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The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
A year of rhetoric, broken promises, and weak governance for Nepal's Oli
Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has completed a year in office with the two largest parties — the Nepali Congress and his own CPN-UML — continuing the coalition that they forged with several promises, including amendments to the constitution, good governance, and a boost to development. While promises have remained largely unfulfilled, public dissatisfaction has grown. Analysts describe Mr. Oli's one year in office as unsuccessful across key sectors — governance, legislation, development, and foreign relations. 'It's a disaster on all fronts,' says Hari Sharma, a political commentator. 'If we were to talk about achievements, there is nothing visible… nothing that the people could really feel.' When Mr. Oli signed a seven-point deal with Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba on July 1 last year — which set the stage for Mr. Oli's fourth stint in power starting two weeks later on July 15 — the message the duo tried to convey was that a strong and stable government was what Nepal needed to usher in stability and ensure good governance. With Congress, the single largest party with 88 seats, backing Mr. Oli — whose Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) holds 79 seats — they controlled a comfortable majority in Parliament. But even on the legislative front, the government's weakness was starkly exposed, triggering public outcry. Amending the constitution was a core agenda of the two parties. They peddled the idea that the electoral system envisioned by the constitution, promulgated 10 years ago, made it nearly impossible for any single party to secure a majority, inevitably leading to hung parliaments and a cycle of unstable coalition governments. They proclaimed that Nepal's development was stymied by the lack of a stable and strong government. But the constitutional amendment was a ruse from the outset, a smokescreen to justify their return to power, say commentators. Whether the said amendments were even possible is a secondary question; the primary question is whether they ever truly intended to, says Ajaya Bhadra Khanal, research director at the Centre for Social Innovation and Foreign Policy, a Kathmandu-based think tank. 'As a matter of fact, constitutional amendments were never on the Oli government's agenda. This idea was tossed around to justify the coalition of the two largest parties, which is an unusual practice in parliamentary democracy,' says Mr. Khanal. 'What has actually been established over the past year is a politics of collusion, enabling the subversion of the rule of law in the interest of the ruling parties.' Just as Mr. Oli neared the first anniversary of his government, reports surfaced that one of his Cabinet Ministers was involved in corruption. For several weeks, lawmakers have been raising issues of bad governance and irregularities. Corruption concerns Mr. Oli, a loquacious leader by nature, is never tired of asserting that he won't tolerate corruption, but chooses to maintain silence on the issues of irregularities, including those involving Ministers from his own party. 'Forget achievements and progress; under Oli, corruption has been socialised. And this is even more dangerous,' says Tula Shah, a political analyst. 'The normalisation of corruption epitomises governance failure.' A couple of months ago, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak's name appeared in connection with a scheme under which millions were allegedly being collected from unsuspecting Nepalis going abroad on visit visas. After a hue and cry in the media and Parliament, the government formed a committee to investigate the matter. By the Oli government's own admission, the 'visit visa scam' had been going on for many years under various governments. Analysts say pointing to previous governments is a deflection tactic by the Oli government, when it should have taken stern measures and asked the Home Minister to resign. 'No government, or its leader for that matter, can avoid responsibility by claiming it has not committed corruption; checking corruption is the primary duty of any government,' says Mr. Shah. 'Implementing strong measures to curb corruption is one of the ways to earn public trust, and the government has failed in this.' Foreign relations fiasco Nepal's foreign policy is mainly shaped by its relations with two countries — India and China, its two neighbours. Ever since Mr. Oli became Prime Minister for the first time in 2018 — after the promulgation of the constitution in 2015 — he has made a habit of taking India head-on. He used Delhi's lukewarm response to the constitution and the subsequent border blockade to whip up ultra-nationalist fervor among his political base. His relations with New Delhi have not been the best. Yet, ever since assuming office last year, Mr. Oli has been keenly waiting for a visit to India. In November, he went to China, in a departure from the general tradition of visiting India first. During the Beijing visit, he secured a deal under the Belt and Road Initiative to carry forward a dozen projects in Nepal with Chinese funding. However, analysts say that does not signify an improved relationship. 'We have not seen any progress under that deal as well,' says Mr. Sharma. According to him, Mr. Oli, who never misses a chance to take a jibe at India, has spent the entire year waiting for an invite from Delhi. 'There is clearly a lack of trust from both neighbours,' he said. 'So, on the foreign policy front as well, Oli has not been successful.' Public dissatisfaction From the very outset, the government has earned notoriety for being intolerant of criticism and for its vindictive attitude. Those criticising the government or people in power on social media have been prosecuted through misuse of laws. In March, pro-monarchy protests attracted many people — though not all were calling for the monarchy's return. Many had joined simply to express dissatisfaction with misgovernance. The way the Oli government handled the protests — two people were killed and several others injured — led to more discontent among the general public. In recent months, even some members of the ruling parties have voiced criticism of the Oli government over its failures in basic areas like service delivery. Improved public service delivery is one way to measure how the government is functioning, but on this front too, the current administration has failed miserably, say analysts. 'The dilapidated condition of a major highway is a clear example of the central government's failure,' says Mr. Sharma. 'Over the past year, the road has remained unchanged, which means the government has done nothing.' A Bill related to civil service was mired in controversy after it was discovered that some interest groups from outside Parliament had influenced the insertion of a provision without lawmakers' knowledge. After the incident was widely reported, a committee to look into the matter was formed. But the episode exposed the weakness of the legislature, where the two big parties control enough seats to pass Bills. A few months ago, the government introduced a flurry of ordinances to change laws it claimed were hindering economic activities. That too raised questions about the 'strength' of the government Mr. Oli claims to lead. Ignoring such incidents that have eroded public faith in the government, Prime Minister Oli's outrageous daily claims of development and governance come as an affront to the people, commentators say. 'All in all, it's a rhetoric-filled one year for Mr. Oli,' says Mr. Sharma. 'More in talk, nothing in substance.' (Sanjeev Satgainya is an independent journalist based in Kathmandu)


Time of India
13-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
ChiPak Plan: Nepal indifferent on possible South Asian union without India, keen on Saarc
New Delhi: Nepal, as the current Saarc chair and country that hosts the Saarc Secretariat, is not enthusiastic about a recent move by China and Pakistan to create a possible South Asian union without India . Kathmandu is keen that Saarc be revived with full participation of India, ET has learnt. China has not yet approached Nepal with its proposal, but Kathmandu has little enthusiasm for such a move, indicated people in the know. Kathmandu-based sources told ET that Nepal has been a strong believer in Saarc and is hopeful that the process can be revived for a robust region and is not keen at this stage to join any South Asian platform minus India. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Eating This Daily Helps Empty Your Bowels Every Morning Gundry MD Learn More Undo The last Saarc summit was held in Kathmandu in 2014. The 19th Saarc Summit, planned for Islamabad in 2016, was postponed due to India's decision not to participate following the Uri terror attack. China and Pakistan are trying to put together trilaterals of like-minded countries in South Asia to create a larger regional grouping minus India. Bhutan, a close partner for India, is unlikely to be approached with the proposed idea. Live Events Last month, China hosted foreign secretaries of Pakistan and Bangladesh in the first-ever trilateral format.


India Today
11-07-2025
- Climate
- India Today
Deadly flood in Nepal was triggered by Tibetan glacial lake outburst
The deadly flood in Nepal's Bhote Koshi River that killed at least nine people and left more than two dozen missing this week was triggered by the draining of a supraglacial lake in the Tibet region, a regional climate monitoring body said on least 19 people, including six Chinese workers at the Beijing-aided Inland Container Depot, remain missing in Nepal after Tuesday's floods that also washed away the 'Friendship Bridge' that links Nepal and official Xinhua news agency has said 11 people were unaccounted for on the Chinese side of the mountainous border region. The Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) said satellite imagery showed the flood originated from the draining of the lake north of Nepal's Langtang Himal range. A general view shows a landslide-affected area, following heavy rains in Lalitpur district on the outskirts of Kathmandu. (Photo: AFP) "This is based on the preliminary analysis based on the available satellite images," Sudan Maharjan, a remote sensing analyst and expert of glaciers at ICIMOD, told Reuters.A supraglacial lake is formed on the surface of glaciers, particularly in debris-covered areas. It often begins as small meltwater ponds that gradually expand and sometimes merge to form a larger supraglacial lake, experts Sanyal, another ICIMOD official, said such events were increasing at an "unprecedented" pace in the Hindu Kush mountains that are spread across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan."We need to delve deeper into the triggers that are resulting in cascading impacts," Sanyal June-September monsoon causes massive floods and landslides in mountainous Nepal which, officials and experts say, is vulnerable to effects of climate change like extreme weather patterns, inconsistent rainfall, flash floods, landslides and glacial lake outburst year's early monsoon rains have inflicted deadly damage elsewhere in Nepal where at least 38 people have been killed or are missing since May 29, according to data from the government's National Disaster Relief, Reduction and Management Authority.- Ends

TimesLIVE
11-07-2025
- Climate
- TimesLIVE
Tibetan glacial lake drainage triggered deadly flood in Nepal, climate body says
The deadly flood in Nepal's Bhote Koshi River that killed at least nine people and left more than two dozen missing this week was triggered by the draining of a supraglacial lake in the Tibet region of China, a regional climate monitoring body said on Wednesday. At least 19 people, including six Chinese workers at the Beijing-aided Inland Container Depot, remain missing in Nepal after Tuesday's floods that also washed away the "Friendship Bridge" that links Nepal and China. China's official Xinhua news agency said 11 people were unaccounted for on the Chinese side of the mountainous border region. The Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (Icimod) said satellite imagery showed the flood originated from the draining of the lake north of Nepal's Langtang Himal range.


Express Tribune
11-07-2025
- Climate
- Express Tribune
Glacial lake drainage 'triggered flood' in Tibet
A member of the Nepalese army airlifts people stranded during the flood at Bhotekoshi river, Nepal, July 8, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS The deadly flood in Nepal's Bhote Koshi River that killed at least nine people and left more than two dozen missing this week was triggered by the draining of a supraglacial lake in the Tibet region of China, a regional climate monitoring body said on Wednesday. At least 19 people, including six Chinese workers at the Beijing-aided Inland Container Depot, went missing in Nepal after Tuesday's floods that also washed away the 'Friendship Bridge' that links Nepal and China. China's Xinhua news agency said 11 people were unaccounted for on the Chinese side. The Kathmandu-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) said that satellite imagery showed the flood originated from the draining of the lake north of Nepal's Langtang Himal range.