The Himalayan Times, July 30, 2009

Kathmandu: Youth Constituent Assembly members today alleged that their senior counterparts had given them little say in deciding matters. Speaking during an interaction organised by the Association of Political Science Students’ here, Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum lawmaker Jaya Ram Yadav said senior leaders of most political parities did not listen to younger leaders. “The senior leaders always brush their suggestions aside citing immaturity of opinion,” he claimed. “Though there are around 70 per cent youth leaders in UCPN-Maoist and MJF, their voices are dominated by a clique of senior leaders.” Yadav said parties dominated by such leaders were busy playing power-games rather than concentrating on the drafting of the new constitution. “They are engaged mainly in making and breaking governments,” he said.

CPN-UML lawmaker Rabindra Adhikari said youth CA members were also self-centred and craved for personal gains. “Fearing loss of their political position, the junior leaders cannot tell their seniors the truth,” he said, adding that the parties were not serious about the prime task of drafting the constitution.

Former minister Suresh Malla underscored the need of consensus among parties to formulate the constitution on time. “The leaders should devote themselves to the national interest forgetting their petty motives.” Constitution expert Dr Surya Dhungel asked the youth CA members and leaders to urge senior leaders to draft the constitution. “If the senior party leaders fail to form a consensus on statute drafting, youth leaders should challenge them by forming an alliance in order to meet the people’s expectation,” he said. “The Constituent Assembly is being jobless these days. The youths should remind the seniors of the CA’s goal in and out of the Assembly,” he added.

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