Step back Narendra Modi

“I have come here with the goodwill and love from one and a quarter billion people of India. Nepal India relations are as old as the Himalayas and the Ganga. Our relations have not moved forward with mere documents but through the hearts of people. We have always believed that it is not our work to interfere in what you do but to support you in the path you decide to take. Our only wish is that Nepal’s progress reaches as high as the Himalayas”

After listening to the speech that Narendra Modi delivered during the SAARC summit the entire constitution assembly hall was echoing with applause. He had won hearts of thousands of Nepalese and had left them spellbound. With his eloquent speech he had mesmerized all. People were gathered in roads through which he passed by just to have a look. Pashupatinath was beautifully decorated like a bride just to welcome him. Simply putting it into words the 45 minutes speech that Narendra Modi had delivered had entirely changed the perception of Nepalese towards Indians. When the rattle had shaken Nepal it was India who extended its hand for help once again Indian government had won the hearts of millions of Nepalese. Yes the news of border encroachment issues, Indian media issues and issues of expired food supply had become the headlines but we were still ignoring it as we had trust on Narendra Modi. We believed that he was a man with noble heart and now and then we were comparing our leaders with Narendra Modi. But after going through the seven points suggestions to alter the provision of our new constitution in an article of Indian express our viewpoint towards Narendra modi have completely changed. After observing such an unusual and unexpected act by the Indian government we were stuck in a dilemma on which side to believe and what not to. Are these actually suggestions by Modi lead government or by the conspirators who want Nepal to remain as it is? Is it appropriate for a sovereign nation to interfere in the internal issues of another sovereign nation?

Mr. Modi presently you have been constantly lobbying adoptive citizenship in Nepal but wasn’t it Bharatiya Janta Party which had sparked the issues of citizenship of Sonia Gandhi seventeen years ago to stop her from being the prime minister? If you were not agreeing to adoptive citizenship in the past and are still not agreeing with it today in context of India then why are you trying to impose the idea of adoptive citizenship in Nepal? Indeed your strategy of playing with the sentiments of madhesi Nepalese has worked and has aroused public agitation but you have evidently fallen in people’s eyes but conducting such an act opposing to the diplomatic behavior. Nepal is a sovereign country and Indian government should not cross its limitation and should act accordingly as a neighbor. The strategy of colonizing Nepal will never be successful and we will never allow and Indian to be our prime minister or president.

If you believe these suggestions will threaten Nepalese Mr. Modi well its crystal clear that you have had your hair and beard turned white without maturity. Those suggestions have once again united Nepalese. Finally federalism, inclusion and democracy have been institutionalized. After ten years of debate and rigorous efforts and approval of ninety percentages of C.A members we finally have crispy constitution in our hands. It might not be flawless but we have intellectuals to cope up with it in our country itself. If by any chance India seals the border, presently Nepal seems to be in loss but if we observe the situation in the longer run its India which will have to face a major loss. We have to develop a collaborative and co-operative relationship with our neighbors for our smooth functioning. With already existing cat and dog fights with Pakistan and newly emerged issues with Nepal we don’t think India will develop in a similar pace. Yes we are poor but we value independence and freedom much more than money. It’s worthless to sing “sayaun thunga fulka haami “if the country is broken up into fragments. We are not your slaves to follow everything as you say. Mr. Modi your dream of becoming world conqueror will split before your eyes. Thus India must curb its hegemonic perception and must stop interfering in the internal affairs of Nepal. We don’t need $600,000 for sandalwood. We don’t need slippery sugarcoated words. We don’t need a neighbor who attacks us behind our backs. All we need is a neighbor who genuinely wants us to develop.

Napoleon Bonaparte has correctly stated that necessity is the mother of invention.  International community will never allow India to take such an action but even if by any circumstance India seals the India Nepal border, local Nepalese products will flourish. We will start searching for alternative sources of energy. Our relationship with China will strengthen. Rather than importing apples from india we will be developing roads to bring apples from helambu. We will stand on our own feet rather than living a parasitic life forever. The millions and billions rupees we provide to India to import things will be stopped. Industries, trade and business will flourish. The farmers will be motivated.We will use our own manpower rather than using biharis for labor resulting to decrease in labor deficit. Newer job opportunities will emerge.

Professor of Jawaharlal Nehru University Kamal Mitra Chinoy has clearly stated in his interview with NDTV that Nepal’s constitution is better than that compared to India as it provides quota for women, marginalized groups and madhesis. Nepals constitution is for Nepal not for India. Make bridges in Gujarat, make the women in Delhi feel safer feed the inhabitants of Maharastra who are still under the poverty line. Nepal doesn’t need you but India desperately does. Yes you might be wearing dresses worth lakhs of rupees but your mentality will remain one of a chaaywala.  Step back Narendra Modi.

Challenges and Opportunities of Rural Education

On the occasion of 36th Education day and International Literacy Day 2015, USYC Nepal organized a discussion session with Mr Binod Shahi, Mr. Samden Sherpa, and Mr. Nawang Thora Sherpa about the challenges and opportunities of rural education system.

Samden Sherpa the first fellow of Teach for Nepal (TFN) and member of first cohort of USYC in his early years of youth dreamt of going to abroad to pursue his career as majority of the Nepali students dream to. Even after rigorous efforts he was rejected by U.S Embassy and the same rejection turned out to be a major turning point for him. He realized that his life was meant for his own people and started working for it.  After working in Ikkudol, Samden learnt that a teacher’s capacity, ideology and quality have a vital role on developing the children’s personality. He stated that though Nepal has developed in educational sector in terms of quantity it hasn’t developed in terms of quality. He believes that the major problem in rural education in Nepal is the lack of motivation among students and minimal participation of parents.

Nawang Thora Sherpa a TFN fellow and the member of USYC 2015 was raised by a single mother and his aunt and uncle. Keeping the fact in the mind that every single individual is not fortunate enough to have uncle and aunt like his, he started working in the education sector. At the initial of his teaching he conducted a diagnostic test and was shocked to see when the students of grade six couldn’t pass the curriculum of grade 2.  He amplified the lack of motivation and newness in teachers and the fact that the parents have no investment leads to lack of ownership causing the setback in rural education. Contradicting the point of Samden, Nawang believes that the teachers of government schools are qualitative but as the system of rewarding and punishment and proper monitoring is lacking the teachers are unable to function properly.

Binod Shahi a volunteer teacher in upper Dolpa has opened up a school with the aids of government and individual funds. According to him, the life of Dolpalis is similar to that of people in the Stone Age who do not have faint access to advancement and technology.  He highlighted that the people working in the government sector are benefitted from the problems rather than development. Thus, for individual development they do not allow the situation to flourish which is the main reason behind the backwardness of rural education. He believes that creative study is the utmost requirement in rural education so that they can utilize the local resources aiding to individual development as well as enhancement of the entire community.

After the guests shared their experiences the floor was opened for question and answer session. After a brief question and answer session the program came to an end at 4:30 p.m.