‘The real garden of many flowers’

We have accomplished a long desire with this Constituent Assembly, which has true participation, representation and all the necessary characteristics. People used to describe Nepal as a garden of many flowers, but only one flower was allowed to grow while others were not even allowed to bloom. Instead, other flowers were crushed. Now, the process has started to make a real garden of many flowers comprising of different classes, castes, regions and communities of Nepal. The sacrifice, bravery and dedication of the best sons and daughters of the people have watered the garden of the Constituent Assembly.

For a long time, we dreamt of creating such a garden, we dreamt about the flower garden ensuring the rights of all the oppressed flowers, Madhesh, Tharus, castes and nationalities, women, Muslims, the oppressed regions and all poor workers, peasants and patriots, all blooming. Now, with the participation and presence of women, whether they are from CPN (Maoist), Nepali congress, CPN (UML) of any other party, I feel proud from an ideological and political point of view.

Despite our ideological differences; we feel that we share similar objectives and aspirations erected by those great martyrs. We have a common goal to build a New Nepal. I believe that united we can go ahead with the effort to build new state, because of the inclusive and proportionate representation in the CA. Because we stand on the same foundation of sacrifice, I feel that each of us is the leader of all, and all of us are the cadres of each party.

During the period of the election of the Constituent Assembly, the entire world was watching us. Some people, inside and outside the country, were confused. But, having powerfully responded to their suspicions, the Nepalese people have accomplished the CA election excellently.

Before this, we gave an excellent example to the world that the Nepalese people, the Nepalese parties and its leaders are capable of advancing the peace process on their own, through their collective effort and ability. We ourselves carried the peace process forward through the Comprehensive Peace Accord, the formation of the interim constitution and the interim government. The world was amazed and encouraged at Nepal for its independence and self respect.

After the courageous and exemplary verdict of the Nepalese people in the CA election, which caught the world by surprise, we have not been able to seriously address the initiatives and aspirations of the people. Three months have passed and we have not been able to take the immediate initiative to seriously address the courage, initiatives and aspirations of the people.

Despite the clear mandate of the people, among the political parties, we are not able to agree and work together in making a new constitution. This is very serious. Symptoms of suspicion and hopelessness are now replacing the courage and hope of the CA election time.

Stagnation has set in the general process of CA. It has created a worrying situation everywhere. It is true. We know that we have successfully solved the distant strategic issues in a simple way, but we, sometimes, are so confused that we are unable to solve even the very simple and small issues. It is a wonderful type of contradiction. I think it is the dialectics of the political development of society. This type of contradiction has its own rule and we are drawing it out naturally.

We are in the process of ending one era and starting another. The old ideas and working styles have not been able to free us, and the new ideas and working styles, born just recently, are not yet established. Therefore, it is a transitional period of epoch-making change. We should go ahead to find and follow the objective rules for a successful conclusion rather than worry. Although we are worried about the lengthy process, it has a positive aspect also. This long debating process has helped us to reach to the depth and breadth of the contradiction. At the same time, it has laid the foundation to speed the process of making the FDR constitution and taking the peace process to its logical end. The state will be a Federal Democratic Republic by the process of CA.

We have clearly put the provision in the interim constitution, and all of the agreements and understanding among the political parties to finalise all types of issues through the sovereign CA. The CA is the most powerful and most democratic institution. Nobody is above it. The CA is the only platform that can settle all the issues of creating a state structure. We should be aware that the vigour and dignity of CA will not be split by anyone. All the issues and questions will be finalised by it without lessening the dignity of the CA.

We can give a model of peace to the entire world. This responsibility is upon our shoulders, we, the new generation. We have the opportunity to give another example by institutionalising the democratic system in a new way.

The opportunities before us present us with many challenges. Our ideologies, political tendencies, norms and values collide against each other. Therefore, we should all concentrate on finding a rational solution. In this meeting of the CA, I, as the leader of the largest party, want to repeat my commitment to federalism, the Federal Republic and the creation of a new constitution by bringing all the parties together.