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Pashupati Shumsher Rana is a senior leader of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and a member of the House of Representatives (HoR). His party is in opposition with 14 members in the HoR.  Kamal Dev Bhattarai of ApEx talked to Rana on current political developments. Excerpts: How do you see the current state of Nepali politics? The composition of Parliament makes it fragile. Whatever you say about the coalition, the intrinsic fragility of parliamentary parties does not forecast a very stable future. Over the last 30 years, we have seen the same situation, haven’t we? No, there have been some exceptions. The last government led-by CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli had nearly a two-thirds majority but that just faded away. So, it is not inherent in the nature of parliamentary journey but it is in the nature of leadership of major parties. What is the major problem with the leadership of major political parties? The two principal things that leadership of major political parties lack is honesty and efficiency. When you are in that state, there is no point talking about the vision. How can you have a vision when you are fundamentally corrupt and you are fundamentally inefficient? You cannot run the country because you have personal interests, not a national interest. So, no matter how large a majority you have, these deep inherent personal problems will not make a good future possible for Nepal. How do you see the emergence of new political parties like Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP)? They have risen very fast. During the general elections of 2022, I didn’t even know the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) existed. But it came out of the blue, they overtook us and became the fourth largest party in Parliament. And in the by-election, the votes they got were outstanding. They have extremely talented people. I know a few of them like Swarnim Wagle who is a renowned economist. In the last general elections, we also saw the re-emergence of the RPP, how do you see it? Well, we hoped to be the fourth party but because this RSP came out the blue we came fifth.  Yet, we have 14 members which is an important number in Parliament. It’s much better than the position we got in the previous elections. We have seen very capable leaders in the RPP for a long time, but why is the RPP failing to make a strong party? We started with a few members—with me, Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani and Ram Krishna. In the 1991 election, we got 18 seats, Surya Bahadur Thapa became the prime minister first and thereafter Lokendra Bahadur Chand. These two figures became prime ministers three times. The differences within the party and tendencies of split destroyed our party. At that time, out of 18 members, everyone wanted to become prime minister. Those splits have been bad for the party. Since then, we have come a long journey. Even now, we are a party with differences. But we are only a long-standing party that has handed over leadership to the new generation. Also, RPP is now headed by Ranjendra Lingden who comes from an ethnic group. Now, we have outstanding young leaders like Gyanendra Shahi and Rabindra Mishra. We have some women leaders who are well-educated. We just had a meeting of the Central Committee and our assessment is that we have a good future. Why do you think the Hindu state and return of monarchy in Nepal is important? When we started, if you remember we started with a very simple principle such as nationalism, multi-party democracy and liberal agendas. At that time, there was a constitutional monarchy and Hindu state. Our Hindu identity was very important in the world. Along with this we have the identity of Mt Everest and Gautam Buddha. We just gave up our Hindu identity for nothing. And regarding the head of the state, the glamor and prestige of the crown is necessary. President Ram Chandra Paudel is a nice person and I have huge respect for him. But does he have a crown? No. There is no glory when there is no crown. People used to bow to the crown out of respect, but the present head of state doesn’t equal the glamor, prestige that monarchy had. How are our domestic policies affecting our international relations? Well, think of somebody like Indian Prime Minister Narendrea Modi or Chinese President Xi Jinping. What a poor opinion they must have about our leadership? If they do not respect you even at the level of foreign minister or foreign secretary, their respect for our leadership must be very poor. They are not treating our leadership respectfully. We do not have a good leader who could talk on equal terms with really powerful neighbors. What is your view on the foreign policy of monarchy? King Mahendra was one of the great rulers. And Birendra was there for a very long time. As both kings had fundamental qualities, they earned respect not only from neighbors but from across the world.The standing of Nepal and monarchy was much, much higher. What is your suggestion for the present government regarding foreign relations? We must not limit ourselves to our neighbors. The greatest power of today is the United States. We have to embrace the great power of the world. We have to follow the long-standing principles of balance between the powers to the north and powers to the south. Today, when you talk about the powers of the south, they include the United States, India, Japan, and Australia. When you think of the north, we cannot separate Russia. So with this understanding, this principle of balance must be the basis of Nepal’s geopolitics.

Animals suffer on the streets of Kathmandu every day. People abuse them, they get into accidents, and they have nowhere to go during extreme weather conditions. Some die horrible deaths, and finding food is always a challenge. Anushka Nepal from ApEx talked to Beena Pant, an animal rights activist and a member of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Nepal, an organization working for animal welfare, to discuss how street animals can be protected. What poses risks to stray animals? One of the major factors that put most stray animals at risk is road accidents. Every day, we come across several hit-and-run cases and the animals hurt don’t get treated on time. The other one is the abuse they face from people in their locality. People kick or throw stones at them for barking, roaming around shops, and even without reason. Not only are there cases where animals have suffered severe injuries as a result, but they also go through a lot of emotional and mental trauma. They get agitated, become violent, and the cycle of abuse continues. The other issue we see is animals having food that’s not good for their health. They feed on garbage or leftovers from households and shops, which have chicken or fish bones. They often choke on the bones and suffer from internal injuries. Sometimes, they ingest plastics, nails, coins, and metal objects while searching for food in garbage piles. Around five years back, we removed 17 kilograms of these materials from the stomach of a calf. Also, since most of them are exposed to extreme weather conditions, they suffer from many other health complications. How is the state of strays in Kathmandu?  It’s terrible. There are many hit-and-run cases. People leave the animal they hit on the street to suffer. Open wounds often get infected, and many animals don’t survive. The other problem we find in dogs is health issues like scabies and cancer. There are also dogs suffering from distemper and parvovirus. There are some areas near jungles where many dogs suffer from rabies. In city areas, it’s not that common since most of them get vaccinated, although we do come across a few. But the problem with rabies is mostly seen in the outskirts of Kathmandu. Governmental and non-governmental organizations have been neutering dogs. Has that brought about any substantial change in the number of stray dogs found in Kathmandu? To some extent, it has. But when it comes to neutering dogs, a lot of wards in Kathmandu don’t do it regularly. Dogs get neutered for a certain period and then the work stops. The same happened when Kathmandu Metropolitan City started neutering dogs. So the female dogs that haven’t been neutered reproduce and the numbers keep multiplying. Wards that have taken the job of neutering dogs seriously have fewer puppies. But, at the same time, some wards have been neutering dogs just for the sake of showing their work on paper. They don’t follow through and the outcome isn’t as fruitful as it could have been. If we were to neuter dogs systematically in each ward without leaving a single dog behind, the result would be visible within a year or two. I think organizations like ours have to put a little more effort into it. There are laws on animal rights but are they being properly implemented?  There are laws backing up animal rights, but the implementation is quite weak. One of the reasons behind that is even police officers are reluctant to file complaints or take action. There is a lack of sensitivity towards animals. I believe that even animal welfare groups have not put in much effort to change that. We could do so much more in terms of awareness, but I believe that maybe we have been slacking off a little on that front. I think those working for animal welfare should focus a little more on awareness campaigns or any other method/programs that will let people know that there are consequences of harming animals. We need to start from the police station itself since even authorities are unwilling to take action when an animal is hurt. There are only a few who care. What do you think is the reason behind peoples’ insensitivity towards animals? Firstly, people think of animals as more of an object than a living being. They aren’t empathetic of their pain and suffering, which is why many don’t refrain from abusing them time and again. They don’t want to accept the fact that stray animals are also part of a community. For instance, recently in Budhanilkantha-6, where our shelter for animals is located, around 200 hundred people gathered to chase the dogs out. They didn’t want to consider the fact that most of them were sick. They were bothered by the constant barking. Secondly, these people are also not aware of the legal aspect that backs up animal rights. It’s mostly because the laws that exist are barely implemented. Even during the incident I mentioned, it took the police an hour to arrive at the location, and that too after I made some phone calls asking for favors. Before that, no one had come. The public has no fear of any consequences, and that gives them the confidence to do whatever they want.

Besides being a politician, Pranaya SJB Rana is an academic as well as a practitioner of conflict resolution and peace. He served Nepali Army for seven years. He has around two decades of experience working in practical research and evaluation, organizational assessment and efficacy, social services, road safety, traffic management and public health backgrounds. He also holds a PhD in International Conflict Management from Kennesaw State University, Georgia, USA.

Pratik Ghimire of ApEx sat down with Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leader Rana to talk about RSP’s political stances and his thoughts on youths and politics. Excerpts:

Why did RSP leave the government?

As soon as we won 20 seats in the lower house of the federal parliament, some people wanted us to be in opposition as they suggested that the existing parties have no good people and the RSP shouldn’t form a coalition with them. While some people wanted us in the government so that we could deliver. They were right too as they didn’t vote for us to be an opposition. As the people didn’t give a majority to any party, a coalition government was the only option. And having 20 seats, being the fourth largest party, it was our responsibility too to help form a government. We were emotionally guided to some extent. And in the by-polls, people have poured their love more strongly. They suggested we be in opposition and the party also thought that we can fight more effectively this way.

And hence we pulled out our participation and support from the government. It’s nothing like the recent rumors—that after the government opened the files of frauds and scams, RSP withdrew its support.

Where does the ideology of RSP lie? Center, right or left?

It’s not even been a year since the establishment of RSP. Our initial focus was to make RSP a delivery-based party. Soon, we went through a series of events: elections, government formation and by-polls, among others. We had no time to discuss such topics. But now, things have been settled down and we are already forming ad hoc committees in all provinces and local levels for a better party organization. With this, discussion and discourse have been started about our political ideology. We are actually in the process of shaping and sharpening our ideology. 

Preparations have already started for our general convention. For building the party structure, we are moving ahead with a top-to-bottom approach, forming the ad hoc committees. After this, the convention will start with the bottom to top approach. There are advantages and disadvantages of leaning toward the right, left or remaining at the center. I personally prefer hybrids of right and left so that we can capture the very best from both. European countries have similar views which has helped them progress. 

What’s your thought on provincial structure?

Again, there was a narrative that RSP is against federalism. But that’s not correct. We are not against provinces, but we are advocating for a better provincial structure. The current structure is so expensive, the state won’t be able to get with it for a long time. We, in the party, are discussing different provincial modalities. In my opinion, a province should have a directly-elected governor.

The governor should be accompanied with directly elected experts as commissioners, such as health commissioner, education commissioner and all. This will make our provinces as powerful and effective as local governments.

How’s RSP sustaining financially?

Many members of our party are working professionals. For instance, before this interview, I taught two classes in the morning. I am also a consultant. Because I am in politics, a full-time job is not feasible for me, hence I do freelance. This has helped me sustain my life and also helped me get involved in the party’s works.

Our party can’t provide us funds for campaigns, meetings and events. The party doesn’t invest in us, rather we invest in the party. We are in a mutually supportive system but most of the party workers and leaders are supporting themselves on their own. And the party aims to run its operation through funds collected from membership drives.

Does age matter in politics?

There is a narrative of young and old in trend, which, I think, is wrong. Many youths this time got engaged in politics for cosmetic activities. In Kathmandu-5 itself, many aspiring youths sat with me for political negotiations. Some came without any agenda but with ridiculous claims that they were surely going to win because of the number of their business customers. Some said they have historical legacy and in the previous election, they got a good vote. Some claimed to have a better financial situation than me, so they should contest the election instead of me.

For contesting parliamentary polls, experience and knowledge in policy making and research should be the criteria. It’s about qualification—not about age.  Take the example of US Senator Bernard Sanders. He is 81 and still, he is highly engaged in policy research and advocacy. Therefore, his constituents, especially the youths can relax and enjoy their private life. We should establish a narrative of qualification for politicians, not age.

What do you suggest for aspiring politicians?

The first and most important thing is you must be independent and self-sufficient. Get some experience and follow a flexible-routine modality via expertise, consultancy and freelancing job. Then only you can manage your professional and political work. And lastly, after realizing your flexibility, knowledge, experience and expertise, decide which level of politics will you be able to fit in and can better deliver. With time, your political engagements will guide you. The present senior leaders had their own share of struggles. They were involved in revolutions. But we don’t have to do that. We are somehow privileged. Hence, we should focus on delivery-based politics backed by individual's qualification. 

Many people say that they will learn when they get into a political post. But a political post is not a place for an internship. It’s not for trial and error but it’s for delivery, based on trial and error that you have already committed and learned. Even after having an experience of about two decades, I was still afraid to join politics. I was not sure if I gained enough knowledge and experience or not because, as I already said, this stage is not for any error.

Most of the independent youth contestants are nowhere to be seen post-election. That isn’t the type of politics young people should be engaged in; it sends a very wrong message. You need to be committed and disciplined. If I find any important issue, I research it and share my findings with my colleagues who are lawmakers. They then raise the issue in the parliament. So, although I lost the election, I continuously find my ways to contribute and so can anyone else.

Established in 2009, eSewa is Nepal’s pioneering digital payment service provider. In the last 14 years of its operation, eSewa has remained at the top of the business offering a range of digital payment services that have helped change the lives of many Nepalis. ApEx talked to the company’s CEO Jagdish Khadka about the current state of the mobile wallet business, challenges, and eSewa’s plans. Excerpts: How do you observe the changes that have occurred in fintech in Nepal since eSewa started its services 14 years ago? eSewa started its journey in 2009. But there were a few rules and regulations for the online payment system at that time. In 2016, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) implemented guidelines related to payment service providers which paved a clear path for digital financial services in the country. Since 2016, there have been several developments in the realm of digital financial services. The number of digital transactions has increased tremendously. Recently, NRB has stated that digital payment has decreased the cost of disposing of older banknotes. Similarly, fintech has helped propel the inclusion of underbanked and unbanked people in the last few years. NRB's latest report states that there are around 16.75m active digital wallet users in Nepal. These days, people can carry on with their lives even if they don’t carry banknotes, which is the biggest change that we are seeing today. Likewise, the number of players in the fintech sector has also grown increasing the competition which has fostered innovation in the market. How is eSewa’s mobile wallet business currently? What is the market share? Only five percent of the national economy has been digitalized to date. And in that, we hold around 75 percent of the digital transaction which means eSewa has been the industry leader. This has benefitted not only our merchants and agents but also the end-users. Our initiatives such as raising digital payment awareness of Nepalis, educating the users and agents, and motivating merchants to get integrated into digital payment have contributed a lot. It is said that there is less profit margin in the mobile wallet business. What is the case with eSewa?  The entire digital business works with unit economics meaning volume is needed to thrive in business. This is the only way mobile wallets have survived worldwide and so similar is the case in Nepal. The more services companies integrate, the more users they can have. Similarly, the more merchants they have, the more business they can get The growing number of mobile wallets in Nepal has raised questions about their survival. Do you see the prospect of mergers and acquisitions between digital payment service providers? If the existing players have inefficiency, there will always be room for betterment. This means, there is always a space for new players in the market. As I said earlier that only five percent of the economy has been digitized, all are contributing to the journey of digitalization and the players are contributing in their own way in the economy. Given this situation, companies can survive if they can perform better. How do you see the future of fintech companies in Nepal? Will they be able to get foreign direct investments (FDIs)? NRB recently introduced a policy where now payment service providers and payment service operators can have up to 15 percent of their paid-up capital as FDI. So, fintech companies can bring FDIs. eSewa is also doing great in remittance. Though eSewa remit doesn’t come under my watch, what I can say is in a short period of time, we are in second position in Nepal in terms of bringing remittances. How do you see the scope of the field of digital finance from a career development point of view? Fintech has a great future. There will be no industry that will be impacted by technology. Everything is getting integrated with technology. There is still much to be done in fintech in Nepal. We are just in payment systems but there are many aspects including credit, savings, lending, insurance, investment, and finance that are yet to be developed. I think fintech and digital platforms will be the most efficient channels in this regard in the future. Similarly, there is a big scope for the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in fintech. Many new things will come up and career prospects are definitely good in this field. We have been hearing about the quality of customer services of eSewa lately. How is the company working to better handle the complaints of customers? eSewa has come up with new app features to serve customers better. We get around 11,000 phone calls per day. Our front-line staff are there to attend calls to solve issues of the users. Recently, we integrated an in-built feature in our app which allows users to note their queries so that they don’t have to call us over the phone. We are working more on it. They can lodge their complaints and check whether the problems have been solved or not. We are also planning to introduce a chatbot with instant customer service in the future.