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A Constitution is a living document, it is a document of compromise that is not immune from the winds of change that blow so very often, especially on this part of the globe. As times change, the makers of a constitution or their successors have to make timely changes in it without compromising on its basic tenets.  

Nepal’s newest charter is not—and cannot be—an exception. 

Nine years have passed since the Constituent Assembly, in its second term, promulgated the constitution of a federal, secular and democratic Nepal, in a massive departure from the unitary system, amid a rough weather marked by protests from sections of the national population and displeasure from the next-door neighbor. Looking back, the system stood pretty shakily on twin pillars of multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy on a seismic fault-zone, thanks to endemic corruption, a war, dynastic rules both of the royals and champions of democracy, rising public discontent and desires for change. 

Almost a decade after the promulgation of the charter that aimed to institutionalize democracy and republicanism by bringing the government at the doorsteps of the people living in far-flung areas in particular, not much has changed. Federalism, which was supposed to take the government to the doorsteps, is proving to be a costly affair, with increasing complaints from the people that all they have got at the provinces are Singhadurbars (Lion Palaces), which are quite costly to keep as they have to foot the cost of their operation. A frequently-heard public complaint is that the rulers have let the lions out among hapless sections of the society instead of extending to them the benevolent hand of the state.

There’s also a feeling among the public that select political leaders of the country can get away with anything, including policy-level corruption, as they are beyond the long arm of the law. 

Rather than decentralizing power, our federal experiment, thus far, has mostly been about managing plum jobs at the provinces for cadres of different political parties.

Moreover, whenever there’s a change of guard at the center, provincial governments also topple,  deepening a chronic political instability and disenchanting the people further and further.

These factors are pushing people, youths in particular, to the foreign shores—for jobs, for an education and even for permanent settlement. 

This does not bode well for a polity. 

The parties represented in the Parliament, including the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML, the two largest parties, should wake up and act. Amending the constitution may be necessary—by taking the entire country into confidence through long and engaging discussions with every section of the society on every topic—but it is equally necessary for Nepal’s political leaders to mend ways.  

This week, the KP Sharma Oli-led government unveiled its ‘policy commitment’ paper, two months after the formation of a coalition government consisting of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, and other smaller parties. The key focus areas of the document include foreign policy priorities, constitution implementation and amendment, good governance, quality public services, economic development, implementation of fundamental rights, and transitional justice issues.

The document is intended to provide clear policy guidelines for the government’s functioning. While it doesn’t present any new foreign policy strategies, it emphasizes attracting more foreign investment and assistance based on Nepal’s development needs. It also highlights resolving bilateral issues with neighboring countries through diplomatic channels and fostering good relations. Prime Minister Oli is due to address the 79th UN General Assembly, where he is expected to discuss these foreign policy priorities.

Regarding constitutional amendments, the document aims to further strengthen the political system and preserve the achievements of the 2006 political movement. This comes amid concerns that the NC and UML may seek to remove certain progressive provisions. The ruling parties have pledged to consult all stakeholders before proceeding with any amendments. In conjunction with Constitution Day, celebrated on Sept 19 (Thursday), leaders reiterated their commitment to upholding the constitution. 

On the occasion of Constitution Day, Nepal also received congratulatory messages from the international community. US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken expressed pride in the US-Nepal collaboration to strengthen ties, promote economic growth through the debt-free partnership with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), and support climate resilience and clean energy efforts. Blinken’s mention of a “debt-free partnership” appeared to subtly reference China’s involvement in Nepal.

In another story this week, a parliamentary probe committee investigating fraud in the cooperative sector submitted its report to Parliament, which has asked the government to take necessary actions. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) claims that its leader Rabi Lamichhane was cleared of allegations of cooperative fraud. However, others argue the report suggests the government should take action against Lamichhane for his role in the misuse of cooperative funds when he was the director of Gorkha Media. Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba thanked Gagan Kumar Thapa, the party’s general secretary, for raising Lamichanne’s issues in Parliament stating that Lamichhane’s involvement has been verified. But RSP senior leaders are bent on creating a narrative that Lamichhane was not involved in the case. It is yet to be seen how the government takes action. Despite Lamichhane dominating the headlines, the broader issues raised in the report have received less attention. Meanwhile, the RSP is preparing to hold its first general convention to elect new leadership next year.

This week, the Constitutional Council recommended Justice Prakash Man Singh Rawat as the new Chief Justice, following the retirement of the current judiciary head this month. Rawat will serve for 18 months. 

In politics this week, the ruling UML made strategic decisions to strengthen its organization, including a plan to expand its active membership to one million, which would constitute six percent of the electorate. UML plans to emerge as the largest political party in the 2027 national elections. In the process, the party also plans to enhance its social media presence and to counter what it calls ‘false propaganda’.

Inside the NC, there appears to be a growing cordiality between party President Deuba and General Secretary Thapa. Despite efforts by senior leaders like Shekhar Koirala and Bishwa Prakash Sharma to prevent Deuba from becoming prime minister once again, Thapa publicly stated this week that Deuba would lead the government after two years, following a power transfer from Oli. There are rumors within the party that Deuba may support Thapa’s bid for party president in the upcoming general convention.

The relevance of provincial structures became a hot topic of public discourse this week, with some leaders calling for their abolition. Minister for Information and Technology Prithvi Subba and a section of UML leaders have questioned the need for provinces, suggesting scrapping them through a constitutional amendment. In contrast, former prime minister Baburam Bhattarai has proposed increasing the number of provincial governments to 10. NC leader Deuba has also defended the provincial system, arguing that it should be strengthened rather than dismantled, while also reaffirming the party’s commitment to inclusive provisions, including the electoral system.

Another story of note this week was the findings of the latest report from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which paints a grim picture of rising corruption, particularly at the local government level. The CIAA’s 34th annual report (2023-24) shows that 38.91 percent of public complaints involved local governments, with the education sector accounting for 15.79 percent. The Auditor General’s 2022-23 report also identified significant financial discrepancies in local governments, highlighting a broader trend of increasing corruption.

Audits covering Rs 1.13575trn across 746 of the 753 local governments uncovered discrepancies totaling Rs 35.67bn. The data shows a consistent increase in complaints related to local and educational institutions.

The Government of the United States of America has extended best wishes to Nepalis on the occasion of Constitution Day today.  

Issuing a press statement on Wednesday, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, has offered his sincere congratulations to the people of Nepal on Constitution Day on behalf of the Government of the United States of America.

He said this day is also an important moment to recognize many of Nepal’s achievements, including the recent passage of historic transitional justice legislation, and has called for its successful implementation bringing justice for victims and survivors.

In his message, the Secretary of State has expressed his satisfaction with the joint efforts to strengthen people-to-people ties, boost economic growth through initiatives like the debt-free partnership with the Millennium Challenge Corporation, promote justice, and uphold democratic principles. "We remain committed to working with Nepal to increase its climate resilience and advance its transition to clean energy," Blinken said.

I vividly remember reading ‘Seto Dharti’ by Amar Neupane during my school days. The heartbreaking story of Tara, a child widow moved me to tears with its emotional depth. The tale of love, loss, and hope was unforgettable. Beyond the narrative, another detail that caught my attention was the abstract book cover and the distinctive circular emblem on the middle left that read “Madan Puraskar Bijeta” (Winner of the Madan Puraskar). 

Over time, I came across other books with the same stamp. Curious, I searched for Madan Puraskar on Google and clicked on the first link, which was for Wikipedia. There, I learned that the award is Nepal’s most prestigious literary honor, established by Queen Jagadamba Kumari Devi in memory of her late husband, General Madan Shumsher JBR. At that time, this was the extent of my knowledge about the award, but I began to associate the stamp with literary excellence. Every time I visited a bookstore afterward, I instinctively sought out books bearing that emblem. 

In an article published on The Kathmandu Post dated 24 Sept 2021, Madan Puraskar was referred to as the ‘brainchild of Kamal Mani Dixit’. While I was familiar with the name, I wasn’t fully aware of the breadth of his work or his significant contributions. This piqued my interest in understanding Dixit’s role in the award’s history. Further research revealed that the late Dixit was a towering figure in Nepali literature, whose efforts were crucial in preserving and promoting the literary heritage of Nepal. Indeed, the Madan Puraskar Guthi was conceived as Dixit’s vision and legacy. 

In the few videos I watched of Kamal Mani Dixit on YouTube, he appeared as a warm and content elderly man. His white hair, glasses, and traditional Dhaka topi gave him a dignified and wise appearance.In the only interview available online, published in his memory on YouTube, Kamal Mani Dixit, when asked by the interviewer, “Then who is Kamal Mani Dixit?” responded hastily, saying he was “just an essayist and a nobody.” 

Pratyush Onta’s article, ‘Re-reading Kamal Dixit-the essayist’, explores Dixit’s significant contributions to the Nepali literary landscape, particularly in the field of essays, categorizing his essays into four types: rigorous research essays, mixed essays blending research with personal insights, memoirs reflecting on family and life during the Rana era, and various other miscellaneous collections of essays. However, Dixit’s contributions extend far beyond his essays . 

Ashutosh Tiwari’s obituary captures his extensive contributions, with a prolific output of over 70 books. He collaborated with writers, poets, and historians, editing and publishing 22 works on poetry, epics, dramas, and stories, helping lesser-known Nepali authors gain recognition. Tiwari highlights Dixit's dedication as a teacher, sharing his knowledge of poetry well into his 80s at Rato Bangala School, along with his work in writing children’s books.

Kamal Mani Dixit’s family had strong ties with the Ranas. In his memoir ‘Birseko Samjeko’ (Forgotten Recollection), Dixit writes about his frequent visits to Shree Durbar and his relationship with Madan Shumsher, the youngest son of Chandra Shumsher. He reminisces how as a toddler, the 14-year-old Madan Shumsher, having just recovered from a two-month illness, treated young Dixit like a walking, talking doll to pass the time. This early connection marked the beginning of his close ties with Madan Shumsher and the Rana family. 

Dixit also recalls in his memoir a time during school when he couldn’t afford to buy a book by Bhim Nidhi Tiwari. This inspired him to save his tiffin money and start collecting books. As his collection grew, he began referring to it as ‘Kamalko Nepali Sangraha’ (Kamal’s Nepali Collection). 

In 1955, following the death of Madan Shumsher, Dixit, who was working at a printing press in Banaras, was recalled by his father to serve Queen Jagadamba. Wanting to contribute to Nepali literature, Dixit persuaded the queen to support the collection and preservation of literary works. In 1956, Queen Jagadamba Kumari Devi endowed the collection in memory of her late husband, establishing the Madan Puraskar Guthi. His personal collection ‘Kamalko Nepali Sangraha’, which he started as a student in the 1940s, became the foundation of the Madan Puraskar Pustakalaya (Madan Puraskar Library). 

The Guthi was established to collect, preserve, catalog, and disseminate valuable information for researchers and scholars. It also introduced the Madan Puraskar award to honor works that made significant contributions in the fields literature, philosophy, science, and social sciences. Initially, the prize was set at Rs. 4,000 per category. The award was first announced in 1955 and officially distributed in 1956, making it Nepal’s first literary prize.

What began as Kamal Mani Dixit’s personal passion for collecting books has grown into an institution dedicated to preserving and promoting Nepali literature. While the Madan Puraskar has faced its share of criticism, its importance in the Nepali literary landscape is unquestionable. This article focuses on the award’s inception, but its criticisms and broader impact warrant a separate discussion.