KATHMANDU: The issue of corruption in the Supreme Court has surfaced recently.

Suspended Chief Justice Cholendra Shumser Rana’s policy level corruption of nearly one billion while constructing the Supreme Court building was reported.

There is a proposal for impeachment against him in the parliament, but the leaders of the political parties have not been able to speak on this matter.

Similarly, the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) split recently. In this context, Khabarhub’s Chandrakanta Neupane talked to JSP’s central member Manikar Karki to discuss the latest political development. Excerpts:

A lot of corruption cases have come out while constructing the Supreme Court building. But none of the political parties have spoken about it. Doesn’t it make you ashamed?

Corruption is a subject that shames the common people and seriously investigating such a matter, we raised the issue that a commission should be formed to be accountable to the Parliament to control corruption.

We have concluded that curbing corruption is not possible with the existing structure and it should be restructured.

Therefore, it seems that in order to maintain good governance and morals in this country, it is necessary to change the current structure and build a new structure.

Regarding the issue of the impeachment, only two parties filed the motion without any discussion in the coalition. Therefore, there has not been any formal discussion about this for long.

Why do the political parties fail to speak strongly when it comes to corruption? If there is corruption in the Supreme Court, how can people trust it?

We should not go beyond our role. These issues have been raised within the party and in the parliament as well. Our party has also made public its views on this.

Even now, it doesn’t seem like there has been much discussion in the coalition. Therefore, collective opinion will not come until the coalition discusses formally on it. We have formed a Lokpal for this within the party.

Is it not an indication of the poor character of the political leaders?

There is a difference between a committee formed to investigate and an ombudsman formed as per the constitution. Provided a Lokpal is formed and authorized to investigate and take action on all such serious crimes so far, the situation can be better.

Your party is disintegrating, its power is weakening. In this situation, this Lokpal’s concept is merely a hypothesis, isn’t it?

Politics is a long process. We have moved forward in the process of building an alternative power through party integration by changing the power, amending the constitution to suit the times, changing the goals of the people, and institutionalizing the political change, laying the foundation for social and economic transformation.

Dr. Baburam Bhattarai put forward the vision of forming an alternative power by connecting mountains, hills, and plains and also gave the concept of political engineering.

Some substantive changes had been made accordingly; however, now he has formed another party. There is no alternative to taking these views ahead.

Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) was formed for the same. Although some leaders left the party, we will lead the party ahead as per the vision formed at the time of the conception of the party.

It is said that suddenly, by calling the meeting lopsidedly, JSP Chairman Yadav executed action against Federal Council Chairman Bhattarai and leaders close to him. What was the reason for Upendra Yadav’s action?

Being in the party, one has to follow the party’s rules and regulations and come to an agreement. Differences or disputes between the parties are natural; however, they have to be resolved.

We have come to go unifying like-minded people and meet the expectations of the people. Lately, they ignored the party’s constitution.

In Kathmandu, he (Dr. Bhattarai) called an extended meeting of the Central Committee. Since he is the chairman of the federal council, the party regulations do not give him the right to call the meeting of the central committee. The authority of the executive committee is with JSP Chair Yadav.

Have there been any discussion with Dr. Bhattarai’s group after the Nepal Samajwadi Party was formed and it got the letter from the Election Commission?

If the paths diverged, even if they walked, it didn’t seem like there was a dialogue. It’s politics. That may be possible in the future.

Politically, you have been associated with Bhattarai for a long time, what do you think is his weakness? What is his future based on that?

I was associated with him for almost 15 years. He says what he thinks is the truth. It cannot be done all the time. His thoughts and views are good. He is an intelligent person.

He is also honored for it. He also has a concern for the country. Now he made this decision without discussion. He did that wrong.

Keeping the forthcoming election in view, does the JSP plan to include the entire Madhes in a front, or will it go to the Samajwadi Kendra? You got the citizenship bill as you had demanded. Are there any other demands now?

We will come up with our agendas. Rather than bothering about the coalition and whether it will go for the general election.

No one has approached our party JSP for that so far. And apart from that, no one seems to have dealt with JSP in the matter of forming a Samajwadi Kendra.

We have not formed any idea on who is responsible for it, we have got no proposal for such front and we have not made up our mind for it. Now we are carrying out the activities of expanding the organization from training to full formation in every province.

What do you say to the voices that old Madhesi leaders should be removed and new youths should be brought in?

Now the top leadership should bid farewell and the party should be handed over to the new generation. The country still needs a social transformation.

The old generation is experienced, yet now it should hand over the responsibility of transformation to the new generation. Only this can lead the country ahead in development.

Can the reform and development you talked about to be achieved by defeating the old leaders in the upcoming elections?

In general, the party is run by the structure within the party. Even within the party, whether the new generation has reached the decision-making position or not matters a lot.

The previous generations or incumbent top leaders have made a revolution in the country. But the country needs an economic and social transformation. The new generation will take the party and the country to it.