There is a lot of political activity around the crisis produced by the Madhesi agitation in Nepal.
There is a lot of political activity around the crisis produced by the Madhesi agitation in Nepal. But it is far from clear this is adding up to an enduring solution to a crisis that now goes to the heart of Nepal’s constitutional future.nnNepal can have a vibrant and prosperous future but, as is so often the case in South Asia, political alignments often risk snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The crucial element in the prospects for Nepal will be its internal political dialogue.nnIn the end, a constitution is a social contract between citizens; it has to gain widespread legitimacy. There is plenty of blame to apportion, but Kathmandu made the mistake of denying the Madhesi agitation legitimacy.nnThe debate over institutional architecture has now been burdened by layers of distrust and political brinkmanship. The denial of federalism was seen by marginalised groups as a ruse to deny them a legitimate share in power.nnThe betrayal and polarisation was worsened by the way in which Kathmandu tried to deny the Madhesi movement legitimacy. It played the ultranationalist card: Presenting the agitation as largely an Indian conspiracy.nnConstitutional settlements require a measure of statesmanship, generosity and courage. This is sorely lacking at the moment.nnWritten by: Pratap Bhanu MehtanSource: indianexpress.com