Gen Z leaders whose recent protest toppled the KP Sharma Oli government say tomorrow’s Constitution Day events should be different from those of the past and all stakeholders should reflect on how the constitution or the government policies should address the aspirations of youths of the country.
Gen Z activist Sunil Phuyal said that the Constitution Day should remember the sacrifices of 72 martyrs and it should remind the government that changes need to be brought in multiple sectors including education, health employment so that young generation can benefit from such changes.
Gen Z leader Rakshya Bam said that Gen Z protesters initially made three key demands: End corruption, lift ban on social media platforms and form a commission to probe assets of public post holders who were appointed after 1990 movement. She, however, said they added the dissolution of House of Representatives as their demands as their own representatives didn’t speak up when 19 youths were brutally killed by security personnel.
She said Gen Z protesters didn’t demand alternative system to democracy because nobody is against democracy. “We just want to protest against those party leaders that use state resources for their own benefits. She said the Constitution Day should be a moment to remember the sacrifices of gen Z protesters.
Gen Z activist Pradip Gyawali- said that youth generation sought solutions to their problems from the current constitution. We believe that constitution that is result of the sacrifices of countless people is good document and the political system is also good but the problem is that current political leaderships have deviated from the constitutional path. He said Gen Z leaders want to enjoy the fundamental rights guaranteed by the constitution. We have seen the power of this constitution when the KP Sharma Oli government was toppled, the president saved the country from sliding into turmoil.
Senior Advocates Chandra Kanta Gyawali and Raju Chapagai have said that unless the constitution is amended, issues raised by Gen Z protesters cannot be adequately addressed. They said constitution should be amended to ensure accountability and transparency so that Gen Z can also own up the constitution.
Senior Advocate Gyawali said that the sacrifices of dozens of Gen Z protesters must be remembered tomorrow when the nation marks the Constitution Day. He said past governments indulged in runway corruption and that led to the youths hitting the street. Senior Advocate Gyawali- said since directly elected executive and abolition of corruption were the main demands of the Gen Z protesters, the interim government should form a constitution review or rewriting commission and the new Parliament can amend the constitution.
Constitution should be amended to ensure all executives of three tiers of the government are elected directly for four or five years and lawmakers are also elected under first- past- post system.
Senior Advocate Raju Prasad Chapagai said that on Constitution Day everyone one must realise that had the government honestly implemented the constitution, Gen Z wouldn’t have to hit the street and the country would not have to lose so many precious young lives. There are many good provisions in the constitution but the biggest problem is some key provisions of the constitution particularly those related federalism was never implemented, he argued. Chapagai said federalism, inclusion and commitment to socialism and were among the progressive provisions of the country. He said the constitution should be reviewed and necessary changes should be made to address Gen Z protesters’ demands.
The constitution is a living document and it should incorporate timely changes. Chapagai said current provisions relating to appointments in the constitutional bodies led to nepotism and favouritism and the constitution should be amended to fix the problems. He said implementation of federalism and timely adjudication of cases by constitutional bench must be ensured. There 8-10 cases before the constitutional bench where different tiers of the government are case parties but despite years, the bench hasn’t delivered its verdict, Chapagai said. He said Political Party Act should be changed to ensure democracy within a political party and the current election system should be changed to ensure parties change PR candidates on the basis of primary election and not with blessings of party leadership.
