transformation in society. However, it is not just our desire that matters. In the face of challenges and attacks posed by anti-national and anti-people forces, we shall turn down the peaceful ways of seeking solutions if people of the country come forward to pick up arms to bring change. We shall also lead the armed struggle along with the people of Nepal.”
There were obvious references of ‘American imperialism’ at more than two occasions in the political document but the two chairpersons intervened to delete the word ‘American’ and continued with the word ‘imperialist’ to make it a bit softer. At other places, there are normal editing in the language and words of the party document, says the insider. At the place of ‘American imperialism’, now the communists have used ‘global imperialism’.
This is how America’s role in world politics figured in eyes of the communists before the political document of NCP was amended to look different with oblique meaning: ”There is no Islamic terrorism in the world. Islamic terrorism is just the excuse often used by imperialist powers to impose war on countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, and other Gulf countries. In name of fighting against the Islamic terrorists, the imperialist countries are looking to exploit the natural resources particularly petroleum oil and gas. American forces killed several hundred thousands of innocent people in Syria thereby created an unprecedented ‘human crisis’ in the region. Furthermore, American intervention in the Korean islands has further created political tension and diplomatic tussle in the region.”
To continue further, the original political document before it was amended praised China and condemned the United States in the context of increasing American influence of the United States in the Indian Ocean. Thus, Communists of the present ruling party want entire Indian Ocean surrounding India to be under the influence of China and favor BRI (Belt and Road Initiative) to circle the Indian Ocean by throwing out American from the region. Original political document favored BRI with full force and criticized increasing presence of US marine in India and the Indian Ocean. Look at the communists’ commitments in the political document of the ruling party before it was amended fearing the backlash from both India and United States: “We must observe carefully how the United States and India are coming close to each other especially in military cooperation. Besides, all the democratic countries like India, South Korea, Japan, and Australia are with the United States. There are increasing tensions due to the military presence of these countries in the South China Sea, Malacca Straits, Pacific and India Ocean. Nepal needs to be constantly alert and take special steps in its national interest while supporting BRI initiative of China, issue of North Korea and issue of one China policy when the independence of Tibet is being raised.”
The political document of the ruling party didn’t appreciate the strong military tie-up of both India and Japan with United States as communists saw it as threat to their national independence and also an obstacle to expansion of China sponsored BRI in Pacific and Indian ocean because American forces with the help of India, Australia, and Japan will not let it happen. The ideological tilt and policy decisions taken in a clandestine manner to pursue it covertly with overt mask of parliamentary democracy is going to bring another serious political confrontation with not only United States but also with southern neighbor India who was projected as enemy number-1 during decade-long Maoists insurgency.