विचार

Rajendra Maharjan

Newars are the leaders / initiators of the movement for linguistic and racial rights. Now why they are unable to lead before and after the process of making constitution? Why are not they taking the leadership role in the formation of federal democratic republic and restructuring of Nepal? I would like to request to all the Newar leaders with self-review on the weaknesses.
In an interaction program ‘The Role of Newar community for the movement of racial liberation’ organized by Newa: National Council, on the occasion of Nepal Era 1137 Nhudan (New Year), Dr. Baburam Bhattarai raised such questions. It raised different reasons among people as the former prime-minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai asked such questions as he is a son-in-law of Newar from Gorkha. Dr. Bhattarai thought to test in the mass before he spoke in the assembly.
He requested to all not to understand the movement for racial liberation only in favour of Newar or non-khasarya. All communities should take this issue as an issue for national integration, and for that, his opinion was related to problems of leadership. The concern of Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, former prime-minister from khas-arya community and the chairperson of Naya Shakti Nepal was admirable; and it was an obligation to Newar leaders to search for the answers of his questions. 
The people who addressed the interaction program, whether Parshuram Tamang from Tamang community, or Deepak Chhetri from Madheshi community; the main issue of their opinion was: how Newar leaders lead national integration? The fact that all have to remember is that the problems and struggles of any races, class, religion or culture are not the subject of matter themselves only. They are interlinked with the problems and struggles of all races, colors, religion and cultures. They are interlinked not only with the nation, state and the government but also with justice, freedom and democracy as well as socialism. The problem in national integration is the problem in democratization of the nation. Moreover, problems in humanization of a person, family and the community. Nobody can avoid such issues and problems related to democratization of the nation and state as well as humanization of person, family and the society.
If the people from all races, colors, religion and cultures assimilate such issues, then new model of national integrity is possible. Otherwise, such issues would be blamed as being racist, international factor and against national integrity. We have dominant racist thought and behavior of suppressing such issues under the mat and have our hands folded. The advocacy of the people only from own language, religion, culture, signs and symbol is the real ‘racialism’; and advocacy of the language, religion, culture, signs and symbols are marked as the demands against races. Boycotted and oppressed people are not planning to increase their share just cutting off the share of dominant khas-aryas; rather they have a motive to provide justice, equality and freedom equally. Mainly such issues are guided with the demands and thoughts of against racism; in this sense, they are motivators of democratization and humanism. In this way, addressing such issues, new model of national integrity is possible. But, continuity of mono-ethnic rule and hegemony has helped in the division of the nation rather than developing national integrity. As a result, people like CK Lal are increasing though it is difficult to find the history of division of the nation due to such movements of races and languages.
There is no doubt that the Gorkhali king Prithvi Narayan Shah focused on geographical and political integration in the name of ‘National Integration’ alluring in economic benefits while expanding the state. As some sociologists have mentioned that there is no doubt on hegemonic power of mono-ethnic ‘Form Hidusthana’ over the integrated nation and the state. According to the sociologist, Dr. Chaitannya Mishra, there is a huge gap in the economic part of the integration; and a fact of oppression, exclusion and marginalization to ‘others’ making khas-aryas untouched.
Regarding objection, struggles and movements on such issues, not only the people involved in movement but also khas-aryas community should be conscious of the reality of new demand and intension of national integrity. The leaders of agitator of movement should also discuss with seniors and intellectuals from Khas-arya community or inform them about it. It is also one of the strategies of the movement to help them to realize and make a change. As such strategy is less focused, Newari leaders are found weak.
Newar leaders have to acknowledge well to their community about this new model of national integration; and still there seem some obstacles.  In the past, the leaders were in dilemma whether Newar community come under indigenous community or not, but the matter of discussion is whether the Newars are just a Nepalbhasha speaking community in Nepal or a state in Nepal?
‘State’, the trend of understanding meaning of the nation and state non-theoretically and non-historically is still in practice. Since nation signals its own people living in a territory with their own history, myths, language rather than country and state. Nepal consists of such states or the states with linguistic and racial communities that they have their own geography, history, myths and languages. The campaign for new model of national integration is for creating justice and equality among such states; and it is needed so much. If the whole country is taken as state, would be there the need of integration? Since there exist many states in a single country, the new model of national integration is to create cooperation, assistance and collaboration among such states. The Newars and the leaders from other communities who initiated integration in the past, are unable to split its vagueness. Therefore, there seems a problem of making this action proceed ahead with the help of ideological clarity about ‘State’.
The next thing that the Newar leaders have to cross ahead is the relationship between the nation, and Newar and other communities. According to sociologist Dr. Krishna Bhattachan, as Nepal is under aristocrat khas-arya males, ‘other’ communities are victims of spoliation and boycott. Whether linguistically, or culturally, economically and politically, there is mono-ethnic domination over the participation, access and influence of ‘other’ communities. The great weapons to break this barrier are reservation, federalism and restructuring of the nation. Is it possible from the parties led by aristocrat khas-arya males? If it is not possible, how to form alternative notion, organization and movement? Whether such questions have become a matter of concern to Newar leaders and the followers of the new model of national integration, this is must?
To define the relation between the state and other communities and decide a new alternative way, intellectual thinking and activeness linked to the community are must. In the words of Italian politician and thinker Antonio Gramsci, if any movement cannot form, assist and promote organic intellectual, then there is no success and expansion of it. Unfortunately, we are so weak in forming and managing organic intellectual. The intellectuals who sell their intellectual and handlers of INOGs are changed into activists with their spoilt reputation. If such weaknesses are not solved in time, the movement would not only be at surface but also be non-intellectual. The necessity now is the formation of organic intellectual and establish think tanks.
The movements and their organizations of Newar and other communities are formed from higher level, and some are started as the careful and organized struggle of the leaders. There is the need of opposition at grass root level, neighborhood, and community level. The coordination and expansion of grass root level is the base for organization and leadership. The principle of ‘bottom to top’ than ‘top to bottom’ for planning movement, organization and leadership would result the opposition strong and fruitful. But the concern of Newar leaders including agitators from other communities do not have their concern on this prospect, which is so sad.
A slight influence of the organization and movement based on top to bottom is seen so much in leadership of inter caste movement. The leaders who held the post in the past, still we have the problem that they don’t have to be elected from the community and hold the post forever. Their greediness on post, title, money and prestige is seen in every opportunities, election, appointment and nomination. Moreover, lack of knowledge, determination and credibility on the issues of movement as well as arrogance is rising up. Likewise, the trend of not accepting each other is also risen up. Besides that, the contraction of caste and surname is going up; and Capitalization or Superiority are risen up which is a great loss to movement. Next loss is also seen to the movement and it is the high influence of the main parties to ethnic organization and leadership and sincerity to the post of such parties. Since sincerity to the organization, issues and leadership is more important, therefore, social connection is more needed than political attachment. 
No movement can go ahead with a single person’s intension or single leadership. If we want to sway such movement nationwide, we must start the process of forming collective leadership, new leadership and transferring to new generation. For all post-holder leaders should realize that they are old and weak. Moreover, they have to feel as their reputation and impression degraded. If they do so, then they can start the process of forming new leadership and transferring leadership to the new generation. Unless such realization and effort is there, as the time passes, it is sure that new movement creates new leadership using the principle of necessity.
The nature of Newars in the movement led by their community is found different than that of led by the leaders from other linguistic and racial communities. Newar leaders have become the victims of lacking combative nature in the struggles. The problem is still there of challenging, competing or daring for win and loss. Such disgraceful movement neither provides result nor carries ethos of movement.
At last, again I would like to end this article with the saying of Dr. Baburam Bhattarai. He says that if this nation had been integrated by Malla kings in the valley, then the level of spoliation, boycotting and marginalization of other communities would not be at such level? Because Newar community ruled by Malla kings from Thakuri community have their breed, caste, race, occupation, religion, community and culture mixed with as a ‘Melting Pot’. Integration of the state from such king and the community would not be non-inclusive. Dr. Bhattarai further says that it is just explanation of gone sweet past, and he demands and desires that taking a lesson from this, Newar leaders have to play a great role to lead for financial, cultural and political integration. Do any old and new Newars have such ability and vision to complete it? The questions is unanswered, do anybody have the response?

Twitter: @rmaharjan72