Kathmandu. Isn't Nepal moving towards repeating the Mahakali Treaty like 'Ghumiphiri Rumjtar'? The growing controversy within the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) has naturally forced us to think in this direction.
There is a unique political polarization in Nepal regarding the US aid project 'Millennium Challenge Corporation' (MCC). Similar polarization was seen in 2053 BS when the Mahakali Treaty was passed. Not only that, in the same style seen within the then CPN-UML, the ruling party is now embroiled in controversy. The cadres are worried that the party will split.
On the other hand, as during the Mahakali Treaty, the Nepali Congress has been strongly advocating for the MCC. It is not uncommon to fear that the 2053 BS will not be repeated to get the MCC approved by the parliament, just as the UML split at that time and passed the Mahakali Treaty in collaboration with the Congress.
Leftist thinker and diplomat Hiranya Lal Shrestha believes that the controversy in the CPN-UML during the Mahakali Treaty and the controversy within the CPN (Maoist) at the time of the MCC debate are of the same nature. "Even then, despite the dispute within the party, the UML split and passed the Mahakali Treaty with the Nepali Congress," he said.
According to Shrestha, the meeting between the Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist) Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba was a result of their common vision at the MCC.
However, he said that it was not appropriate to say that the dispute within the CPN (Maoist) was due to the MCC alone. "One of the reasons is the MCC, but the MCC is not the only reason for the dispute within the party."
He says that the dispute within the CPN (Maoist) will end as soon as Oli, who has a dual role of prime minister and party chairman, leaves one role. "But he did not want to give up both the roles, so other leaders within the party seem to be united against him," he said.
Political analyst Hari Roka also sees similarities between the scenario seen on the eve of the Mahakali Treaty and the current scenario. He understands that the tendency of the political leadership, the working style and the dissatisfaction within the party are almost the same then and now.
Mentioning that the Mahakali Treaty was more important to India than to Nepal at that time, he said, "Now the MCC seems to be more important for the United States and India than for Nepal."
He said that Nepal could run the project under MCC on its own, for which it should not continue cooperating with the United States amidst many fears. "If the Corona epidemic had not happened, the budget would have been Rs 18-19 trillion now," he said. "What is the big deal for a government that can bring in such a budget of Rs 55 billion?"
He said that there is no need to dispute about what MCC is. "It has become clear what the MCC is," he said.
He recalled that a commission was formed under the chairmanship of KP Sharma Oli after a dispute arose within the then CPN-UML over the issue of Mahakali Treaty. At that time, a one-point campaign was launched to study the condition of the Mahakali River and its source, saying that the Mahakali Treaty must be passed anyway. He says he is on the side.
The two-thirds vote required to pass the Mahakali Treaty would not have been possible without the support of the then UML. Analysts call it an "artificial majority." According to Roka, even though there is a heated dispute within the ruling CPN (Maoist) over the issue of MCC, the possibility of cooperation between one faction of the CPN (Maoist) and the Nepali Congress is being explored.
However, Raghuji Pant, a member of the Standing Committee of the ruling CPN (Maoist) argues that the current dispute within the CPN (Maoist) should not be linked to the eve of the Mahakali Treaty.
"Even though the controversy within the UML over the Mahakali treaty escalated at that time, it cannot be said that the current controversy within the CPN (Maoist) is due to the MCC," he said. That is the way to go. '
He said that the MCC was yet to be discussed within the party. "The report submitted by the task force has not been submitted to the standing committee," he said.
"Aren't the supporters and opponents of the MCC becoming polarized in the recent controversy within the CPN (Maoist)?" He asked. He says that there are many leaders and activists.
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