Discussions on the constitutional thought of B. P. Koirala

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A brainstorming session was organized in Kathmandu on the constitutional thought of late B. P. Koirala.

Organised by the Nepal Constitution Foundation and facilitated by former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana, the programme intended to provide a back up to the Foundation in its research on the constitutional thought of B. P. Koirala as the most remembered statesman of the country who led the revolution of 1950-51 and helped drafting the Interim Constitution in 1951.

The first popularly elected Prime Minister of Nepal, B. P. Koirala was also the inspiring force behind the 1959 Constitution of Nepal. His statements to the special court in the mid-1970s in response to the charge of treason and the recommendations given to the Constitution Drafting Commission at that time which led to the Third Amendment of the 1962 Constitution as part of the national reconciliation efforts also provide the basics of what Koirala thought about constitutionalism, the rule of law and basic human rights.

A paper to this effect was presented during the programme by constitutional expert Dr Bipin Adhikari who argued that it is possible to develop the B. P. Koirala School of Thought on Constitutionalism based on the writings of late Koirala, his contribution to the 1951 and 1959 constitutions and his petitions to the Supreme Court during the formative years of his political career, as well as the statements given to the special court in response to the charge of treason, illegal possession of arms and ammunitions and propagation of democratic socialism in the country. Adhikari argued that the theory that could be developed will have enormous importance because Koirala also lived by the values that he preached.

The programme was participated by Nepali Congress leaders Bhim Bahadur Tamang, Chakra Prasad Bastola, Sagar Shamsher JBR, Purushottam Basnet, constitutional expert Dr Surya Dhungel, Professor Ganesh D. Bhatta and advocate Dinesh Tripathi, among others.

Concluding the programme, former Speaker Daman Nath Dhungana said B. P. Koirala introduced modern political thoughts of democracy and constitutionalism in the country and the efforts to study him in this context is very timely. He also pointed out that we are in a situation where such thoughts are as important as ever.

The programme was held as part of the National Reconciliation Day which is observed every year by the democrats in Nepal to commemorate the return of B. P. Koirala and his colleagues from exile on 30 December 1976. nepalnews.com