KATHMANDU: Former Prime Minister and senior leader of the Nepali Communist Party (NCP), Jhalanath Khanal, has said that treating political leaders like criminals could push the country toward conflict and instability.
Speaking to journalists after a programme in Kathmandu on Wednesday, Khanal said recent actions against political figures suggest a tendency to handle them in an inappropriate manner, warning that such an approach could lead to confrontation rather than consensus.
“If political personalities are treated like criminals, the country will move towards confrontation instead of understanding,” he said. Khanal stressed that any government action should strictly follow due legal process.
He further said that an immature approach to constitutional amendments could lead the country toward political disaster. Khanal said that although the Constitution has completed 10 years, a proper review of its implementation should be carried out before initiating any amendments.
He warned that hasty constitutional changes or the abolition of existing structures would not be appropriate at this stage. According to him, several provisions under Part 4 of the Constitution have still not been fully implemented, urging the RSP-led leadership to take serious note of the issue.
Separately, Khanal commented on recent remarks made by the Prime Minister on border issues, describing them as surprising and among the “most immature statements” made by the Prime Minister so far.
He said that if the Prime Minister has indeed made such remarks in Parliament, he should himself request their removal from the parliamentary record.
Khanal added that if the Prime Minister takes the initiative to correct the statement, he would receive broad support from the public and political stakeholders alike.
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