Crisis solution (2015)

Since the Delhi Agreement between seven parliamentary parties and the insurgent CPN (Maoist) of 22 November 2005, the people of Nepal have been waiting in vain for the promised realisation of an inclusive democratic system. Although the then putsching monarchy was abolished and a constitution was passed in 2015 after long power struggles between the political parties, even this was the sole work of the exclusively male leaders of the three major parties, predominantly male Bahuns. The appropriate participation of all social groups, as provided for in the interim constitution of January 2007, did not take place. In this respect, the constitution of 2015 even represented in part a step backwards compared to the interim constitution.
Thus, apart from the abolition of the monarchy, not much has changed since the 1990 system. Numerous fundamental human rights continue to be disregarded. There is no inclusion of all social groups. All power and the majority of all state functions are still in the hands of male Tagadharis, especially male Bahuns.  The latter make up only 6 percent of the population, but the identification of the state and its society and culture, in short the nationalist image of the state of Nepal, is still based on the culture and partly narrow-minded, anarchic, patriarchal and socially discriminating view and thinking of this small minority. As long as this state of affairs continues and the failed generation of political leaders of all parties is not replaced by a younger generation that is inclusive, open-minded, receptive and not exclusively oriented towards personal power interests, there will be no end to the crisis situation.

31/12/2015: Constitution amendment bill: Big 3 ready to accept Morcha’s revision, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Bilateral efforts on to resolve problems: Delhi, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Season of discontent: The ‘unofficial’ blockade of Nepal is a diplomatic failure of the Indian government, by Hari Prasad Shrestha (kp), India supports efforts to end crisis: Rae (ht), Signs of a thaw: Restraint from both police, protesters means more room for greater political engagement (kp), Protests rage on in Tarai (kp), Traders chase away SLMM protesters, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), UML needs to be proactive to end Tarai unrest: UCPN-Maoist; UDMF to withdraw blockade at border entry points only after its demands are met, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Oli innundated with brickbats for inaction, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Calibre Of Government Under Test, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), RPP central members flay govt (kp), Who are we? If we can all rejoice in the richness of our collective cultural heritage, we will all be the better for it, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Rice yet to reach earthquake victims (ht)

30/12/2015: SLMM mulls ending border obstructions (kp), UDMF may ease border obstruction: Agitating parties’ next move to depend on readiness of govt to meet their demands, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Thakur, Yadav on the same page, Mahato adamant (kp), Janakpur tense, 100 injured in clashes (kp), Deliberations on amendment bill put off (kp), Constitution amendment process slowed down: Speaker hopes for a breakthrough in a few days, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Move on: The country might have to face dire consequences if the Madhesi demands are not fulfilled, by Seema Pandey (kp), Morcha wants murder suspect released: Amar Yadav is in police custody on suspicion of his role in the murder of Dinesh Kushawaha two months ago (kp), Double trouble: The Dalit community has faced discrimination in relief distribution after the Great Quake, by Raj Pariyar (kp), Relief items vanish from warehouse, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Earthquake survivors receiving aid: Govt (kp) [???], NRA to announce programmes in mid-January: Authority CEO Gyawali said that reconstruction programmes would be made public on National Earthquake Safety Day (kp), 4.6m Nepalis without citizenship, report claims (kp), ‘Jumbo Cabinet - A Compulsion’, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn) [???], SC questions Cabinet expansion (ht)

29/12/2015: Constitution amendment: Deliberations on bill start with ‘go-slow’ approach, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Morcha: Respond to our demands (kp), Clashes in Janakpur leave at least 35 hurt (kp), Done no wrong on rights issue: Basnet; A National Human Rights Commission report published last month has concluded that police used excessive force against protesters in the Tarai (kp), Transitional justice: Govt sitting on rules; Regulations not sent to the Bill Committee, which reviews the draft before forwarding it to the Cabinet (kp), Desperate times: Due to the Indian blockade Nepali people are being forced to live like refugees in their own country, by Laxmi Bilas Koirala (kp), Laughing With The PM To Remain Healthy, by Prem Khatry (rn),  Impeach The President, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

28/12/2015: Quake-hit send warm clothes to Capital, by Harihar Singh Rathaur (kp) [!!], Madhes has right to demand its rights, says NC leader Giri: Giri notes that the new constitution is very much similar to the one drafted during king Mahendra’s era (kp), Constituency delimitation: Advantage for Hill districts is unfair: SLMM; With frequent informal talks, debate has got more candid, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Dozens injured in clash with police, by Shyam Sundar Shashi (kp), Writ at SC against Oli’s jumbo Cabinet (kp), Clueless: Already Oli govt is among insensitive and ineffectual ones Nepal has seen (kp) [!!], UCPN (Maoist) growing impatient with Oli govt, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), House session adjourned over ruling lawmakers’ no-show: Discussion on Constitution Amendment Bill deferred as most of the ruling MPs stay away, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [??], The other sidePeople in India want the blockade removed and unique relationship between two countries strengthened, by Pratyush Nath Upreti (kp), ‘Neither side has any interest in mediation’, interview with Devendra Raj Pandey (kp), Hollow Assurances And The State, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

27/12/2015: UML ‘to grill’ Oli for slicing ministries: PM’s move to appease fringe forces displeases party, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Sadbhawana Party Chair Mahato injured in clash, by Madhav Ghimire and Binod Bhandari (kp), For way out, NC, UCPN (M) talk to Tarai parties: Meet to prepare common position on Amendment Bill (kp), Cold kills another quake victim: Toll this winter reaches 20; Majority of them tremor survivors (kp), In Salyantar, quake survivors grapple with water shortage, by Harihar Singh Rathaur (kp), Relief rice rots at DDC godown in Manthali, by Tika Prasad Bhatta (kp), Withering Value-based Politics, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

26/12/2015: Morcha sets riders for accepting amendments, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), TRC wants report on deaths, loss of property, by Dewan Rai (kp), Nepal and China agree to sign long-term fuel deal (kp), Sushil Gyawali named NRA chief, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Gyawali new reconstruction authority, by Tika R.Pradhan (ht), SLMM obstructs YAN gathering (kp), Youths to help families of deceased protesters (kp), Oli creates new ministries (kp), Secretaries reshuffled again (kp), Deuba offers ‘autonomy’ for Tharu strongholds (kp), Thakur rejects Dahal’s proposal (ht), Don’t call off protests, Bhattarai tells UDMF (ht), FIMA seeks withdrawal of statute amendment bill (ht), Quake-hit children suffering from cold-related ailments, by Rishiram Poudyal (kp)

25/12/2015: Oli-led Cabinet balloonsn Expansion flayed n Experts point at wrong timing, say constitutional provision breached, by Bhadra Sharma (kp) [Oli once again proves that he is not interested in the rule of law: The constitution allows not more than 25 ministers but Oli now has 40 of them including unbelievable 6 Deputy PMs!! This is how he and his colleages loot the state while earthquake victims are suffering!!], Oli inducts four ministers from fringe parties (ht), Left out in the cold: For quake-hit, situation taking a turn for worse (kp) [Make this and the previous government responsible!!], Homeless in winter: Earthquake survivors are desperate, but the government is not, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Multiple trouble: Families who survived the earthquake and the monsoon are now braving winter and the Indian fuel blockade, by Sahina Shrestha (nt), Quake victims yet to receive relief fund: With mercury dipping, children and elders have been affected most (ht), Cold weather hits earthquake survivors hard, by Anup Ojha, Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons: Legislation begins to punish disappearance, by Dewan Rai (kp), Tharus threaten to intensify agitation (ht), UDMF can allow passage if language of document is changed, says Dahal (ht) [??], Way to go: The proposed constitutional amendments have raised hopes for an end to the political impasse, by Ganesh Mandal (kp), Clear thinking needed: Nepal must learn its lesson from the ongoing fuel crisis and formulate a new energy security plan, by YB Thapa (kp), Always around: Hopefully India’s recent concerns regarding Nepal’s human rights situation is not just a political gimmick, by Ram Bhandari (kp), A Roadmap For Exit From Ethical Dilemma, by Narad Bharadwaj, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Years of living dangerously: Despite challenges, we are a far better society than we were, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Deciding to de-escalate: A win-win can only happen with a halt to Indian micro- and macro-management, by Kanak Mani Dixit (nt)

24/12/2015: Parties dispute over ‘disputed districts’ (kp), Constitution amendment bill tabled (kp), Bill tabled at House amid protest: But discussion is postponed as NC and other fringe parties seek a few more days to bring Morcha on board, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Deliberations on constitution amendment bill deferred, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Consensus on eight provinces likely: Dahal (ht), ‘3-pt roadmap only viable solution’ (kp), Agitating parties losing grip on protest: Rights groups (kp), Curfew imposed in Gaur for fourth day (ht), Curfew lifted, life returning to normal in Gaur (kp), Students demand school resumption, by Shyam Sundar Shashi (kp), Not quite what it seems: One can dismiss Janakpur incident as politically motivated propaganda of hill caste politicians and media, by Pramod Mishra (kp), So unfair: The Nepali political class has yet to embrace the value of meritocracy, by Ramesh Khatry (kp)

23/12/2015: Living with dualities: The nation is moving in a trajectory that can only lead to violence, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Morcha dismisses govt offer as ‘vague’, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Govt’s proposal abstract: UDMF, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Govt reluctant to settle Tarai crisis: Bhandari (ht), Roadmap for peace (ht), Curfew in Gaur after demo; clash in Sarlahi’s Malangawa (kp), ‘Dekendra kin deserve succour’: TRC activities affected by earthquakes, ongoing agitation in Tarai, says Commissioner Jha, by Prakash Adhikari (kp), Quake-hit students deprived of shelter, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Displaced complain of severe cold, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp), Mistreatment of President condemned (ht), Call to amend citizenship-related acts (ht), Nepalis shamed: When we heard of the insult of our head of state at Janaki Mandir we were all anguished, by Sambridhi Gyawali (rep), Rule of elites: Kathmandu's indigenous people are inept and incompetent, by Kedar Maharjan (rep)

22/12/2015: Govt offers changes in amendment bill, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Govt decision a step forward, says UDMF: To respond to Kamal Thapa’s talks offer today, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Agitation will end when demands are met: Yadav (ht), Addressing Madhes issues: India welcomes Nepal Cabinet decisions (kp), Rae seeks Morcha’s take on Cabinet move: Indian envoy urges Madhesi leaders to lift ‘blockage’ and seek solution through dialogue (kp), Sit-in at Birgunj-Raxaul crossing reaches 90 days, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), No sparing those airing secessionist remarks: PM (ht) [The non-inclusive federal setup as decreed by the male Tagadhari leaders also promotes secession!!], PM warns legal action against violence in name of movement, by Bedraj Poudel (kp) Ultimatum for action against miscreants (ht), Krishna Prasad murder case: SC revokes appeals court bail for accused (kp), Send Paudel to judicial custody: SC (ht), Utter neglect: Political neglect, bureaucratic indiscipline have created a local governance vacuum (kp), Reasons to worry: The current government has miserably failed to address the ongoing crises in the country, by Prakash Chandra Lohani (kp), Removing the bottlenecks: The undeclared economic blockade has brought Nepal-India ties to their lowest ebb, by Niranjan Mani Dixit (kp), Terai: A Chilling Protest And Useless Death, by Prem Khatry (rn), The errant Left: A party that calls itself Marxist-Leninist has long been reduced to a status-quoist party with strong business-bureaucracy-NGO network, by Sujan Dangal (rep)

21/12/2015: Reconstruction bill endorsed (ht), Kavre quake victims await warm clothes, by Raj Kumar Parajuli (ht), Homeless earthquake victims face harsh weather (ht), Redrawing federal boundaries: Cabinet decides to form panel for suggestions (kp), Govt endorses three-point roadmap: Says it is committed to addressing concerns of agitating forces through talks (ht) [Two days ago, PM Oli has still claimed that the Mahdes movement has no relevance!!], Divisive politics: Social divisions could deepen if Amendment Bill doesn’t take Madhesi parties on board (kp), Schoolboy killed in police firing; curfew imposed in Gaur (ht), Protester killed in police firing in Gaur: Indefinite curfew clamped in the Rautahat district headquarters, by Shiva Puri (kp), Schools in Janakpur area closed again: Though Morcha cadres agreed to resume schools, a student union affiliated to Rastriya Madhes Samajbadi Party shut them down, by Shyamsundar Shashi (kp), FIMA threatens to intensify agitation (ht), Spoiling the talks (ht), Nepal-India relations: Tarai protests, embargo sour local-level ties, by Amrita Anamol (kp), Time to seek alternative to Oli govt: Yadav (kp) [But only with a completely new generation of poiliticians! Else it makes no sense!], TRC seeks papers from both sides: Asks govt bodies, former rebel party for war-era policies and strategies, by Dewan Rai (kp), Women rights groups, FNJ censure Janaki Temple incident (kp) [Anarchic and arrogant male thinking continues, with or without Hindu state!], Against Politics Of Negation, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Govt vows action against miscreants (ht), New APF chief takes charge (kp) [Not to forget, he supported the roal putch a decade ago!!], Naya Shakti for changing times for economic development, interview with Baburam Bhattarai (kp), Taken hostage: Unless locals come forth to make politicians accountable, millions of children will be denied their right to education, by Bhagirath Yogi and Anamol Mani Paudel (rep), Perverted perks: The plan to provide perks and extra facilities to VIPs amounts to open loot of state coffers, by David Kainee (rep)

20/12/2015: Birgunj, Gaur tense as Morcha steps up stir: Cops, locals an rotesters hurt in clashes, by Bhusan Yadav and Shiva Puri (kp), UDMF rejects Nepali Congress proposal: Says no to taking up bill on first amendment of constitution of Nepal now and other issues later (ht), Morcha urges NC to take lead in Tarai talks: ‘Ready to conditionally support statute amendment’ (kp), Govt won’t go to Tarai for talks: Gyawali (kp), Tension re-emerges in the plains (ht), Absence of VDC secys paralysing local govt: Quake victims facing hard time; Reconstruction work likely to be hit, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Grand strategy: Nepal needs a century-long vision to secure its future, by Binayak Basnyat (kp), Lost in transition: Quake survivors shiver under tarpaulins while political parties fight over plum posts, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), Indian Blockade: A Litmus Test For Communists, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Flow of vehicles from India rises (ht)

19/12/2015: TRC writes to govt asking to amend Act, by Dewan Rai (kp), Morcha announces fresh protests (kp), Constitution amendment bill tabled to mislead the public, says UDMF (ht), Madhes agitation meaningless: PM (ht) [??], Oli: Govt will take statutory course if Tarai talks fail (kp), Deliberations on bill put off till December 23, by Tika R.Pradhan (ht), Earthquake-hit await warm clothes, shelter, by Prakash Adhikari (kp), CBS to submit data on quake survivors soon (ht) [Why so soon? Only eight months have passed since the earthquake!], ‘Every bilateral issue shouldn’t be politicised’: Sovereignty comes to fore whenever Nepal, India try to do something: Rae (ht) [??], Misplaced priorities: As voices continue to raise concerns, it is high time that citizens realised  that the country cannot be held hostage by a few obstinate ones, by Sarin Ghimire (kp), An Open Letter To Upendra Yadav, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

18/12/2015: APF chief Onta faces suspension (kp), Morcha to boycott talks, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Talks with Madhesi parties stalled, as UDMF adamant on package deal: United Democratic Madhesi Front says talks now have no significance, threatens to intensify agitation, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Rajendra Mahato warns of intensifying agitation (ht), CIAA calls for suspension of APF IG Onta (ht), Charter revision will ease cargo passage: India, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Process of passing constitution amendment bill begins today (ht), NC for intensive discussion on amendment bill, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Nepal’s new charter a milestone: UK; But urges Kathmandu to agree a political position that meets concerns of all Nepali citizens (kp), Blockade promotes malpractices: Birgunj folk, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Krishna Prasad murder case: NHRC to govt: Bring culprits to justice (kp), The great fall: Nepali leaders and India are both to blame for the dismal state of Nepali economy, by Hari Prasad Shrestha (kp), Preventive diplomacy: Track two diplomacy can resolve the current Nepal-India imbroglio, but it is a skill Kathmandu lacks, by Yogendra P. Paneru (kp), Quake victims battling against cold in tents (ht) [Exhange your tents against the houses and palaces of leading politicians!!], The enemy within: We don't need India to wreck our country, Nepal's politicians are doing it just fine (nt), A tale of two frontiers: “There is nothing here. No people, no business. We open the shop just to pass the time.", by Seulki Lee (nt), Dousing the flames: The key to resolving the Madhes issue lies in how Kathmandu reaches out to the aggrieved, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Jaffna in Janakpur? Nepal must exercise the logic of being a true buffer state, by Bihari K. Shrestha (nt), Strength through adversity, by Priyanka Gurung (rep)

17/12/2015: Reconstruction Bill passed unopposed: Decks cleared for the formation of the National Reconstruction Authority almost eight months after the April 25 earthquake, by Binod Ghimire (kp), House passes reconstruction authority bill, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Guidelines on aid to earthquake victims: Govt to provide Rs 200k to half a million families (kp), Govt paves way for distribution of housing grants (ht), Morcha leaders on the horns of a dilemma: SLMM in a tight spot over statute amendment bill, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), SC quashes writ against 16-point pact (kp) [?? Justice bows to politics!], Winter clothing and blankets meant for quake victims become food for rats, by Susip Kaini (kp), Hit and miss: Passing Constitution Amendment Bill with a broad ownership will help (kp), Pointing fingers: Diplomatic exchanges between Nepal and India during the 1989-90 blockade are still relevant, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Young minds: Involvement of children in recent political protests does not qualify as the exercise of their right to participation, by Tomoo Hozumi (kp), ‘A lot more needs to be done to eradicate existing social evils’ (ht), Delhi stirred: India cannot escape from its responsibility of using its soft power to engage the two sides to resolve the Madhesh crisis, Hari Bansh Jha (rep)

16/12/2015: Govt pushes both bills through: Speaker Gharti continues with House proceedings despite protests by eight agitating Madhes-based parties, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Rule of nobody: Parliament must immediately pass the Reconstruction Bill (kp), Victims shiver as parties bicker: Quake-hit awaiting relief, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp), Flood-displaced out in cold, by Kamal Panthi (kp), Relief rice for earthquake victims rot in warehouse: NFC employee says rice sprayed with pesticides but fit to eat after exposing to sunlight, by Sudip Kaini (kp) [Please replace it with the rice that is reserved for the leading politicians!!], Prez to visit Janakpur, SLMM plans protests (kp), Rawal: No immediate mobilisation of Army; Chief of Army Staff demands around Rs8.6 billion to purchase arms (kp) [?? This sounds like a revival of former royal politics: War against the own citizens?], Gachhadar’s memo to PM to implement deal (kp), Writ petition to review contradictory clauses: Since 2006 the government has formulated almost a dozen regulations and procedures to provide compensation, social security and other benefits to the kin of those killed in the conflict (kp), A divided self: The notion of Nepali nationalism which excludes the Madhesis and Tharus will only weaken the nation, by Bhabes Kumar Labh and Laxmi Prasad Ojha (kp), Hand in hand It is the duty of every citizen to respect the rights of others while demanding their own, by Madhab Regmi (kp), Difficulties For The Government, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn)

15/12/2015: Delay in NRA formation: Parties jostling for cash, clout; UML considering 4 contenders; NC backs Pokhrel, by Anil Giri [Thank god, all the candidates from NC and CPN-UML are male Bahuns! This guarantees continued non-inclusion in access to the reconstruction funds!], Quake-displaced face hardship as winter progresses: Govt, development partners run winter relief programme, Pragati Shahi (kp), NC snubs meeting with Prez Bhandari (kp), Speaker in consultation to end House deadlock (kp), Statute must be rewritten, says Yadav (kp), More action, less words: The new constitution should be amended immediately to address the Tarai agitation, by Prakash Bom (kp), Committed RA Needed For Reconstruction, by Prem Khatry (rn)

14/12/2015: Transitional justice process in limbo for want of regulations (kp), Congress obstructs Parliament again to foil Reconstruction Bill (kp), Tarai talks tied in tangles: Govt says ready to resolve demarcation row but without tweaking seven-province model, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Trade through Tatopani unlikely to resume soon: China mulls over new transit point, by Anil Giri (kp), SC moved against govt perks plan for former VIPs (kp), Corruption and cronyism: PMO has shamelessly revived proposal to provide benefits to former VIPs (kp), Embargo ruined dream for vibrant Nepal: PM Oli (kp) [Just as the illegitimate procedure in constitution writing ruined the dream of an inclusive and vibrant Nepal! This procedure is most responsible for the current situation, Mr Oli!!], Banda affects life in eastern districts (kp), Dateline Birgunj: Madhesis could feel further alienated by the state if the movement does not bring any substantive change, by Dipendra Jha (kp), No agreement is possible unless we agree on delineation, interview with Mahanta Thakur (kp), Failing Talks And Desperate People, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

13/12/2015: Morcha protests on the wane, by Lila Ballav Ghimire (kp), Agitators’ behaviour angers locals, by Shiva Puri and Laxmi Sahrautahat (kp), Embargo puts spoke in industrial wheel: Industrialists say capacity utilisation has come down nearly 20 percent, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Nepal-China trade: Locals of Tatopani left out in cold: Call on the government to do the needful to reopen border point pronto, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Tarai protests: Thousands deprived of social security allowance, by Shyamsundar Shashi, Bedraj Paudel and Devnarayan Sah (kp), Delayed rebuilding hits women, children hard (kp), Maoist ministers fail to impress party colleagues: They ‘promoted nepotism, did not live up to popular aspirations’ (kp), The tyranny of choice: Federalisation of the hitherto unitary state was never a well-thought-out notion to begin with, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp) [It is the ruling elite that tries to prevent the transition from a non-inclusive unitary state into an inclusive federal state at all means!!], Make No Compromise On Sovereignty, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Madheshi Leaders for Face Saving, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

12/12/2015: Statute discriminates against women: Activists (kp), One step forward, two steps back: Nepali Congress, Madhesi Morcha at loggerheads (kp), NC seeks SLMM’s support for tabling amendment bills in House (kp), PMO plans lifelong perks for ex-VIPs, by Anil Giri (kp) [The state as self-service shop for corrupt politicians!!], WFP concerned over food price hike in the wake of blockade (kp), Human Rights defenders condemn blockade (kp), Path Towards Self-Sufficiency, by Kushal Pokharel (rn)

11/12/2015: Face the future: The ongoing crises present a good opportunity for the rise of a new political force in Nepal, by Krishna K. Shrestha and Hemant R. Ojha (kp), Signs of thaw in relations: SLMM to let Parliament endorse Reconstruction Bill; Formal, informal talks to continue, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), NC obstructs House over Bill on statute amendment (kp), Flow of cargoes increases at three border crossings: A record 225 cargoes enter from the Rupaidiha-Nepalgunj point after a month-long lull; Supporters of Madhesi Morcha continue to obstruct the Raxaul-Birgunj transit zone (kp), Rights activists held, released (kp) [Rights activists do not have the right to demand the respect of human rights!!], International Human Rights Day: PM Oli seeks support from all quarters (kp) [The government and the political parties are among the greatest human rights violators! They are responsible for the irresponsible delay of relief and reconstruction as well as for blockade and lack of supply!! And they do everything to extend this situation!], Black marketeers filling fuel demand in Valley, by Anup Ojha (kp)

10/12/2015: Cautious optimism surrounds dialogue: Talks likely to resume today; Govt hopeful, Madeshi Morcha doubtful, by Devendra Bhattarai and Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), House panel nod to Reconstruction Bill, by Binod Ghimire (kp), SLMM to intensify protest at Nepalgunj border point, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), After months of protests, Biratnagar sees normalcy, by Jitendra Sah (kp), Int’l community concerned about humanitarian crisis (kp), Post-quake rebuilding: No more delays, victims tell govt (kp), Lies, damn lies: Nepalis need to take collective ownership of the past instead of being swayed by the likes of Indian MP Iyer, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Pulled back in: Nepal must address the issue of structural violence to prevent its relapse into conflict, by Ram Bhandari (kp)

09/12/2015: Out with the old: The only way out of current crises facing Nepal is to pass the leadership baton to the younger generation, by Naresh Koirala (kp), CPN-UML averse to boundary revision (kp), Nepalgunj-Rupaidiha border shut hours after reopening (kp), Sooner the solution, the better, says Doval, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Govt turns to Saudi amid delay in oil deal with China, by Rajesh Khanal (kp) [And how shall such oil be transported through India and Tarai?], Constitution bench formed (kp), Shortages concern int’l community (kp), Human Rights Commission to resume Tarai unrest monitoring (kp)

08/12/2015: The long wait: Seven months have passed since the quake, but the victims are yet to be rehabilitated, by David Kainee (kp), Morcha leaders reluctant to buy govt roadmap, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Madhes-based parties obstruct House, again (kp), Indian MPs criticise New Delhi’s Nepal policy (kp), Swawraj hopeful of solution in 5-7 days (kp), Trucks carrying drugs stranded in Rupaidiha, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), Campaign launched to ‘dispel misconceptions’ (kp), Fixing a nation: Economic self-reliance depends on the formation of financial, human, institutional and social capital and their quality, by Y.B. Thapa (kp), Modi’s Facing Saving Agenda, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

07/12/2015: Constitution amendment: House fails to discuss bill due to obstruction (kp), A tale of two parties: Govt and Madhesi parties have two alternatives to find a common ground (kp), India's advice to visiting Madhesi leders: ‘Follow roadmap with specific action plan’, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), The big why: Policy failures, rather than Nepal’s size and landlockedness, have hindered the country’s growth, by Ram Chandra Acharya (kp)

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01/12/2015: Over 3 million under-fives at risk of death or disease: UN (kp) [Thanks to the Koirala and now Oli governments for their total inactivity!], Trilateral meet fruitless: On the bright side, Morcha finds PM’s remarks conciliatory (kp), Decisive tripartite talks tomorrow, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Morcha tightens stranglehold at border points: Following a meeting of Madhesi leaders in Biratnagar on Monday, Morcha cadres pitched a tent at the Nepalgunj-Rupaidiha point, by Thakur Singh Tharu and Abadhesh Kumar Jha (kp), UDMF to intensify stir in Biratnagar (ht), UK officials say Nepal failed in diplomacy, by Nabin Pokharel (kp), Immediate intervention urged (kp), Human chain links UN office, Singha Durbar: Insec Chairman Subodh Raj Pyakurel says the protest is a campaign to show solidarity against Indian blockade on Nepal (kp), Indian bus torched in Pokhara (kp), Security to be stepped up on highways (kp), Fuel imports from North: Nepal, China reach ‘tentative pact’, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), 600 trucks stuck at Rasuwagadhi, by Krishna Thapa (kp), Let’s roll up our sleeves: A self-reliant and independent Nepal should be the goal of the new government, by Prem Dangal (kp)

30/11/2015: Back to the people: Ward-level referendums in disputed districts could be a pragmatic way to resolve demarcation issue, by Dinesh Prasain (kp), Dahal floats ‘middle path’ proposal, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), No India visit till blockade is lifted: PM, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp) [Sounds stupid, anyway!], Boxed in Baluwatar: While Tarai burns, PM Oli has given very little impression that he’s serious to resolve the crisis (kp), Ex-officers ask NA to be alert: But insist that the Tarai issue needs a political solution (kp), CPN Maoist’s banda affects life across country: Three vehicles set on fire for defying shutdown (kp), Vandalism causes Rs20m loss to transporters in East, by Jitendra Shah (kp), Ability Of Nepalese Leadership, by Siddhi B: Ranjitkar (km)

29/11/2015: Dahal requests Oli to call trilateral meeting: PM has assured Dahal that he would call a meeting of government, NC and Madhesi parties at the earliest (kp), Army could be deployed: DPM (kp), Post-quake reconstruction: Less than 14pc pledge accessed from donors, by Prithvi Man Shrestha and Binod Ghimire (kp), An uneasy friendship: Ineffective diplomacy should not be a reason to spoil good relations between Nepalis and Indians, by Suraj Vaidya (kp), Going nowhwere fast: The Indian establishment’s blatant disregard for its own foreign policy has crippled its landlocked neighbour, by Atul K. Thakur (kp)

28/11/2015: Itahari tense as locals tear down Morcha stage, by Bedraj Paudel (kp), Human chain formed around Ring Road to protest Indian blockade (kp), Lives in peril: As the blockade and protests continue, patients struggle to get adequate medical care, by Manish Gautam (kp), A bad year for schools: The current academic session is turning out to be the worst in history, by Binod Ghimire (kp)

27/11/2015: Backchannel efforts to carry talks forward, by Bhadra Sharma and Roshan Sedhai (kp), SOS: Leaving aside the pros and cons of India’s siege on Nepal, there can be no argument that 28 million Nepalis are in the throes of a severe nationwide humanitarian crisis (nt), In the absence of hope: The people are exhausted, they cannot know how much longer this impasse will continue, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), Full-blown economic crisis: The current crisis is just a teaser for an even more devastating economic meltdown, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Firing did take place on Nepali soil: Govt; Calls on Indian side for early probe, strong action against those involved (kp), Police secure three bullet shells from Haripur area, by Bedraj Paudel (kp), Congress obstructs House meeting: Row erupts when Speaker Gharti allowed SSFN Chairman Yadav to speak before an NC rep (kp) [Pubertal games of insane and irresponsible politicians that help to destroy the nation!!], House obstructed, deferred till December 1: Parties dispute over who should get to speak first, by Prakash Acharya (ht), UDMF protest against govt continues in Tarai (ht), Highway vandalism goes on (kp), Winter emergency for quake survivors: The double impact of the earthquake and blockade pushes an already deprived region into deeper crisis this winter, by Kunda Dixit (nt), Govt to build 50 ‘integrated settlements’ (kp) [After only seven months? Why so early?], Burden of boundaries: Both population and geography should be taken as criteria for carving constituencies, by Uddhab Pyakurel and Indra Adhikari (kp), May the force be with you: Nepal needs a force for change, willing to speak truth to power and for social justice, democracy and development, by David Seddon (nt), Equality for women still a far cry in Nepali media, says GMMP report (ht)

26/11/2015: Shifting identities: There is a need to deconstruct the notions of ‘Nepali’ identity and nationalism, by Pramod Mishra (kp), State of utter failure: If the current crises continue, public anger could be directed towards govt (kp) [It's overdue for long! And please do not forget to include the NC that was responsible for the failed politics of the previous government!!], Madhesi parties for ‘tentative deal’ to end standoff: Also want rephrasing of proposal (kp), SLMM continues to protest in Saptari: Health professionals demonstrate in Rajbiraj against police brutality; Federation of Nepali Journalists condemns police assault on reporters (kp), Govt to ‘use force’ to keep highways open, by Manish Gautam (kp), 4 Nepalis hurt as Indian SSB men open fire ‘indiscriminately’: Nepal takes strong exception to firing in Nepali territory, by Anil Giri (kp), How the incident took place, by Bed Raj Paudel (kp), ICJ urges swift resolution (kp), British minister expresses concern about border obstructions (kp), Donors urge immediate action to prevent humanitarian crisis, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Schools to form human chain around Ring road (kp), Quake-hit families get Rs 7,500 each to return home (kp) [??], Journos killed, disappeared: FNJ urges TRC to look into cases (kp), New, old politics: Bhattarai’s new force will need to prove that it is not just another party among many others, by Surendra Regmi (kp)

25/11/2015: Constitution amendment: Tarai parties’ nod to forwarding proposals (kp), Protests for ‘undivided’ Jhapa-Morang-Sunsari, by Madhav Ghimire and Chetan Adhikari (kp), SLMM cadres continue stir (kp), ‘Referendum on disputed districts will have consequences’ (kp), Women rights activists decry violence, embargo (kp), Be Responsible To End Crisis, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Statute clarification campaign to be launched (ht), Govt mixing nationalism, Madhesi concerns: Bhattarai (ht), Dahal meets agitating Madhesi leaders (ht), Blame game: Now that all parties have agreed to revise the constitution, it is time to de-escalate conflict and restart public dialogue, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Normalcy returns to Saptari after two days (ht), All Saptari health facilities closed (ht), UN Rights body concerned about fresh violence in Tarai districts (ht), Govt issues white paper on economic crisis, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Critics term white paper damp squib, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Declare state of national emergency, demands Pvt sector (kp), UN body calls for smooth flow of goods into Nepal (kp), Amendment to constitution can resolve Tarai unrest: Rae (kp), PM Oli spends 1.2m in food, entertainment (kp), NC, UML fight over CEO post: Govt has not begun reconstruction works seven months after the devastating quake, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Reconstruction bill stuck with House panel: CEO appointment a sticking point with both main opposition and CPN-UML, by Prakash Acharya (ht) [Isn't there any law expert who can file a law case against these criminal and irresponsible politicians who play with the life and future of the Nepali citizens??], Displaced families brace for cold winter, by Prahlad Rijal (kp), Communication with disaster affected: Humanitarian response, by Surendra Pokharel (ht), EU urges govt to speed up rebuilding efforts (kp), Online Fund-Raising: An Experience, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn), Beyond borders: The current blockade poses an acute threat to the public health gains made by Nepal, by Jaya Lamichhane (kp)

24/11/2015: Three-month-old child dies on way to hospital (kp), Infant dies after agitators obstruct ambulance, by Maheshwar Chamling Rai (rep), Three-month-old baby dies on way to hospital: Agitators stopped the ambulance carrying sick infant at several places, by Shyam Rai (ht), Ambulance drivers halt services (kp), Tensions simmer in eastern Tarai: Govt offices, police post torched in Saptari; Clashes at several places (kp), Saptari tense; arson, vandalism on rise: Agitators defy curfew, set ablaze government buildings (ht), Death of 3 persons sparks fierce protests in Saptari, Siraha, by Jitendra Kumar Jha ands Mithilesh Yadav (rep), Seven NC lawmakers slam Saptari killings (ht), Hospital disrupted for second day (ht), Yadav calls for social harmony (kp), UDMF leaders seek meaningful talks (ht), Big parties agree to forward amendment bill: UDMF rejects bill (rep), Parties agree to expedite constitution amendment, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Major parties ready to amend constitution: To seek consent of the agitating parties before tabling proposal in House, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), NC seeks TMLP support on amendment (kp), TMDP Chairperson Thakur rejects NC’s proposal: Says no to idea of using a mechanism to settle issue of provincial boundaries (ht), Jhapa rallies against division (kp), Khabardari Sabha held in Jhapa (ht), Far-West ailing for want of life-saving medicines (kp), Govt in ‘no position’ to aid private sector, by Sanjeev Giri (kp), Private sector warns of looming economic disaster (ht), A wounded economy: The government’s handling of the blockade will determine long-term economic consequences, by Sujeev Shakya (kp) [Among the numerous incompetent governments of Nepal, this is by far the most incompetent one after 2006!!], Set up Economic War Room to handle crisis: Experts, by Kuvera Chalise (rep), Beyond rice: There are ways to ensure food security in the context of the ongoing blockade, by Yubak Dhoj GC (kp), DPM Thapa takes up border obstruction with Indian envoy: Indian Ambassador Rae reiterates that there is no blockade from his country’s side (kp), Nepal-bound medicines fly from India detour through SE Asia, by Arjun Poudel (rep), It’s just business: India's hunger for energy could be a reason behind its interest in Nepal’s yet to be carved federal provinces, by Subrata Lamsal (kp), Exports, imports dive due to unofficial trade embargo (kp), Lawmakers charge govt of ‘promoting’ black-marketing (ht), Three-day ultimatum given to govt to ease fuel supply, end black-marketing (ht), Youths offer free meal service in Capital, by Anup Ojha (kp), Need of the hour: Reconstruction is on hold thanks to political parties’ partisan interests (kp), Means and ends: All the parties involved in the current conflict need to rise to the occasion and think about the people first, by Anita Parajuli (kp) [For this, you must exchange the complete political leadership! None of them is of any use!], Madhes agitation historical, says Mahato (ht), What is wrong with us? Mental revolution needed, by Anil Keshary Shah (ht), Selective reading: It is worthwhile revisiting arguments Morcha has been presenting as keys to resolution of the current crisis, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)

23/11/2015: At least 3 killed in Saptari: Over 30 protesters and 25 security personnel injured, by Jitendra Khadga (kp), Three killed, 25 injured in police firing, by Byas Shankar Upadhyay (ht), FSFN flays protesters’ killing in Tarai (ht), NMA condemns police attack (kp), Zonal hospital shut (ht), Hundreds of vehicles stuck after shooting (ht), Shooting in Saptari: Oli govt and Kathmandu’s civil society should urgently reach out to Madhes (kp), Govt may seek army support if no improvement in 3 days, by Kamal Pariyar (rep) [This remembers of Gyanendra's and Deuba's procedure in 2001/2!!], Both sides acting more tough as Madhes clashes escalate, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), End violence (ht), Six-party meet on Tarai unrest today (ht), NC asks both sides to aid statute revision (kp), NC pledges conditional support to the govt, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Govt decides to quell violence: Central Security Committee headed by home minister mulls over stern measures against violent protests, by Manish Gautam (kp), Tarai unrest: Schools unsure about morning classes in winter, by Jitendra Sah (kp), BRB formally launches  ‘Naya Shakti’ campaign (kp), ‘Statute should be amended soon’ (ht), Deepening Crisis, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Bureaucratic ways untouched by public plight, by Arjun Poudel (rep), Diaspora speaks: A section believes the reason for 'unofficial blockade' of Nepal is related to India's insatiable need for water, by Bhagirath Yogi (rep)

22/11/2015: 100 days of Madhes protest: People long for some ‘good news’, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Tarai protests continue: Protesters, cops injured in Sunsari clash: Ambulance vandalised, by Bedraj Paudel and Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp), Agitation continues unabated (ht), Four Madhesi parties form separate front (kp), Fringe Madhesi parties form new alliance (ht), NC lawmakers tell party to take initiative to resolve Tarai unrest, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), NC in bid to form major forces’ common stance: Holds meeting with ruling parties on Madhes stir (kp), Divided NC seeks unity among Big 3, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Get serious about crisis, NC tells govt (ht), Pharma cos, traders seek security: Say delivery of drugs not possible in such volatile situation, by Manish Gautam (kp), Nepali disapora protests against border blockade (ht), UN chief Ban expresses concern (kp), UN Secy Gen calls for lifting blockade (ht), Formation of reconstruction authority: Bill likely to enter Parliament through voting;  Parties miss consensus deadline; NC insists Govind Pokhrel should helm the reconstruction body, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [Only power games count, not the suffering of the people! Throw these politicians into the dustbin!], Where’s the govt? Hospitals are running out of medicines, but the govt still does not have a plan to resolve the crisis, by Chanda Rana (kp), Madhes agitation going out of control: Bhattarai, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), The not-so-new force: BRB’s party will be just another breakaway group of the erstwhile united Maoist party, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp) [?], Fuel for thought: The prolonged closure of schools due to the fuel shortage and protests could have long-term consequences for students, by Umesh Raj Regmi (kp), Put Your House In Order, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

21/11/2015: Transitional justice: NHRC urges govt to implement SC verdicts; The Supreme Court has suggested at least a dozen amendments to the Transitional Justice Act in response to petitions filed between 2007 and 2015 (kp), Govt urged to implement its HR pledges (ht),  Protests turn violent in Tarai districts: Truck carrying drugs torched in Birgunj, dozens of vehicles vandalised, by Bhusan Yadav and Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp), UDMF agitation turns violent: Medicine laden truck torched; Ambulance carrying sick child vandalised (ht), UDMF cadres vandalize ambulance, torch drugs truck, by Binod Subedi, Ritesh Tripathi and Madan Thakur (rep), Brutal blockade takes toll on thirteen-year-old heart patient, by Arjun Poudel (rep), NC to initiate efforts to end stalemate (kp), NC to meet ruling parties today: To discuss Tarai unrest, constitution amendment (ht), Impact of blockade, bandas: Country braces for negative economic growth in 33 years, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), GDP to contract 1.1pc if trade disruption continues (ht), Disruption narrows trade deficit, builds inflationary pressure (ht), Normalise drugs supply, House panel tells govt (kp), Morcha violates own decision to let medicine cargo pass (kp), Creating Nepal’s own Quartet: The current escalation of conflict between the state and Madhes calls for the creation of a credible national dialogue mechanism to facilitate a compromise, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), Honesty, please: Vested interests played the spoilsport when the government talks team was making headway in negotiations with agitating groups, by Hari Bansh Jha (rep), Federal blues: Post-blockade the debate has shifted to how New Delhi will shape Nepali politics through its coercive tactics, by Keshav Bhattarai (rep)

20/11/2015: IMF paints bleak economic picture: ‘Increasingly difficult for Nepal’s economy to register growth this fiscal unless trade disruption resolved soon’, by Sangam Prasain (kp), India: Ready to facilitate rerouting of med cargoes (kp), In Dependence: This is not an Indian blockade, it is an Indian siege (nt), Tharu community announces fresh stir (kp), Civil society leaders rally for undivided Sunsari, Morang: NC and UML leaders opposed the proposal floated by UCPN (M) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal of dividing districts on the basis of Hill and Madhes origin population (kp), When divided they stand: UML, UCPN (M) and NC should stop playing ruling-opposition politics and come together to resolve the Tarai standoff, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), NC’s Madhesi MPs meeting tomorrow to find common stance on state boundaries (ht) [Why did they not give them a say before the promulgation of the constitution??], Tarai parties to let schools reopen: The Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha decides to allow schools in the plains to run classes in the morning (kp), UDMF to allow Tarai schools to open: To permit medicines to be transported through Biratnagar-Jogbani border (ht), UDMF to let classes resume, allow in drugs via Biratnagar (rep), Hospitals deny shortage of drugs, by Kokila KC (ht) [??!!], 3,000 tons drugs stranded at Raxaul border, by Ritesh Tripathi (rep), Point of no return, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Cooking gas shortage deepens in Pokhara (rep), Use of firewood in Kathmandu: Experts warn of poor air quality in Valley (kp), “We do not exist”: Seven months since the earthquake, what little help survivors were getting to rebuild has been halted by the Indian blockade, by Sahina Shrestha (nt), On their own, by Priyanka Gurung (rep), NPC to oversee reconstruction works (kp), NPC given task of post-quake reconstruction and relief work (ht) [Why not six months earlier??], Constitutional rumblings: Allegations about the constitution being elitist and non-inclusive are distressingly jarring, by Ram Sharan Mahat (kp) [Of course, NC leaders defend their illegitimate procedure!], Lessons of history: If Nepal were to become another Sikkim, our  past kings and leaders should be blamed, by Ramesh Khatry (kp), Demolishing The Wall Of Mistrust, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Selective outrage: Some events are more important than others, by Tsering Dolker Gurung (nt), … who will bell the cat? Both the government and the protesters realise this stalemate is not helping anybody, but …, by Anurag Acharya (nt), For a change, by Gunjan Upadhyay (rep), Lifting The Indian Blockade, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

19/11/2015: The cost of doing nothing: More the positions harden, more difficult will it be for parties to find a solution (kp), UDMF border blockade to continue: Agitating Madhesi forces’ talks with ruling parties end inconclusively (ht), Dahal proposes parliamentary panel to resolve Madhes issue, by Nabin Khatiwada and Ashok Dahal (rep), Dahal floats new proposal: Emphasises on finding solution in a package to end stalemate, crisis in the Tarai region, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Rally against splitting parts of Morang, Sunsari from Province 1 (ht), NC stays away from meeting, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Fuel imports from China: No ceiling on supply volume: Minister Pun, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), India tightens cargo entry from Sunauli, by Madhav Dhungana (ht), India seeks list of vehicles carrying fuel, medicines (rep), Nepali diaspora in US protests blockade (ht), Shortage of petroleum products: Crisis-hit disabled rue govt apathy, by Anup Ojha (kp), Goons block LPG supply at refilling plants, by Rudra Pangeni and Sujan Dhungana (ht), Pokhara reeling under drug crunch as dealers run out of stock (ht), Health minister warns drugs suppliers (kp), 'Finance Ministry agrees to pay duty of essential medicines', by Arjun Poudel (rep), Daily essentials crunch hits far-west (ht), Women seek role in reconstruction body (kp), Women demand ‘meaningful’ role in reconstruction campaign (ht), Seller of dreams: The nation is keen to see Oli implement his plans to make the country self-reliant, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Nation In Crisis: Oli Needs To Act Promptly, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Government’s Policy Of Drift?, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Great Indian Desert: Fear of China is making India act in all kinds of irrational ways, the most recent manifestation of which is economic blockade of Nepal, by Biswas Baral (rep)

18/11/2015: Morcha urges NC to lead talks, end stalemate: Search on for common ground on federal boundaries (kp), Talks with agitating Tarai parties today, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Parliament waits to tackle key problems, parties still at odds, by Prakash Acharya (ht), 40 bills gathering dust at Parliament Secretariat, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Cold hits flood victims in temporary shelters, by Motilal Paudel and Kamal Panthi (kp), Central Medical Store unable to supply drugs, by Shankar Acharya (kp), Drugs worth millions rotting at TIA customs, by Arjun Poudel (rep) [Dump all these politicians into a dust bin as soon as possible!!], No stock, say importers, by Manish Gautam (kp), Govt set to declare ‘energy emergency’ (kp), MoSTE moots ways to end energy crisis (ht), Beijing meeting on fuel import to be decisive (ht), Minister Pun discusses fuel supply with China, by Purna Basnet (rep), Market sees shortage of packaged food products, by Suman Bashyal (kp), Transitional justice: Commissions while away nine months for want of regulations (kp), Case for quotas: As long as gender discrimination persists in society women will continue to need reservations, by Seema Subedi (kp), The national scene: Challenges and shortcomings, by Nav Raj Simkhada (ht), Heed Madhesh: Demands for recognition, provincial autonomy and proportional representation have always been there, by Kalpana Jha (rep)

17/11/2015: Big 3 seek common ground on federalism (kp), Morcha ‘open’ to new proposal on federalism, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Talks with agitating parties tomorrow (ht), PM Oli, people are dying, end crisis now!, by Subhash Ghimire (rep), Leaders intensify informal consultations to resolve crisis, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Decisive battle: The suffering masses expected something concrete from Prime Minister KP Oli in his address to the nation; He disappointed, by Praveen Kumar Yadav (rep), Earthquake displaced unable to build without new building code, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), 18 fuel tankers enter Nepal (kp), Govt promoting black market in fuel: Industrialists, by Kuvera Chalise and Sujan Oli (rep), Where is the fuel going?, by Ajit Tiwari (rep), Import of supplies through Jogbani border back to normal, by Binod Subedi (rep), Nepal’s humanitarian response: Best amongst worst options, by Suresh Acharya (ht), Stand together: The Madhes Andolan is an opportunity for us to push for transparent and inclusive political dialogues, by Umanga Pandey (kp), The bigger bully: The crisis in Nepal will not end unless the international community asks India to respect the rights of a landlocked country, by Yogendra P. Paneru (kp)

16/11/2015: Gorkha quake victims living in fear of harsh winter: Hopes of government aid to build houses are slowly fading away, by Narhari Sapkota (rep), Amnesty for war crimes: Govt’s disregard for court order upsets victims of conflict (kp), 3 competing proposals fail to end deadlock on demarcation, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Ruling parties for redrawing borders (kp), Ruling parties, NC hold dialogue with UDMF (ht), Prime Minister's address to the nation: ‘Blockade cruel, inhumane’, by John Narayan Parajuli and Binod Ghimire (kp), Unofficial Indian blockade has led to humanitarian crisis: PM, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht) [Stop calling it "unofficial"! It may not be total but it's very official!], Half-hearted: In times of national crisis, Prime Mister  Oli failed to assure a nervous population (kp) [Oli is the concentrated incompetence that marks all so-called leaders of Nepal's failed political generation!!], Nepali Congress, Madhesi parties disappointed with Oli’s speech (ht), Nepali Congress to play lead role in resolving agitation (ht) [The NC also played the lead role in producing the agitation!!], Govt sells firewood: Only a few hundred get logs from 2 TCN depots, by Gaurav Thapa (kp), Govt starts selling firewood amid fuel crisis (ht), 121 fuel tankers enter from south (kp), Flow of cargo-laden vehicles from India increases (ht), ‘China ready to send gas via Tatopani’ (kp), China proposes to bring gas bullets directly to Panchkhal (ht), Dwindling Hope, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Cost of obduracy: This government can probably still bear the cost of its vacuous patriotism. But the nation will have to pay a heavy price, by C.K. Lal (rep)

15/11/2015: Top team begins talks with Madhesi parties: Foreign minister and a senior UML nominee on panel (kp), UDMF rejects NC proposal: Seeks package deal; Says no more of talks regarding amendment of provincial boundaries (ht), Dahal urged to take lead in resolving crisis (ht), SOS to release life-saving drugs: Drug Admin Dept urges passage for 80 containers stuck at Raxaul (kp), 198 fuel tankers cross into Nepal from south (kp), Separate Tarai state ill for country: KC (kp)

14/11/2015: Govt to sell firewood from tomorrow morning, price fixed at Rs15 per kg (kp), SLMM cadres torch UML district party office in Parsa (kp), Dialogue underway between NC and agitating parties (kp), Address our demands in package: UDMF to NC (ht), UDMF for solution in package (rep), DPM KC’s nay to separation of Tarai from hills (ht), Civil society leaders urge Dahal to resolve crisis (ht), ‘Surprised’, India PM’s Office seeks report on size of Nepali protesters in London (ht), Nepal enters UK-India joint statement (rep)

13/11/2015: After Tihar vacation, ruling parties gear up for ‘meaningful talks’ with agitators (ht), Ruling parties ready to address state delineation politically; Madhes-based parties positive for talks; Govt forms another talks team to hold informal discussions (kp), HLPCC to hold talks with Madhesh-centric parties (rep), Dahal in view of addressing genuine Madhes demands through constitution amendment (kp), PM Oli calls on Nepali Congress to join government (kp) [This proves a fundamental misunderstanding of democracy! The state can not be ruled by all political forces together! There is need of a strong opposition!!], Consensual government after Nepali Congress convention, claims Dahal (ht), Agitating UDMF cadres torch truck in Birgunj (ht)

12/11/2015: Decisive talks on Tarai crisis after Tihar: Both sides urged flexibility to resolve dispute (kp), One good move: Recent events indicate that govt is working to resolve the crisis in Tarai (kp) [The leaders of the big parties in the first place have caused the crisis!!], Problem in Madhes: The rulers in Kathmandu seem to have misread the motivation behind the Madhes movement, by Binod Acharya (kp), UN speaks about blockade, underlines Nepal’s right to free transit (kp), Cargo movement increased at two border points, by Madhav Dhungana and Binod Bhandari (kp), SLMM to ease protest during festivals (kp), Gachchhadar throws weight behind two provinces in Terai (rep), Major parties still at odds on Reconstruction Authority (rep) [The leading politicians are definitely not suffering!!], State of crisis: This loss of credibility of the ruling class is the biggest crisis Nepal is facing right now, by Pramod Mishra (kp)

11/11/2015: NRNA for immediate end to ongoing humanitarian crisis (kp), Lift blockade without delay, says Ban Ki-moon (rep), AYON launches text message campaign (kp), Red Cross concerned over shortage of essential commodities (rep), Homeless and cold but no zeal to rebuild: Sindhupalchok awaits help to reconstruct flattened homes, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp), Shortage of essentials worries ICRC, donors (ht), Fuel shortage affects Red Cross services (kp), Myagdi district reels under acute drug shortage, by Hari Krishna Gautam (rep), Goods start coming in via Rasuwagadhi, by Rudra Pangeni (rep), Let actions speak: It is high time that the government came up with a concrete strategic plan to ease the supply situation (ht), Child rights violations worry stakeholders (kp), NCE-Nepal calls for honouring children’s right to education (ht), ‘Ruling parties’ view of Madhes stir misguided’ (ht), Ruling parties in quest of ‘acceptable formula’: Prime minister’s scheduled address to the nation postponed to find a way out of crisis (kp), Prime Minister to address the nation only after Tihar (ht), Madhesi Morcha: Flexible on boundary issue (kp), Sitaula rules out redrawing of federal provinces (kp), Not much light: Govt and agitating parties continue to test the patience of the Nepali people (kp), Geostrategic disaster: If we are to rescue the constitution, the government must reach a compromise with the Madhesi people, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), India continues to curb fuel cargo flow to Nepal (kp), On lifting border blockade, Indian envoy Rae says nay (kp), Supplies via Birgunj only after Madhes solution: Rae (rep), No headway in clearing blockade: Rae; ‘Recent aberration in relations a temporary phenomenon’ (ht) [This is not an aberration but a grave violation of fundamental humanitarian rules and international law!!], No blockade: Based on available information there is no evidence to support that India is involved in trade interruption, by Sukhdev Shah (rep) [?? Unbelievable statement! Even the Indian Ambassor no longer denies India's role!], Master of lies: He has been misrepresenting Madheshis with all the nonsense and hate speeches he delivers, by Jivesh Jha (rep), Govt to seek int’l help if blockade continues (kp), Govt limits TRC posts to 100 against 144 proposed (kp), Tarai FM contents to face scrutiny: Govt to investigate into the complaints that some FM stations in the Tarai are airing contents that could cause communal violence (kp)

10/11/2015: Govt to India: Let goods in: Special Cabinet resolution calls on southern neighbour to work towards improving ties, by Anil Giri (kp), Govt requests India to ease suppliesm, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), New Delhi fails to keep its supply ‘promise’, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), India stops over 400 trucks carrying medicines at border (rep), NC, UML argue over statute amendment, reconstruction authority bill; Agitating parties continue House obstruction (rep), Tharus announce fresh stir (kp), TJSC announces indefinite shutdown (ht), SLMM gives talks a miss (kp), Madhesi parties continue House obstruction (ht), NOC has fuel only for security forces (kp), Oil monopoly NOC asks consumers queuing up for fuel to return home: Only emergency service vehicles will get the remaining stock of fuel (ht), Out of stock: Critical shortage of life-saving drugs is pushing Nepal to humanitarian crisis (kp), British scholars concerned about crisis in Nepal: BNAC has urged the Indian government to ensure that rights of Nepal as a land-locked country are respected (kp) [see BNAC statement], Breaking the silence: India has its own interest behind the blockade but why  has the international community not spoken about it?, by Jaya Lamichhane (kp), Govt set to release White Paper ‘shortly’: It will focus on economic impact of banda and blockade, says finance secretary, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Show some spunk: In case of Indian military intervention, China will certainly come to Nepal's rescue, turning Nepal into a theater of war, by Aditya Man Shrestha and Dwarika Nath Dhungel (rep), Modi’s fall: The fact that he has transformed into a foe from a good friend means nothing to Modi, by Anjali Subedi (rep)

09/11/2015: Humanitarian crisis: NHRC seeks help from around globe: Says supply disruption depriving Nepalis of economic, social rights (kp), NHRC urges int’l community to help ease humanitarian crisis in Nepal (rep 09/11/2015), Hard times: Basic goods are scarce and the general public is badly suffering, by Dikshya Singh Rathour (rep), With supplies halted, key drugs running out of stock: Experts say  act violates people’s right to health, by Manish Gautam (kp), Shortage of medicines hits health services: Containers carrying medicines have been stranded at Indian border points for the past one and a half months (kp), It takes two to tango: It’s time both Kathmandu and New Delhi reviewed their positions, found solutions (kp), Indian Blockade: Friend Behaving As Foe, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), India noted constitution means it’s a major development, interview with Indian Ambassador Ranjit Rae (kp), Constitutional challenges: The sentiments of the Madheshi people have been badly hurt; They are thus agitating to ensure their dignity, identity, rights and representation at any cost, by Ganesh Mandal (rep), Agitating Tarai-based parties return to Parliament (rep), Morcha obstructs House after its address (kp), Madhesi parties obstruct House proceedings (ht), Dialogue with govt today (kp), Resolve Tarai agitation through dialogue: NHRC (ht), PM Oli to address nation: To dwell on ongoing crisis in Tarai region (kp), Shadow economy expands thanks to govt fecklessness, by Kuvera Chalise (rep), NC tells ministers to mind their language: Urges them to handle the nationmal crisis with wisdom without sensationalising it, by Prakash Acharya (ht), ‘Bring all oppn parties on board’ (ht), Govt action plan gathers dust: Absence of NRA and coordination among ministries are main reasons behind delay; It is already one month since the action plan for releasing grant assistance was endorsed by the Cabinet, by Gaurav Thapa (kp), Dispute puts formation of recon body in doubt (kp) [To hell with all these incompetent politicians!!], NC demands consensus on reconstruction bill (ht), Ministry preps to implement statute, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Old habits die hard: The Nepali state remains hesitant to investigate and prosecute acts of human rights violations, by Ram Bhandari (kp)

08/11/2015: UNICEF points to children’s bleak future (kp), CWB appeals not to use kids in protests (kp), Pay attention: Join hands with the Madhesis who are fighting to end ethnic discrimination, by Khushbu Mishra (kp), Hazardous complacency: Any political gimmick to deny the legimate demands  of the Madhes will push the nation into further chaos, by Bhabes Kumar Labh (kp), After weeks in streets, SLMM to enter House: To obstruct Parliament; Says border protests will continue (kp), NC to bridge gap between govt, agitating parties: Madhesi Front decides to complement street protest with their presence in the House, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Leaders urge supporters to continue Madhes stir: TMLP Chairman Thakur calls on protesters also to completely obstruct border point in Nepalgunj (kp), Bhattarai-led team urges PM to swiftly resolve Tarai crisis (kp), Fuel flow almost nil since Birgunj death (kp), Plans afoot to tackle blockade, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Nepal for amicable solution, but ready to stand against undue pressure: Dahal, by Amrita Anmol (kp), ‘No statute change from no-man’s-land’; Sitaula: By interfering in the affairs of a sovereign country, India has tarnished its reputation as a good neighbour (kp), Out of frying pan: Nepal should learn from the ongoing blockade and end its dependency on India, by Gyan Basnet (kp), Without direction: Nepali Congress needs to help the government end the crisis in the Tarai and the Indian embargo, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), A big letdown: The establishment in New Delhi and Kathmandu do not seem to care for the plight of the Nepalis, by Atul K. Thakur (kp), Nationalism: Face Of New Government, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

07/11/2015: Aid groups warn of crisis in earthquake-hit Nepal (ht), Nepal urged to end caste-based discrimination (kp), UPR session: Nepal accepts 148 recommendations (kp), Half widows have little hope for justice: Even as they emerge from the conflicts  that took their husbands, the lives of ‘half widows’ continue to be stricken with strife and stigma, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Human rights organisations oppose Indian blockade (kp), South Asian HR defenders term 'blockade' unfortunate, shameful, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), PM lashes India for supply disruption (kp), Oli calls it a blockade: Advises journos to engage in responsible journalism (ht), ‘Indian officers solicit bribe from cargo operators’, by Parbat Portel (kp), DPM Thapa: World knows about border blockage (kp) [Be sure, the world knows a lot more!], Tarai unrest is internal matter: DPM Thapa (ht), Coping With The Impact Of Strike And Blockade, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), Hobson’s choice: Victim narrative has its merits; Once you are projected as a victim all shortcomings are ignored; Even violence is justified, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), Spiraling out of control: For a country that was already reeling under the strains caused by the earthquakes, recuperating from yet another crisis so soon will prove exceedingly difficult, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Ruling coalition parties preparing for fruitful dialogue with agitators, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Govt ready for negotiated settlement: Gachhadar (ht), Madhesis are being isolated, says Tripathi (ht), India Fighting A Proxy War In Nepal, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km)

06/11/2015: Thapa’s missed opportunity in Geneva (kp), Geneva session does not give issue global proportion: Indie ministry (kp), ‘Take embargo issue to int’l community’ (kp), ‘Nepal-India standoff has no int’l dimension’ (ht), India denies any role in Nepal border disruptions (ht) [??], Flag waving: India expects us to wave the white flag; Our leaders are waving the national flag. Neither is a way out (nt), The autumn of the patriot: The leadership has no choice but to reach out to Delhi and make amends, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), Look south: China cannot alleviate the pain inflicted by India on Nepal, let’s look within and mend fences, by Om Astha Rai (nt), No end in sight to fuel crisis (ht), Stranded vehicles leave Birgunj (ht), US concerned about crisis (kp), Talks with Madhes leaders stuck again after positive turn, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Oli has record 6 DPMs: With 26 Cabinet members, 'breaches statutory limit', by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Cabinet strength expanded to 26 members: Government now has six deputy prime ministers, 17 ministers and two state ministers (ht), Oli expands cabinet for third time (rep), A mighty mess: Nepal needs to make many political and diplomatic changes for the smooth running of the country, by Som P. Pudasaini (kp), PM tells pvt sector to brace up for challenge: Asks the private sector to submit a concrete plan to resolve the industrial, business crisis (kp), Still second sex: Despite the election of a female president, Nepal needs to do a lot more to empower its women, by Mira Kafle (kp), Delight and despair, by Rashmi Thapaliya (rep), A pain in the gas, by Gunjan Upadhyay (rep)

05/10/2015: Thapa defends statute, calls blockade unlawful: India, Sweden and Switzerland voice concerns over unrest in the Tarai; Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa tells the member nations  that the Tarai crisis is Nepal’s internal problem (kp) [Human rights have also to be respected in the solution internal problems!!], DPM Thapa highlights impending humanitarian crisis: Presents Universal Periodic Review at Human Rights Council in Geneva (ht), Thapa tells UN body humanitarian crisis looms over Nepal (rep), Madhesi leaders welcome redress: But ask government to do more to rebuild trust, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Fewer protesters in streets of Birgunj as curfew relaxed, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), UDMF cadres clash with police in Birgunj (ht), Two-wheelers also  restricted in Dhanusa (ht), Transport operators in Biratnagar defy banda, by Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp), Rally in Capital calling for end to Tarai crisis (kp), Pokhara folks reeling under medicine crunch: Sixty per cent of medicine consumed in Nepal comes from India and raw materials for drugs produced here are imported from India (ht), Big three discuss reconstruction authority, Madhes issues (ht), Economists urge government to issue white paper, by Kuvera Chalise (rep), Govt should be sensitive toward growing rift in populace: Civil society leaders, by Jitendra Kumar Jha (rep), Govt frustratingly slow as public reels under hardships (rep), Bihar and blockade: When Bihar election results are out on November 8th the economic blockade could gradually ease, by Rohit Karki (rep), NC demands NRA chief exec post: Refuses to join govt talks team, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), BRB launches campaign for new party (kp), Poles apart: Bhattarai’s ‘new force’ will struggle to hold middle class, marginalised groups (kp), The spoils of peace: The idea of all the parties working as a team can hardly be the basis of a democratic culture, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Safeguard rights of quake victims: NHRC (ht), Quake-hit students battling cold in classes under tents, by Anil Bhandari (rep), Not romantic: Aren't we being oblivious to sufferings of thousands of earthquake victims by romanticizing their plight?, by Smita Poudel (rep), AI seeks amendments to new constitution: The global rights body has sought amendments to provisions regarding citizenship, right to life, right to freedom, child’s rights and state of emergency (ht)

04/11/2015: Protesters defy curfew: Morcha cadres use slingshots against police in Birgunj, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Clashes continue despite curfew in Birgunj; two hurt in bomb attack (ht), Birgunj still tense, protestors defy curfew, by Upendra Yadav (rep), Economy bleeds as Tarai crisis deepens, by Kuvear Chalise (rep), Enough Is Enough, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Home made: Foreign Minister Kamal Thapa visited New Delhi for easing of supplies without bothering to first negotiate with the Madheshi and Tharu groups, by Hari Bansh Jha (rep), Nepal, China to reopen Khasa route at earliest, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Armed Group member dies in shootout (kp), Earthquake-affected families grapple with water shortage, by Prakash Adhikari, Nagendra Ahikari and Rajendra Manandhar (kp), Tenants warn of protest (kp), Not by chance: Bhandari's win has to be viewed in terms of changes in Nepali social structure in the past three decades, by Pranab Kharel (rep)

03/11/2015: Birgunj violence imperils talks: Killing of Indian youth in police firing deepens Tarai crisis, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Indian national killed in Birgunj police firing: SLMM retains border after Indian trucks enter Raxaul, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Police, demonstrators clash in Birgunj: Indian national killed; indefinite curfew imposed; other border points closed, by Ram Sarraf (ht), Home: Lack of co-op from India failed to keep border open: Two ministers confirm intervention was a Home Ministry decision (kp), Telephone talk: India for Nepal’s leaders to resolve crisis without delay (kp), India closes border points in Sunauli, Rupaidiha: Rerouted trucks stuck in Panitanki (kp), No relevance of talks now, says UDMF (ht), Brace for difficult times: UDMF leaders: Say government used force to suppress peaceful agitation (ht), Govt denies using force on protesters, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Art of survival: I thank Narendra Modi for providing Nepal an opportunity to rethink its future, by Motikala Subba Dewan (kp), Misuse Of Children In Madhes Movement, by Roshan Kumar Jha (rn), Middle class mirage: Many in Kathmandu were not aware of the events in the Madhes until the blockade hit them, by Bicram Rijal (kp), Collective cruelty: Indian state has sought to co-opt Nepali stakeholders including its bureaucrats and intelligentsia, by Gaurav KC (rep), Nepal to request China to open more passes (kp), Nepal asks China to keep fuel shipments flowing, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Having brought in fuel, drivers demand Rasuwa road upgrade, by Harihar Singh Rathaur (kp), Nepali delegation to UPR: CIEDP, TRC secys’ trip raises eyebrows (kp), Celebrating Nepal's Presidential Election: Female Power Rising, by Prem Khatry (rn), UML fails to pick ministers, again (ht)

02/11/2015: Madhesh update: All that Madheshis want is to see the new constitution amended on the basis of previous agreements, by Praveen Kumar Yadav (rep), Dialogue team hints at redrawing state borders: Agitating  parties see it as a positive step, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Govt ready to amend statute, say negotiators: Say issues of provincial boundaries will be addressed, but need to talk to NC, leaders of agitating parties, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Govt, UDMF for wider political consensus on delineation (rep), Talks team told to adopt flexibility (kp), Show your cards: With elections of key positions done  with, parties should now urgently resolve  the Madhes stalemate (kp), ‘Tharus could ally with Madhesis’ (kp), UDMF to intensify agitation (ht), NHRC finds security forces’ excesses in Tarai; ‘Agitators misused the right to gather in public place’ (kp), Both security forces, protesters violated human rights in Tarai, interview with Mohna Ansari, spokesperson of NHRC (kp), NHRC seeks resolution to Tarai turmoil: Forty-nine people were killed and 729 injured during the Madhes agitation (ht), Change nature of protest: NHRC to agitators (rep), 12 tankers arrive from Kerung: Bring in 80,000 litre petrol in first lot; Customs issues resolved, by Krishna Thapa (kp), Cargo stuck at ICD Birgunj starts being dispatched (ht), ‘The crisis at this time can lead us to seek alternatives for the long term’, interview with Commerce Minister Ganesh Man Pun (ht), BRB: India is Violating Nepal’s sovereignty (kp), Blockade as blackmail: If anything, India should be concerned about how its fuel embargo has disrupted lives and angered Nepalis, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), UML leaders battle for Cabinet positions: Besides appeasing his party leaders, Oli also faces the challenge of satisfying the coalition partners (kp), ‘Prez election a morale-booster for all women’ (ht), Relief eludes quake victims in Kaski (ht), Faux patriotism redux: If there are similarities between 1989-90 and now, they seem to have completely escaped Premier Oli and team, by C.K. Lal (rep), Flawed discourse: Nepali nationalism is traced by cultural anxiety within the frame of which foreigners conspire to rape mother Nepal, by Sanjeev Uprety (rep)

01/11/2015: Tarai parties warn of quitting talks: Say they are frustrated at govt ‘indecisiveness’ on their major demands, by Shyam Sundar Shashi (kp), UDMF threatens to quit talks if no headway (ht), Listen to the people: Protests could flare up if the government does not amend the faulty federal design and carve two provinces in the Tarai, by Amar Kant Jha (kp), 3 tankers arrive with fuel: With 27KL Chinese petrol, trucks are expected in Kathmandu today, by Krishna Thapa (kp), Three tankers loaded with Chinese petrol to arrive in Capital today (kp), Ex-commander of PLA now VP (kp), Ex-Maoist commander Pun elected Vice-president (ht), Pun’s long journey from PLA commander to Vice President, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Cabinet expansion likely today (kp), Reconstruction policy in limbo sans NRA, by Gaurav Thapa (kp), Hinduism And Nepal-India Ties, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Enforcing New Constitution Against The Will Of …, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

31/10/2015: Six months after quake: Displaced brace for harsh winter (kp), Nowhere to go: It’s six months  since the April 25 earthquake, and many victims are still living in camps, by Pratibha Tuladhar (kp), ‘Reinstate NRA to expedite recovery efforts’ (ht), Tankers in north border to take fuel from China, by Krishna Thapa (kp), Interpreting China: Chinese presence and influence is everywhere but China is not flaunting it, something the Indians like to do in Nepal, by Trailokya Raj Aryal (rep), All too confusing: It was impossible to imagine Modi, who charmed us all during his two Nepal visit, would stop us from celebrating Dashain, by Hitesh Karki (rep), Ministry to India: Fulfil supply commitment (kp), India obstructs third-country imports at Kakadbhitta, by Parbat Portel (kp), India doubts China oil deal will clear border point (kp), Civil society for raising issue at UPR session: Rights activist Kapil Shrestha says the unofficial blockade is brazen violation of human rights (kp), Talks futile sans concrete proposal, says Thakur (kp), Implement past agreements: Thakur (ht), UDMF to review protest programs Saturday (rep), UDMF cadres seize petrol from bikes to 'restrict' smuggling, by Mithilesh Yadav (rep), Madhesi labors struggling against threats to earn, by Chandni Hamal (rep), Yadav, Pun in VP race: Dayaram Kandel of Pariwar Dal and independent lawmaker Attahar Kamal Musalman withdraw their candidacies (kp), Pun, Yadav to contest for Vice-president (ht), Emerging Discourse On Need Of New Political Force, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), Fight or perish: We need leaders who have the guts to do the right thing, by Aditya Man Shrestha (rep)

30/10/2015: Govt gears up for statute revision (kp), Govt, UDMF talks inconclusive: Decisive negotiations to be held on Sunday (ht), ‘Govt not serious towards Madhes stir’ (ht), Talks stall as UDMF wants immediate boundary fix (rep), Federal map remains sticking point, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Talks sans deal on provinces pointless, says Yadav: Asserts severing ties with India would  affect Nepal’s long-term goals (ht), Handle with care: Kathmandu’s political elites should reach out to the agititating Madhesi forces and seek an amicable solution as soon as possible, by Tula Narayan Shah (kp), Messiahs of the Madhes: It's time for the Madhesi people to think about who their real friends are, by Jivesh Jha (nt), Restraint, resolve and resilience: The movement is no longer about what the Madhes and Madhesis really want, by Rubeena Mahato (nt), A blockade is a blockade: But how long will it take for Nepalis to transfer the blame from India to our own inept political leadership, by Tsering Dolker Gurung (nt), Carrot, stick and oil: The Indian Blockade is a reality, but so is the three-month Madhes agitation, by Anurag Acharya (nt), UPR Geneva: Nepal to emphasise civil rights, liberties assured by new statute; Nepal has not yet criminalised enforced dis-appearance and tourture, a major recommendation of the previous UPR session (kp), Protesters, locals clash at Nepal-India border, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), School closures: Unicef concerned over disturbances (kp), Future of over a million Nepali children at risk, says UNICEF (ht), Unsafe storing of fuel threatens lives, by Lal Prasad Sharma (kp), Shortage of foodstuffs hits Palpa villages, by Madhav Aryal (kp), Fuel blockade hits Valley hospitals hard, by Arjun Poudel (rep), Fuel crisis hits foreign missions (kp), Dhading locals prevent gas shipments to Valley, by Harihar Singh Rathore (kp), Biggest fuel flow from IOC in 5 wks: 131 tankers arrive from south a day after historic Nepal-China oil deal, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), 100t of grant petrol arriving on Saturday (kp), Tankers to leave for Kyirong today (ht), A landmark deal (ht), Escape plan: The country needs a strategy to break away from the stranglehold some countries have over Nepal, by Shyam KC (kp), First female head of state sworn in (kp), Bhandari sworn in as President, assumes office (ht), India, China, US congratulate new President (kp), Women at work: First woman president is a good start but Nepal still has a long way to go (kp), President’s precedent: The new head of the state should give continuity to her predecessor’s nature conservation efforts, by Navin Singh Khadka (kp), Veep election process begins (ht), Rebuilding Authority Bill in limbo (kp), A race against winter: The Indian blockade has impeded reconstruction and humanitarian efforts to protect earthquake survivors before winter sets in, by Om Astha Rai (nt) [Not to forget the inactivity of the govt!], 6 months on, quake victims still out in the cold, by Narahari Sapkota, Nirajan Paudel and Madhusudan Guragain (rep)

29/10/2015: Bhandari is Nepal’s 1st female President, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Bidya Bhandari romps home as President, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Hard work, struggle help Bhandari reach pinnacle, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Homely Bidya may turn out to be bold President, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Women leaders hail twin victories, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Nepal inks historic oil agreement with China, by Sangam Prasain and Rajesh Khanal (kp), Nepal inks framework deal with China for fuel supply, by Purna Basnet and Rudra Pangeni (rep), Nepal, China seal deal for import of fuel, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Chinese petrol likely to arrive by next week (ht), Seeking China’s help would invite disaster: Suman (ht), Madhes protest hits daily wage workers, by Pawan Yadav (kp), Morcha cadres obstruct Rupaidiha border point: The alliance has objected to the wordings in the government’s letter (kp), FDA casts doubt on outcome of talks sans NC (ht), Betrayal of the knowledgeable: Nepal is where it is not just because of ignorance of the masses, but also the betrayal from the academics, by Pramod Mishra (kp), A window for diplomacy: Peace parks could be a constructive solution to the border disputes between India and Nepal, by Zack Oser and Sushil Adhikari (kp), Looming Energy Crisis: Search For Alternatives, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Baburam At The Crossroads: Too Early To Dismiss Him, by Mukti Rijal (rn) [Most other leading politicians should be dismissed long before Baburam Bhattarai!], India exposed: India's blockade conveys the message that SAARC region is under Indian sphere and any country that believes otherwise will face consequences, by Prakash Chandra Lohani (rep)

28/10/2015: Self-fulfilling prophecy: It is time politicians stop sacrificing Nepali people for political exigencies, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), A desperate call to end chaos (ht), Resolve disputes with talks (kp), Govt to reach out to fringe forces to set its stance, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Protesters, police clash in Biratnagar (kp), ‘SLMM cadres beat a man to death’, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Tarai protestors set man ablaze for carrying petrol, by Amar Khadka (rep), Passenger buses struggling against odds, by Raju Adhikari (rep), UDMF intensifies agitation in Rautahat (ht), Tarai agitation hits daily wage earners hard (ht), Chitwan milk producers suffer as petroleum crisis deepens (ht), Fuel talks with China ‘moving well’, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), China ready to provide fuel (ht), Bhandari, Gurung in Prez race, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Bhandari, Gurung in fray for second president of country (ht), Presidential election: UML intensifies lobbying (kp), UCPN-Maoist issues whip to vote for Bhandari in presidential election (ht), Bidya Bhandari likely for president, by Thira L. Bhusal and Ashok Dahal (rep), Bidhya Devi Bhandari elected first female president (rep), Bidya Devi Bhandari elected first woman President of Nepal (kp), President Yadav ‘not to resign’ (kp), Single women await reconstruction relief, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Winter is coming: The Oli govt needs to prioritise the pending reconstruction work (kp), Madheshis have lost!, by Sukh Dev Shah (rep), Disturbing silence: Why is India using a wartime tactic against Nepal? Whatever the intended results, does India truly believe that the means justifies the end?, by Mukhesh Khanal (rep)

27/10/2015: Schools on the verge of closure: All private institutions in Valley would be shut at least till mid-Nov if fuel supply does not improve immediately, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Fuel crisis: Bandipur hit hard, by Anup Ojha (kp), China set to be Nepal’s 2nd oil trade partner: Eight-member government team heads to Beijing for negotiations, by Sangam Prasain (kp), Nepal Oil Corporation tells transporters to keep fuel tankers on standby (ht), First consignment likely this week (kp), SLMM intensifies protest; dozens of vehicles smashed (kp), On the brink: That cargo, oil trucks remain stranded due to protests in Tarai is a hard sell (kp), Indian drivers stage sit-in outside Consulate General of India (kp), Govt mobilises missions to ‘internationalise blockade’ (kp), Power parity: The next president of Nepal should be a woman, by Prativa Sapkota (kp), Ruling UML picks Bidhya Bhandari as Prez candidate; NC likely to field Kul B Gurung (kp), UML fields Bhandari for prez; UCPN-M presents Pun for Veep; NC undecided, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), NC to field Gurung, Yadav for elections of Prez, Veep respectively (rep), Madhes-centric parties to boycott presidential vote: Leaders say the decision was taken to retain public trust after SLMM participation in the PM election (kp), Efforts to take NC on board (kp), The long view: Nepalis are leaving the country because it does not have a favourable environment for work, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Uneasy neighbour: Nepal should learn from the recent turn of events and redefine its relationships with other countries, by Gyan Basnet (kp), Beyond just voice: A stronger civil society could provide constructive  solutions to the country's political problems, by Prakash Bhattarai (kp), Der Berg ruft: Die Nepalesen streiten über ihre Identität, die Erdbebennothilfe ist erst einmal zweitrangig, by Adrienne Woltersdorf (IPG)

26/10/2015: Government, UDMF talks inconclusive: Next round of talks on October 29; Two member team formed to implement UDMF conditions, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Govt to address a set of Morcha demands (kp), Morcha resumes protest in Tarai districts (kp), Demonstration against police ‘brutality’ (ht), Protesters vandalise dozens of vehicles in Saptari (rep), Internal medicine: Nepal should first set its house in order and then reassess Nepal-India relations, by Lok Raj Baral (kp), Parties working to pick prez candidates today (kp), Parties miss consensus candidate deadline (kp), PM calls all-party meet to seek support for UML candidate (ht), UML picks Bidhya Bhandari as its candidate for new Prez, by Mani Dahal (rep), Kul Bahadur Gurung likely to be NC's presidential candidate, by Bal Krishna Adhikari (rep), President, Veep election on Wednesday (ht), Election of Prez, Veep on the basis of majority process now (rep), Govt team to hold talks on petro products import from China: Delegation leaving for Beijing to seal G2G deal, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Nepal asked to take 1KT fuel by Nov 25: NOC officials say fuel transport through Kerung-Rasuwagadhi  ‘technically feasible’, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), 'Supply of grant fuel from China within one or two days' (rep), 127 tankers come from south (kp), Fuel shortage affects of delivery of humanitarian aid: OCHA (rep), UN concerned over quake victims’ woes (kp), ‘Fuel crisis delaying recovery efforts’ (ht), Delays in policy and fuel crisis holding up recovery efforts (ht), Election of local bodies still uncertain (ht) [Party leaders don't need local elections! They are only interested in their power games at the centre, nothing else!]

25/10/2015: Why Kamal Thapa’s Mission To India Failed?, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), DPM Thapa urges New Delhi to keep its word (kp), Leaders wary of terming move blockade: Mahat says it is wrong on India’s part to use transit as a tool to influence Nepal’s domestic affairs, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Traffic accidents: Fuel dearth sparks another crisis, by Manish Gautam (kp), Govt to procure fuel from China: China pledges 1,000 tonnes  of fuel as  subsidy to Nepal, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), President, VP election process under way, by Binod Ghimire (kp), PM Oli calls all-party meet to discuss on prez's election (rep), Parties fail to nominate consensual candidates for President, Vice-President (ht), NC to field own prez candidates (kp), UML to field its own candidate for President (rep), UML’s SC meet decides to vie for President (ht), UML lawmakers stress on consensus on elections of Prez, Veep (rep), UCPN (M) to vie for Vice President (rep), 5-member taskforce to draft CMP with focus on rebuilding (kp), Govt-Madhesi parties formal talks ‘from today’ (kp), Dozens injured as protesters, police clash (kp), UDMF cadres set ablaze bike in Birgunj for defying banda (rep), Two Siraha UDMF leaders arrested (rep), Two leaders of agitating parties arrested (ht), Political turmoil clouds post-quake reconstruction works: In the absence of the National Reconstruction Authority the works have ground to a halt (kp), Nepal earthquakes leave bitter legacy as children become quarry for traffickers (ht), Nepal earthquake continues to drive aftershocks through the lives of women (ht)

24/10/2015: Govt initiates homework to address demands of agitating groups (kp), Govt initiates homework to address demands of agitating groups (rep), Agitating SLMM cadres clash with police; half dozen hurt (kp), UDMF cadres clash with police, half dozen hurt (ht), SLMM tightens shutdown in Lahan (kp), Agitators loot food items being ferried to Chitwan (kp), High-level meeting on importing essential supplies from China (kp), UCPN-M Vice-Chair takes initiatives to import fuel from China (ht), Govt holding discussion to set minimum common programme for state operation (kp), Parliament to begin presidential election procedures on Saturday (ht)

23/10/2015: Koirala hopes his bid to bring disgruntled parties on board would bear fruit (kp) [?]

22/10/2015: Govt, UDMF hold talks, call on one another to be accommodative (rep), Govt, Madhesi morcha hold 2-hr long official dialogue (kp), Prez Yadav extends greetings on Bada Dashain (kp), New constitution institutionalised seven-decade-long desire & aspirations: PM Oli PM's Bada Dashain greetings (kp) [Yes, as the weeks of endless protests prove! Once again, only the desire and aspirations of the traditional male Tagadhari elite have been institutionalised!], Will bring NC on board govt: PM Oli (kp) [You should better bring all the dissatisfied sections of society on board!]

21/10/2015: Belahiya entry point on Nepal-India border closed (ht)

20/10/2015: Modi advises Thapa to address demands, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Crisis of representation: Indian media are getting a lot of flak for untruthful, dishonest and unreliable coverage of Nepal, by Dharma Adhikari (rep), Cruel intentions: The current standoff between India and Nepal is about whether Nepal should remain as an independent country; When intentions are cruel, no solution works, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), India assures stranded cargo vessels will be rerouted, says DPM Thapa (ht) [Really?], India unlikely to supply fuel through Birgunj (rep), SAARC members ‘should speak against blockade’: Diplomats and foreign policy experts are in favour of raising the issue in regional as well as inter-national platforms (kp), Presidential election: NC to pick candidate after Dashain (kp), Morcha takes ‘wait and see’ approach to poll; Leaders of the regional parties say their partici-pation in the election is likely if the NC agrees to pick Prez and Veep candi-dates agreeable to them (kp), Not interested in presidency, says Nepal (ht), Don’t delay resolution of Tarai-Madhes issues: Prez (rep), Team formed to hold talks with Madhesi, Tharu forces (ht), Govt, Madhes parties at cross purposes over talks, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), UCPN-M Tharu MPs threaten to resign from Parliament (ht), Lay it on the table: Bhattarai has embarked on a public relations campaign, but his goals are not clear, by Randhir Chaudhary (kp), Asset management: State governments will continue to depend on the centre for funds  as it collects most of the taxes even under the federal setup, by Maharaj Koirala (kp)

19/10/2015: Leadership void: And other shortcomings, by Anil Shah (ht), Crossing humane boundaries: Further politicization and internationalization of plight of Madheshis have perhaps become inevitable, by CK Lal (rep), No festive respite from banda: Morcha; But agitating alliance says plans afoot to allow vehicles during Dashain (kp), UDMF refuses to withdraw protests (ht), Madhesi agitators target passenger buses on highway, by Mithikesh Yadav (rep), UDMF demands concrete proposal on demarcation before talks (rep), Oli-led govt anti-national, says Yadav (ht), Govt, big parties trying to weaken our protest: Yadav (kp), ‘Madhes stir losing steam’ (ht), Human rights situation: NHRC to release report on Tarai (kp), The issue of Madhes is more political than constitutional, interview with Bipin Adhikari (kp), Looking for answers: While there’s a great deal of anger in Kathmandu about fuel crisis, Tarai has suffered most (kp), Fuel crisis disrupts aid supplies to quake-hit Nepalis (ht), No signs of India lifting blockade immediately; Thapa expects to meet Indian PM Narendra Modi before he returns to Kathmandu on Monday, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Thapa, Swaraj discuss easing obstruction at border points (ht), Thapa meets Swaraj, Singh (rep), Over 100 fuel tankers cross into Nepal (kp), NOC begins LPG rerouting process (kp), NOC, NAC agree to airlift aviation fuel (kp), The Bangla solution: It will be naïve to expect China won't seek anything in return. It will look to increase its influence in Nepal, by Trailokya Raj Aryal (rep) [This may be true, but it is also for sure that India will do it time and again in the years to come! Nepal must end her total dependence from supply through India!], 9 ministers sworn in: Cabinet expansion not over; Oli’s party UML unable to decide names (kp), Oli inducts nine ministers: Top Bahadur Rayamajhi named deputy PM, Shakti Basnet home minister (ht), Oli expands cabinet to 18 members (rep), Row in UCPN (M) over candidates (kp), Passing the buck: Soon enough, the new PM is likely to find daggers pointing at him from all directions, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Ban lauds Koirala’s role in statute writing, peace (kp) [?], Govt to provide counselling to CAPs: The project aims to provide support services to the needy, by Kokila KC (ht)

18/10/2015: Morcha points to govt ‘lack of preps’ for talks: The government has neither announced its talks team nor forwarded the agenda, says Sadbhawana leader (kp), PM’s invite not enough to create environment for dialogue: UDMF; Front leaders’ perception is that the government’s letter calling for talks smacks of arrogance, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Morcha protesters vandalise industry, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Cabinet expansion in limbo (kp), Rayamajhi to lead UCPN-M in govt (ht), No HR violators in Cabinet, PM told (kp) [A person who in 2006 during Jana Andolan II as the putsching king's right-hand ordered the security forces to apply brutal force against demonstrating civil society killing at least 20 and hurting thousands has now even been nominated DPM!], New government faces daunting challenges, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Old parties not fit for new role, says Baburam Bhattarai (ht), Prez election begins in week (kp), Raid on armed outfit’s ‘shelter’: Police seize six weapons, explosives from the hideout in Taplejung forest, by Ananda Gautam (kp), Oli Carries A Beacon Of Hope, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn) [?]

17/10/2015: Fuel dearth hits delivery to quake-hit areas: UN: Hundreds of tonnes of food meant for earthquake victims is said to be stuck in warehouses in districts (kp), Border blockade hits Birgunj folk hard (kp), ‘IOC reluctance to supply fuel hard to understand’ (rep), ‘China to do its best to help Nepal’ (kp), Govt sends written talks invite: Tharu leader Lekhi stresses dialogue among government, three major parties and agitating sides (kp), President calls on government, parties to resolve Tarai tangle (ht), Breaking the impasse: It is in our national interest to bring the agitating Madheshi parties on board the new constitution, by Ajit NS Thapa (rep) [The voting on the constitution was a farce since it was not free!!], Nepal: Investigate Deaths During Terai Protests: Hold Perpetrators to Account (Human Rights Watch), Tarai protest killings: HRW urges govt to book culprits; The rights body has pointed out use of arbitrary force and extrajudicial killings by police against protesters (kp), Probe deaths during protests in plains: HRW to govt (ht), MJF-L leaders quit party: Party district chairman says they resigned en masse after Gachhadar joined government (kp), Maoist leader elected first female Speaker, by Binod Ghimire (kp), From Maoist guerilla to first female Speaker, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Onsari first woman Speaker in Nepal’s history, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), NC supported Gharti Magar at ruling coalition’s request (rep), NC seeks Maoist help for President election (kp)

16/10/2015: No end in sight: The path taken by the ruling elites is likely to exacerbate the current crisis, by Saket Thakur (kp), The right to have rights: The new Constitution lays bare misogynistic and patriarchal psyches that usually hide behind nationalism, by Sangita Thebe Limbu (nt), A time to act: PM Oli cannot afford to be complacent as the country is facing multiple crises, by Shyam K.C. (kp), PM Oli urges Madhesi parties for dialogue (kp), Onus on Oli: If Oli fails, a Dasain respite will just be an interval before a more violent climax in the Tarai, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Morcha seeks concrete proposal: Madhesi leaders blame government for failing to give a clear roadmap to address their demands (kp), Hill-origin people march in support of Tarai protest (kp), Statute still not acceptable to us, says Mahato (ht), ‘Constitution amendment solution to Tarai problems’ (ht) [Why, at all, did you promulgate such a non-inclusive constitution in a way that disregarded interim constitution, Supreme Court decisions and earlier agreements?], Why India’s Policy On Nepal Failed?, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), PM Oli forms his core team: Hari Krishna Karki appointed attorney general; Pradeep Gyawali likely to become Oli’s chief political advisor (kp), High-level political committee to assist govt (rep), UML, UCPN (M) leaders eye plum ministries; Cabinet still incomplete: Rival faction opposes PM Oli’s ‘monopoly’ while picking Cabinet members while UCPN (M) Chairman Dahal under pressure to come up with inclusive list of nominees (kp), Mahara as DPM to lead Maoists in govt, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Speaker, dy speaker posts: Parties fail to pick candidates based on consensus (kp), Ruling parties pick Gharti for Speaker: Nepali Congress to announce its candidate today (ht), EU envoys vow support to new govt (kp) [What else shall they say?], A Leader Who Stands Out From The Crowd, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [A exaggerated eulogy on PM Oli that leaves the impact of his conservative mind unmentioned!], An Uphill Task Ahead Of Oli, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), Welcoming new Constitution: Now, its execution, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht)

15/10/2015: Flawed charter: Our suboptimal performance as a nation and an economy is due to the policy of exclusion practiced by ruling elites, by Avinash Gupta (rep), Housekeeping first: PM KP Oli must revive the Reconstruction Authority to jumpstart rebuilding and redevelopment, by Shesh Ghale (kp), Hazardous hypocrisy: To save Nepal from future troubles, the Madhesi and Tharu issue needs to be resolved through negotiation, by Pramod Mishra (kp), State Restructuring In Nepal: Issues And Problems, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Dispute over posts hits Cabinet expansion: Some UML leaders are said to be against the dealallocating eight ministries to the Maoists (kp) [There is nothing more important than the power games the male Tagadhari leaders of the parties! Agreements are never meant to be observed! They are not more than irresponsible liars who are not interested in people and country!!], UCPN-M indecision delays government expansion (rep), Search for new president: Race hots up as NC enters ring (kp), Parliament to elect Speaker tomorrow (ht), Presidential poll after Dashain (ht), Ruling partners to form HLPC (kp) [??], Unfinished business: It is all the more important for major parties to reach out to the Tarai now (kp), Govt not serious about talks: UDMF (ht), Rallies backing Madhes stir held (ht), Reach out: Even if Madheshi parties withdraw strike, the Madheshi youth will not, by Praveen Kumar Yadav (rep), NMSP, MJF-R feel betrayed by MJF-D (ht), Govt dilly-dallies on alternatives as fuel shortage worsens, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), IOC cuts oil supply again (kp), ‘India hints at continuing blockade in Birgunj’, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), 3 weeks on, Birgunj border obstruction still continues, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Time To Think About Economic Autarky, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

14/10/2015: Please the plains: Madhesis are as Nepali as anyone else, so the government must address their concerns, by Bhabes Kumar Labh (kp), Morcha to suspend protests for festivals: But says obstruction at major border points would continue (kp), UDMF likely to ease protests (ht), UDMF decides to continue agitating despite rifts within (rep), Tarai party cadres vent ire at their leaders (kp), IOC easing supply of fuel to Nepal (ht), Vehicular movement through Raxaul-Birgunj must to ease fuel supply, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), NOC seeks to import fuel from China, by Sujan Dhungana (rep), Future perfect: Disruption of petroleum for a week brings the entire transport system to a standstill, by Sunil Acharya (rep), Pvt vehicle owners wrestle for fuel: Many return empty-handed despite the NOC distributing huge quantities of fuel from Valley depots in 12 days, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Sleepless nights for fuel, by Anup Ojha (kp), Ruling parties near power-sharing deal: After the UML agreed to give the Vice President and Speaker posts to the Maoists, the latter gave up its claim to Prez position (kp), UML, UCPN-M leaders negotiate power sharing (rep), Three President contenders from UML (kp), Bhandari in fray for President post?, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), International community welcomes new government (kp), New Government, New Challenges, New Hopes, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Reconstruction of world heritage sites in limb: All seven Valley sites included in the World Heritage List in 1979 for their archaeological, historical, cultural and religious significance have sustained damages, by Gaurav Thapa (kp) [What are you doing with all the money you get from donors and international institutions??], UK concerned over delay in reconstruction (kp), Pride and prejudice: Is treating women as second-class citizens the only way to avert the possibility of a geopolitical crisis?, by Sophia K. Tamot (kp)

13/10/2015: Fuel flow from India increases (kp), Private vehicles to get up to 20 l fuel today (ht), Supply eases as border points open (ht), SSB halts supplies through Biratnagar customs again, by Binod Subedi (rep), Thapa to approach India for resumption of supplies (ht), Protest goes on in Birgunj (kp), Cart-cycle protest programme (ht), Sarita Giri quits Nepal Sadbhawana Party (kp), MJF-L leaders quit party, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), MJF-D leaders quit party (ht), UDMF likely to let banks operate for 5-6 days in Tarai (ht), Oli takes oath in the name of people, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), 9-member Cabinet formed (kp), PM Oli forms 9-man cabinet (rep), Cabinet focuses on Madhes issues: PM Oli holds discussion with his Cabinet colleagues and seeks their inputs on ways to address the grievances of the agitating Madhesi and Tharu communities (kp), Power-sharing ‘before full Cabinet’: Multiple claims to posts of Prez, VP and Speaker (kp), New speaker before Dashain, prez later (rep), Speaker election starts on Wednesday (kp), The way ahead: Filing a public interest litigation at the Indian Supreme Court could provide a legal recourse to the ongoing unofficial blockade on Nepal, by Shambhu Thapa and Shardul Thapa (kp), New Constitution: Ensuring human rights, by Shobhakar Parajuli (ht), NRNA to rebuild 1,000 homes for quake victims within two years (ht) [And what is the government doing with the 4.4 billion dollars from donor nations??], Wisdom And Foresight, by Shyam K.C. (rn), Restore Hindu state: Despite its Hindu status Nepal has always functioned as a secular state, with no evidence of religious zealotry, by Sukhdev Shah (kp) [Unbelievable statement! Nepal's national identity has been exlusively linked to Hindu values and thinking. Thanks to Hindu state and monarchy, Nepal belongs to some male sections of Tagadhari castes only! How can a respected newspaper like República print such nonsense?], Deceitful diplomacy: India has often exploited Nepal's vulnerability to serve its interests, by Smita Poudel (rep)

12/10/2015: Oli’s Elevation To Office Of Prime Minister, by Siddhi B Ranjitkar (km), UML’s Oli elected new PM, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Oli elected prime minister with 338 votes, by Prakash Acharya and Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Muddled, yet united: Having secured premiership, Oli now needs to mend fences with Madhes and minorities (kp), Hill-origin communities in Tarai express solidarity with Madhes demands, by Mahesh Kumar Das (rep), MJF-D votes for Oli after eight-point deal (ht), UDMF cadres burn effigies of Oli, Gachchhadar, by Madan Thakur (rep), Modi calls to congratulate: Chinese ambassador meets PM-elect to laud his success (kp), NC focus on constitution enforcement (kp), Foes to friends, Oli’s dramatic rise (kp), Forged by hardship, communist rebellion (kp), Tehrathum celebrates Oli’s election (kp), Challenges Of The New PM, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Will Oli live up to nationalist image as PM ?, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), After trading charges, PM’s election ends on conciliatory note (ht), Cabinet to get full shape in a week: Key coalition partners will have a tough task ahead when it comes to portfolio allocation (kp), New Delhi’s Nepal policy ‘trial-based’, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Indian imposition: The Modi government’s blockade on Nepal violates multiple international laws, by Surendra Bhandari (kp), 59 fuel tankers enter as protests continue (kp), IOC ‘pledges’ to boost fuel supply, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Madhesi parties mull change in tactics (kp), 1989 revisited: It is also ironic that the most powerful member of SAARC and BIMSTEC is imposing a choking blockade on the current chair of both the regional bodies, by Subhash Ghimire (rep), India at loss: If India cannot have stable relationship with neighbors like Nepal, there will be doubts about its global role, by Rohit Karki (rep), Go global: If India does not relent Nepal should take blockade to International Court of Justice, by Karuna Parajuli (rep)

11/10/2015: Rule of the few: Even after repeated struggles for democracy, all that Nepal has is kleptocracy, by Sanjay Sharma (kp), Oli, Koirala in PM race (kp), Koirala, Oli vie for PM’s chair: The latter apparently enjoys the support of a comfortable majority in Parliament, by Prakash Acharya (ht), KP Oli elected 38th prime minister of Nepal (rep) [!!], What made Koirala run for his chair (kp), UML-Maoist tie covers larger power-sharing (kp), Dahal UML’s first choice for president (ht), UML, UCPN-M to amend statute to tackle agitation (ht), Morcha leaders to vote in today’s PM election: Say will decide on their candidate on Sunday morning (kp), Vehicles idle at Rani border point after SLMM protests (kp), Tharuhat activists put off stir, by Mohan Budhaair (kp), Pvt sector urges Madhes parties to change format of protests (kp), UDMF urged to call off Tarai protests (ht), PAC tells govt to resolve fuel crisis without delay (ht), Inhuman blockade: Nepalis are being deprived of their right to live due to shortage of medicines, fuel, by Chanda Rana (kp), CPN (Masal) gen secy Singh calls for strong stance against India (kp), Disastrous dependency: Nepal must learn from the ongoing fuel crisis and seriously look for alternatives, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), Fuel and freedom: If anything, this blockade should motivate Nepal to become food and energy secure, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Keep The Word, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

10/10/2015: Big 3 not serious about Tarai issue: Leaders; Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha wants to federate the Tarai region into two states (kp), Don’t blame India: It is far easier for the Nepali ruling elite to point an accusing finger at India than negotiate in earnest with its own people, by Hari Bansh Jha (rep), Do not blame India for blockade: Mahato (kp), Cross-party MPs ask government to resolve crisis (kp), MPs demand immediate resumption of supplies (ht), Panels to talk to India over diplomatic crisis (kp), Foreign minister-led team to talk to India over supplies, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Top govt team to discuss fuel supply issues with India: Another committee to explore fuel import options, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Self sufficient: Which Modi do we believe? The one who promised support for Nepal or the one who imposed blockade?, by Shail Suman Silwal (rep), Border blockade: US  warns visiting citizens (kp), Fears of growing civil unrest halts Carter Work Project (ht), HIV people may miss ART drugs if blockade continues: NCASC, by Arjun Poudel (rep), NOC: 10 companies interested to supply petroleum products, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Illegal sale of petroleum products on the rise, by Parbat Portel (kp), Fuel shortage hits water supply in Valley; Garbage production drops due to reduced public movement (ht), Prime minister election tomorrow, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Candidates to file names for PM poll today, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), UML hopes Oli will lead govt (kp), Cong to talk to Madhes forces before decision, by Anil Giri (kp), Dahal urges PM Koirala not to contest for new term (rep), NC, UML’s word sought on amending statute: UCPN-Maoist says ruling coalition partners should strike a new deal, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), RPP-N to join govt if a major party sits in opposition (kp), Human chain symbolising Nepal’s unity in diversity: Over 500 turn up for this symbolic campaign calling for communal harmony (ht), That elusive subsidy: Questions every earthquake-affected family will now ask is why the enumeration once again, by Weena Pun (kp)

09/10/2015: Madhes drift: We should explore forces that have connected and strained relationship between the Madhes and Pahad, by Bicram Rijal (kp), North and South: This is an internal Nepali problem that should be resolved through dialogue, not intimidation, protests or a blockade, by Puru Shah (nt), Barking up the wrong tree: There isn’t much sympathy in the Madhes for the pain Kathmandu is enduring, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Proposed amendments unacceptable: Yadav (rep), Mob threatens to set Mahato’s house on fire (ht), Powerful bomb blast near Gautam Buddha Airport in Bhairahawa (ht), Sit-in continues at Birgunj border (ht), Sunauli border sees no protest (kp), Ultra-left whipping up anti-India sentiments, says Yadav (ht), Congress at odds over leading next Cabinet: NC troika Koirala, Poudel and Deuba interested to run for PM post; Mahesh Acharya and Narahari Acharya say Congress should not claim prime ministerial post, by Anil Giri (kp), NC decision on contesting PM post today, by Prakash Acharya (ht), PM: Have not promised support to Oli, by Ashok Dahal (rep), UML intensifies meetings to bolster its PM chances (kp), House to vote for new PM (kp), MJF-L and its allies want consensus govt: MJF-L Chairman Gachhadar has hinted his party could join the government if federalism dispute is resolved (kp), NOC invites global tender for fuel supply (kp), Nepal Airlines Boeing brings fuel: NAC’s Boeing 757 aircraft made two roundtrips to Kolkata, India; Defueling the aircraft will yield at least 20 tonnes after leaving enough in its tanks to conduct its regular flights (kp), Fuel, medicine shortage paralyses Valley hospitals: NMA president says if the shortage persists for another week, hospitals may be shut (ht), Detention charge costing importers over Rs 12 crore daily, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Daily wage laborers hit hard by economic blockade (rep), Modi impersonator performs puja (kp), India blames protests for freight bottleneck, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Disruptions likely till Dashain festival (ht), Canary In A Coal Mine, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), The Blockade, by Manoj Gautam (rn), India-locked: Nepal is not landlocked, it is once again a victim of New Delhi’s attempt to flex its muscles, by Bihari K. Shrestha (nt), Proxy war: The Indian blockade is no longer about the Madhes and the constitution (nt), The visible hand: Either stoking anti-India sentiments or playing the China card is not a viable strategy for Nepal, by Santosh Sharma Poudel (kp), Revitalization of NAR: For effective reconstruction, by Bikash Pokhrel (ht)

08/10/2015: A broken system: There are talks about amending the new statute even before it has been enforced, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Constitution of Nepal 2015: Amendment bill registered, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Amendment bill registered to address protesters’ concerns, by Prakash Acharya (ht), SLMM firm on state delineation demand; next meeting on Friday (kp), Big III, UDMF to continue parleys (ht), Flexibility required (ht), Bhattarai advises Tharus, hill people to settle issues (ht), Morcha cadres hurl stones at police from Indian soil (kp), Blockade in time of Dashain: Delhi’s pre-festival blockade hasn’t helped dialogue between major and Madhesi parties (kp), State of siege: Lashing out in anger against a weak country has only served to reinforce India’s image as a regional bully, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Roller-coaster diplomacy: What was regarded as a showpiece of close neighbourly relations has become a problem area, by Salman Haider (kp, originally published in The Statesman, Kolkatta), Lessons From The Embargo, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Birgunj entry point: No vehicular movement for two weeks (ht), India in ‘wait and watch’ mode, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Twitter fuels oil crisis protests: Hashtag #DonateOilToIndianEmbassy tweets over 60,000 times worldwide; Disgruntled citizens picket Indian Embassy (kp), ‘Indian media reports on Nepal are untrue’ (kp) [??], NC divided over condemning blockade (kp), Nepal-Bangladesh bilateral trade halted, by Parbat Portel (kp), Govt mulls air-lifting fuel to ease crisis (kp), NOC to explore petroleum import possibility (kp), Crisis highlights need for energy security, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), Janajati leaders meet ambassador Rae (ht), Foreign interference not acceptable, say youth (ht), Will honour past Deal, PM assures Oli (kp), Will support anyone as next PM, says Dahal, by Bedraj Poudel (kp), No Alternative To National Unity Govt, by Mukti Rijal (rn), The China card: The temptation for China to play the knight in shining armor that comes to Nepal's miraculous recue is getting harder to resist, by Biswas Baral (rep), Discourse on dignity: The first step to dignifying Dalits is to consistently address Dalit issues, by Steven Folmar (rep)

07/10/2015: Talks with agitating parties: Morcha seeks concrete govt proposal (kp), Big 3-UDMF meeting fails to make headway (rep), Government likely to register constitution amendment bill today (ht), Blockade to remain till demands met: UDMF, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Tharu group disassociates itself from UDMF-called protests (rep), Prolonged protests trouble Morang folk, by Lilaballav Ghimire (kp), Millions of schoolchildren in Tarai districts hit by protests, by Nirjana Sharma (rep), Tarai unrest imperils livelihood of daily wage earners, by Mahesh Kumar Das (rep), Only ‘10 pc’ tankers get fuel, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), 27 fuel tankers enter Nepal Tuesday (rep), Indian Embassy asks NOC for oil (kp) [!?], Diplomatic missions feel the heat of blockade, by Sujan Oli (rep), DPM seeks int'l support against 'Indian blockade', by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Sunauli border comes to a halt (kp), India’s blockade against international treaty: BRB, by Durga Lal KC (kp), Losing Nepal: Indian reaction to new constitution in Nepal has similarities with American reaction to founding of People's Republic of China, by Trailokya R. Aryal (rep) [Another call to trun the multiethnic state of Nepal into a Hindu state], MPs lobby for opening all passes with China (kp), Wishful Thinking, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn), New govt should at least have Big Three: UCPN (M) (kp), Oli way out Making Oli the next PM is still the best option to salvage the constitution out of the current morass, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp) [Kina?? Only new charismatic leaders should lead the nation, not the old conservative male Tagadhari elite!!], Major Parties Must Keep United Face, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Pvt sector urges PM to act to end stalemate (kp), Rights for all: The CA-turned-parliament should not amend the constitution just to accommodate vested interests, by Suprabha Baniya Chhetri (rep)

06/10/2015: 15 injured in border clash: SLMM supporters hurl stones from no-man’s-land; Protesters detain Birgunj NOC chief, by Madhav Dhungana (kp), Talks with UDMF representatives likely today (ht), Call to address genuine demands (ht), Statute revision ‘after dialogue with disgruntled’ (kp), India wants amendments before new government, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp) [India has nothing to demand in Nepal, even though such demands are justified from the side of the concerned Nepali groups! Especially, it does not excuse India's violation of fundamental human rights and international law!!], 100 trucks enter Nepal, by Thakur Singh Tharu and Binod Bhandari (kp), 41 fuel tankers enter Nepal from border: Obstruction continues in Belhiya; Eight security personnel injured, by Govind Chhetri and Shree Ram Sigdel (ht), Survival Questions, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Fuel products blockade: NOC claims compensation, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), NOC seeks Rs 870m in damages from IOC, by Sujan Dhungana (rep), Nepal envoy takes up freight delays with India: Supply from Birgunj-Raxaul checkpoint likely to ease today, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Govt criticized for failure in foreseeing, managing crisis (rep), Déjà vu: India imposes blockade to prop up anti-establishment forces. It has been trying to bring Madheshi parties to the center of power, by Pranab Kharel and Rohit Karki (rep), Southern voices: The coverage in India focused on the violent scenes of Madhesh, downplaying the gains in fundamental rights and inclusive polity, by Dharma Adhikari (rep), Facing Difficult Times, by Shyam K.C. (rn), Embargo: Is It Or Is It Not?, by Prem Khatry (rn), PM defers new cabinet discussions (kp), NC divided over new PM candidate (kp), Three parties urged to keep unity intact: Dahal backs CPN-UML Chair Oli for the prime minister’s post, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Maoists call for nat’l unity government (kp), Will of the people: It is time to implement the constitution and consolidate the rights of the people, by Bhim Rawal (kp) [No, Mr Rawal, it is the will of the male high caste top leaders of three parties!!], Divided loyalties: Fledgling political analysts on social media should focus on decreasing ethnic tensions instead of fueling it, by Subin Mulmi (kp), The forgotten folks: Nepal must do more to address the needs of its senior citizens, by Chun Bahadur Gurung (kp), Hydropower projects knocked out by earthquake still offline, by Sanjeev Giri (kp) [??]

05/10/2015: Tale of two quakes The delay in passing the reconstruction bill shows that our leaders are not serious about rebuilding Nepal, by Gyanendra Gurung (kp), Morcha, three-party panels likely to begin formal talks today, by Binod Ghimire (kp), UDMF forms a four-member talks team (ht), The risk of intractability: Normalcy will be found only during brief interludes if intransigency supersedes sagacity in negotiations with Madheshis and Tharus, by C.K. Lal (rep), The concerns of the Madhesi parties will be addressed, interview with Ram Sharan Mahat (kp) [In this case, you should not have promulgated the constitution in this way!!], Boundary issues must be addressed, FDA tells govt, by Ram Kumar Kant (ht), Blockade not yet over, says Mahato (ht), Solidarity rally for Madhes agitation (ht), IOC refuses to provide fuel despite assurances, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), No fuel cargo entered Nepal Sunday: Border blockade continues for 11th day (rep), Easing of border restrictions in Birgunj hinges on amendments, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Supply of goods yet to ease at border points (ht), Piece process: Whatever the intent, Delhi’s  restrictions have only deepened  political and communal cleavages (kp), Blockade, energy shortages goad country into looking for solutions, by Sanjeev Giri (kp), It's not possible to redirect trade to China immediately: Mahat, by Binod Subedi (rep), Experts blame laeders' apathy for poor trade connectivity with China, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Hawkish Indian Vs Weak Nepali Leadership, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Reviving ties: Economic embargo has hampered recovery and rehabilitation works post-earthquake, by Gunakar Bhatta (rep), PM post not a done deal for KP Oli yet: Two possible contenders from Congress; Maoist and Madhesi parties hold the key, by Anil Giri (kp) [Anyway, all three are incompetent and will contribute to the continuation of Nepal's crisis!], NC to name own candidate for premiership: UML to field Oli for the post; New PM by Oct 11: Nembang; UCPN-M to play kingmaker, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Maoist not to claim any key positions: Dahal (kp), Conspiracies are afoot to break alliance of big parties: Dahal (rep)

04/10/2015: Protests continue at Nepal-India border (kp), NC, UML spat over constitutional issues worry Madhesi leaders (ht), India decides to lift restrictions, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp) [But India had claimed that there were no restrictions!?], Border points to open in a day or two, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), 10 petrol tankers, 70 containers enter Nepal: More awaiting clearance (kp), Shortage of cooking gas: ‘40pc of hotels, restaurants shut’ (kp), Top hotels running out of fuel, food stock, by Sangam Prasain (kp), Fuel crisis hits hydels (ht), Dealing With A Hegemon, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Parties discuss govt formation, by Prakash Acharya (ht), CPN-UML to field KP oli as PM candidate (kp), Dahal confirms ‘deal on Oli govt’: Says UCPN (Maoist) is also open to joining new government led by Nepali Congress, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Bhattarai reiterates plan for new force, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Bhattarai to form new political force (ht), Lost opportunities: The political class is not showing any urgency to end the drawn-out stalemate, by Atul K. Thakur (kp), Matter of trust: Inability of the political parties to rise above party politics has lead citizens to lose faith on the government and its institutions, by Meena Bhatta (kp)

03/10/2015: PM paves way for new government: Prez calls for consensus govt within 7 days, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Prez calls for unity govt within a week, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Prime minister stops short of resigning (ht), President Yadav calls parties to elect new PM, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), UML, UCPN (M) say PM didn’t take them into confidence (kp), NC, UML in dispute as process to form new govt begins (rep), Govt initiates process to amend constitution (ht), Amendment process started to address agitators' demands (ht), India hints at ending blockade, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp) [I think you have not imposed any blockade!?], Call for lifting blockade at border points (ht), Women leaders join relay hunger strike (ht), Youths demand separate Limbuwan province (ht), Constitution crisis: Unrest, blockade cause loss worth ‘$1b’, by Sangam Prasain (kp), No end in sight: The government was ill-prepared to deal with economic blockades of the sort Nepal is currently living through, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Protesters clash with police in Rautahat (ht), Protester injured in police firing, by Shiva Puri (kp), 5 fuel tankers enter Nepal from Sunauli, by Madhav Dhungana (kp), Ministry seeks Euro III standard fuel from China, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Women Peace Network holds rally in capital (ht), Pvt sector seeks immediate solution to banda, blockade (kp), House panel tells govt to resolve blockade (kp), Common man f inding ways to cope with crisis (ht), Bumbling Clowns: More than fifty days since the Tarai shutdown began,  our government still can’t bring the Madhesi leaders  on board and resolve the crisis, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical], Bhattarai draws flak as he bats for socialism: The former prime minister says he needs to unlearn what he has learnt in 40 years (ht), The royal comeback: The absurdity of current events in Nepal is worse than the absurdity of having President of India as honorary king, by Bishal Thapa (rep), World is watching: Indian bureaucrats and diplomats who handle foreign relations with Nepal do not have accurate information on the country, by Ujwal Thapa (rep), Madhesh musings: In my childhood I couldn't imagine all of Madhesh burning in unison demanding rights and justice, by Hitesh Karki (rep)

02/09/2015: On the edge: The new constitution was to resolve our political problems; Instead, it gave rise to a whole new set of issues, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), The Madhesi cauldron: Kathmandu’s power wielders have not realised that there has been a tectonic shift in the plains, by Pranab Kharel and Gaurab KC (kp), Before it's too late: Southern Nepal is in the middle of a humanitarian crisis, we need to act soon, by Puru Shah (nt), Fighting our own battles: Madhesis may be culturally close to Indians, but they are Nepalis first, by Jivesh Jha (nt), It's not about the constitution: The current standoff is more about the feeling of being left out, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Insult and injury, by Santa Gaha Magar (nt), Thousands form human chain on Hulaki Road: Tharuhat supporters, business people protest against border blockage (kp), UDMF forms human chain of protest (ht), Gaur Bairganiya entry point stays shut (ht), Govt may free protestors if border protests stopped, by Sangeet Sangroula (kp), Tarai talks: Madhesi leaders of national parties say some of the demands of plains-based groups are genuine and can easily be addressed, by Tufan Neupane (nt), Informal talks with Mahantha Thakur to continue, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Govt to begin bid to address demands (kp), Differences over charter revision, power-sharing, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Heated exchange between PM, Oli (ht), Neighbours, not friends: The current state of affairs in Nepal is an outcome of the nation’s repeated failure at learning from the past , by Shyam K.C. (kp), Whither Nepal- India Relation?, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Blockade blues: One would have expected a far less obvious move on India’s part at such a crucial time, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), Call to respect human rights and dignity (kp), Pandey, Swaraj meet on sidelines of UNGA (ht), Swaraj denies blockade, support to monarchy (kp), Showing who’s boss: It is in India’s strategic interest to ensure equilibrium and stability in Nepal, but the blockade has undermined that (nt), ‘India should’ve limited its role’, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), 34 fuel tankers get clearance (kp), 18 fuel tankers among 100 trucks enter Nepal through Sunauli border (ht), Petroleum crisis throws normal life out of gear, by Anup Ojha (kp), Citizens use carpool to go around Valley (kp), Fuel crisis could lead to water shortages (kp), Central bank requested not to issue LCs (kp), Leave the kids alone: Children have a right to study as much as political parties’ right to protest (kp), Power abuse accused UML ministers out (kp), Minister Gyawali sacked, Poudel resigns, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht)

01/10/2015: Errors and lies: The three major parties have failed the litmus test to lead a multicultural country, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Several jurisdictions overlap in new statute: The constitution needs either new acts and regulations or amendment in the existing legal provisions before it could be fully implemented, by Gaurav Thapa (kp), Our constitution is among the best: Nembang (kp) [??], Unblocking the deadlock: The "unannounced blockade" by India has distracted us from the real issues that plague us as a nation, by Daulat Jha (rep), UDMF demands roadmap to settle disputes: Major parties want blockade ended first (rep), Morcha hopeful of solution to Tarai disputes (kp), Negotiations with UDMF to continue today (ht), UDMF forces halt to Nepali TV channels in Bara and Parsa, by Ritesh Tripathi and Mahesh Kumar Das (rep), Curfew order lifted in Birgunj: The situation in the sub-metropolis is yet to be normal as Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha  has continued its protests (kp), UCPN (M): NC, UML tough stance hindering consensus with Madhes (kp), UML begins drive to clear confusion (kp), Modi’s Waterloo? India has not been able to accept never-colonized Nepal as independent country, by Basanta Lohani (rep), Losing focus: The unofficial blockade only helps political class to deflect attention from the real issue (kp), Undeclared Embargo: Against International Law, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Indian fuel stations directed to refuse fuel to Nepali vehicles, by Raju Adhikari (rep), India hasn’t imposed any blockade, claims Indian Ambassador to Nepal (ht) [What is the difference between Indian and Nepali politicians? There is no difference! Both think the people are stupid!!], Delhi concerned over ‘whipping up of anti-India sentiments’ (kp) [???], ‘Blockade’ worries Indians (kp) [!!], Oli accuses India of blocking supplies (ht), 150 cargo trucks enter Nepal (kp), Life crippled in Valley as fuel crisis worsens (ht), 3-day fuel sale restriction on pvt vehicles, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Private vehicles barred from purchasing fuel (ht), Govt studying options to airlift aviation fuel, by Sangam Prasain (kp), Sea of troubles: Nepal should resort to international laws and effective diplomacy to end the unofficial blockade by India, by Tejman Shrestha (kp)

30/09/2015: Cycle of exclusion: aws that fail to break the poverty-alienation-statelessness trap are driving much of the anger in the Madhes, by Apoorva Lal (kp), Talks make no headway, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Talks with Tarai leaders positive (ht), UML proposes 79 FPTP seats for plains, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Protest at no-man’s-land, shipment stuck on border (kp), Student unions draw UN attention to blockade at border checkpoints (ht), Goods stuck on border for no valid reason, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Movement of goods obstructed at major customs points (ht), Dependence on India in lack of roadlink to north, by Kuvear Chalise (rep), Fiasco when diplomacy should be shrewd: With UN summit, top diplomats stay away for weeks, by Anil Giri (kp) Crack Diplomatic Nut, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn), Blockade Raises Questions About India's Motive, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), India not against statute, says Indian ambassador Rae; Nepali envoy hopes disruption on border will end soon (ht) [??], Speak for Nepal: The global community needs to tell India what it is doing to Nepal is inhuman, undiplomatic, immoral and illegal, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), Indian designs: India has taken keen interest in Madhesh agitation as a part of long-term strategy of gobbling up Tarai, by Bindesh Dahal (rep), CPN-UML bid to defend statute provisions (kp), UCPN (Maoist) ready to join new majority govt (kp), BRB visits Janakpur amid protests: Announces plan to form a new political force, by Shyam Sundar Shashi (kp), Bhattarai faces UDMF’s wrath in Janakpur: Cadres vandalise, torch stage where he was speaking (ht), Positive constitution: The Constitution provides extensive coverage of fundamental rights including social, economic and cultural rights, by Ram Saran Mahat (Nepali Congress) (rep) [??]

29/09/2015: Tharu MPs for collaboration with agitating groups to press demands (kp), Negotiation with dissident parties begins: Three-member government dialogue team meets Madhesi leaders to discuss ways to end stalemate (kp), NC Madhes leaders table 4-pt suggestion (kp), Mahat briefs donors on charter’s inclusiveness: Draws int’l community’s attention to trade restriction, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Protests rage across country against India’s blockade (kp), Thousands of cargo trucks stranded on border (kp), Two oil tankers, two gas bullets enter Nepal (kp), India hints at ‘resolution after Modi returns’, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Look both ways: As border economies are crucial to bilateral ties, the focus should shift away from Kathmandu and Delhi, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Nepal mulls flying in fuel to beat blockade (kp), Report: Protesters were paid to commit violence (kp) [??], Have patience: It takes time to build inclusive social, economic and political institutions at the grassroots, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Fly In The Soup?, by Prem Khatry (rn)

28/09/2015: Government gears up for statute revision: Constituency drawing as per population, geography Proportional representation of marginalised groups, by Anil Giri (kp), Call to revise constitution to make it gender friendly (kp), Leaders, govt ignored us, say ex-combatants, by Sharmila Dharel (kp), It’s not over yet: Bhattarai’s departure from the party leaves many questions unanswered (kp), BRB keen to join Madhes movement, talks to Mahato (ht), Tarai parties give BRB cold shoulder (kp), Tarai unrest: Stones hurled at buses, 36 hurt, by Jitendra Khadka (kp), 50 vehicles vandalised (ht), Army returns to barracks in Kailali today (kp), Fuel rationing begins: Petrol pumps asked to keep records to avoid duplication in distribution, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Vehicular movement thin in capital (kp), LPG shortage worsens as bullets stuck on Indian side (kp), Indian side blocks goods carriers at border points: An official says Indian authorities ignored their request to let stranded trucks enter Nepal (kp), India’s act ‘breaches’ int’l conventions, agreements, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Students in Nepalgunj protest India’s blockade (kp), Blockade won’t last long: Envoy Upadhyay (kp) [??], India Welcomes Nepal's New Constitution With Blockade!, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Nepal’s tension should be resolved through talks: Rajan, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), India should not squander goodwill earned by Narendra Modi’s visits, interview with Lok Raj Baral (kp)

27/09/2015: PM at ground zero 33 days after havoc: Koirala meets security officers, party representatives and locals to take stock of the situation on the ground, by Ganesh Chaudhary (kp), Fuel crisis worsens: Even-odd vehicle plying in place, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Cargo movement remains obstructed at Jogbani, Kakarvitta (kp), Leaders ‘not to cave into Indian pressure’: The 22 parties in Parliament agreed to protest India’s tacit trade blockade (kp), Two Madhesi fronts forge alliance: Madhesi leaders fear that radical elements might cash in on the ongoing agitation on the ground, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Time to talk: Ignoring the demands of the Madhesi parties does not bode well for long-term stability, by Shreya Paudel (kp), Prez urges leaders to sit for talks (kp), Highs and lows: Despite the anomalies in the constitution, we have no option but to implement it, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp) [Very twee discription of this constitution!], The path ahead: By promulgating the new constitution, Nepal has overcome one challenge, only to be confronted by new problems, by Gopal (kp), Bhattarai quits UCPN-Maoist, Parliament: Underscores need of a new force in the changed context, by Prakash Bhattarai (kp), When trouble strikes: The general public is suffering because of the short-sightedness of the politicians, by Byanjana Sharma (kp), UN Secretary-General hails new constitution (kp)

26/09/2015: Madhes parties plan to forge broader alliance (kp), UDMF, FDA likely to forge working alliance, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Morcha protesters continue obstructing border points (kp), UDMF continues protest (ht), Agitators in Tarai block essential supplies (ht), Law impedes progress of women: Report (kp), President summons Parliament session, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Indian officials further tighten Jogbani customs, by Binod Bhandari (kp), IOC refuses fuel delivery to Nepal: IOC depots restrict supply to Nepal citing reasons including mechanical failure or traffic congestion due to strike in Tarai, by Rajesh Khanal (ht), PM, leaders draw India’s attention: Ambassador Rae denies Delhi’s fault, by Anil Giri (kp), Govt assures full security to vehicles stranded on border (ht), Corruption Friendly Constitution, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

25/07/2015: Big 3 for conditional Army pullout: Two ruling parties and the opposition UCPN (Maoist) agree to recall Nepal Army to create an environment for talks provided that protests become peaceful, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Big III renew call for talks to end protests (ht), Protesters stage sit-in at major border points (kp), Eight UDMF leaders held from border, released (ht), Curfew order continues in Tikapur, Dhangadhi, by Ganesh Chaudhary and Mohan Budhair (kp), BRB supports demands of Madhes parties (kp), Govt defends contents of new constitution (kp), Russia Greets new statute promulgation (kp), 3 IOC depots cut supplies to Nepal: IOC refused to dispatch fuel from Raxaul, Baitalpur and Siliguri depots, according to NOC sources (kp), Cargo held up at 4 points: Freight movement curtailed at Bhairahawa, Raxaul, Biratnagar and Kakarvitta borders (kp), Govt to ask Rae to clarify matter, by Anil Giri (kp), Ambassador arrives with Delhi’s message today: Upadhyay and his Indian counterpart are expected to hold talks with Madhesi leaders, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Yadav warns against anti-Indian rhetoric (kp), Ministry appeals to China to open trade routes: With Dashain around the corner, the northern neighbour has been asked to resume border operation at the earliest (kp), Love thy neighbour: The new constitution of Nepal is immensely important for cementing the historical ties between Nepal and India, by Surendra Bhandari (kp), Nepali Constitution Making And India: Some Thoughts, by Mahesh P Adhikari (rn), NHRC to follow up on 12 rights violation cases: The commission has recommended action in 715 cases of grave rights violation (kp), Hopelessness to hope: The run of challenges has sapped the national spirit, but tomorrow will dawn if we shun cynicism, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp), Madhes Movement Should Correct Its Course, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [Yes, but in the way as the male Thagadari leaders did before the pomulgation of their non-inclusive new constitution??], Constitution ensures rights, covers all groups: Sitaula (ht) [The so-called leaders continue to believe that Nepal's citizens are stupid!], After the new constitution: Effective implementation, by Shobhakar Parajuli (ht), Vicious cycle: Politics affects the economy which in turn impacts on politics (nt), Costly constitution: The good news is that the bias that the new constitution has institutionalised can be reversed, by Anurag Acharya (nt)

24/09/2015: Back to basics: We have been handed a constitution, certainly not by a feudal lord but by a committee no less feudal, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Protesters threaten with 24-hr blockade (kp), Prolonged bandh cripples mid-Tarai (ht), Tarai protest sees no end, Bardiya folk defy banda (kp), UDMF to intensify stir, block highways, customs points: Tharus considering a working alliance with Madhesis, indigenous nationalities (ht), 3-day ultimatum to end strikes, by Lila Ballav Ghimire (kp), Curfew lifted as Rukum gradually returns to normal (ht), Limbuwan withdraws general strike in east (ht), India sought changes in Nepal statute: Media; New Delhi brushes off Indian Express news report as ‘incorrect’ (kp), Leaders ask int’l group to respect statute: Such request from the leaders comes after reports about Indian govt asking Nepal to make some amendments to the statute (kp), Customs clearance process tightened, by Shankar Acharya (kp), Nepal-bound rail freight suspended: 800 ready-to-move containers from third countries have been stuck in Kolkata port, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Valley may face shortage of goods this Dashain, by Suman Bashyal (kp), PM cancels UN trip, DPM Singh to represent Nepal (kp), PM Koirala calls off visit to UN: Deputes DPM Prakash Man Singh to attend UNGA, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), One good move: Prime minister made the right decision in not leaving for UN General Assembly (kp), Civil society members urge govt to find political solution (ht), OHCHR urges govt, agitating parties for talks (kp), End violence through talks: OHCHR (ht), NHRC demands justice for Adhikaris (kp), Where to next? The government and the parties should now work to institutionalise the constitution, by Prakash Bhattarai (kp), New Constitution: Herald Of A New Epoch, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Constitution of Nepal: The Charter Of A New Era, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Will three-party unity remain intact while sharing power?, by Prakash Acharya (ht)

23/09/2015: Power plays: Inability of the Congress and UML to adopt a democratic decision-making process alienated the Madhesis, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp) [Better say "unwillingness"], Morcha, Tharuhat, Limbuwan demonstrate in several districts (kp), 30 days of strike, curfew hit Kailali people hard (ht), Gachhadar to Big 3: Show your cards, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Madhesi leaders seek concrete deal, by Prakash Acharya (ht), India upset by constituency delineation, Tarai violence, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), India ups security on border: Authorities in Raxaul tighten customs clearance on Nepal-bound container trucks, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Blockade fears set off panic buy, by Suman Bashyal (kp), Experts say India won’t act against Nepal (ht), Rumours of Indian blockade scotched: 78 fuel tankers dispatched across Nepal from Birgunj, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Nepse loses nearly 40pts on closure rumour: According to investors, they fear the worst after Indian customs halted movement of Nepal-bound tankers carrying petroleum products (kp), Leaders rubbish India embargo rumour (kp), PM Koirala pressed to cancel New York visit: India cannot impose trade embargo, say leaders, by Anil Giri (kp), Big III to engage agitating parties in parleys: PM to visit US only if he gets to meet Modi (ht), Tarai unrest hits industries in Sunsari-Morang corridor, by Binod Bhandari (kp), NHRC urges all to exercise restraint (ht), More supports pour in from int’l group (kp), A milestone in Nepal’s democratic journey, says US: Germany, France, China, Japan, Switzerland, Norway welcome charter (ht) [This has to do with diplomatic rules of the gamne, but also with lack of understanding of Nepal's reality!], Three held on church explosion charge, by Parbat Portel (kp), Three vehicles including ambulance vandalised in Taplejung (kp), Continued Protests Sour Constitution Promulgation, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn)

22/09/2015: Police open fire in Malangwa after protesters set fire to lawmaker’s house, by Aman Koirala (kp), Violence continues unabated in Tarai: 12-yr-old among 12 people injured in police firing (kp), Bomb blast, protest in Kailali (ht), Vandalism and arson escalate in the plains, by Ram Sarraf and Prabat Kumar Jha(ht), AHRC urges govt to stop ‘alarming ongoing violence’ in Biratnagar (ht) [see AHRC statement], Amnesty International urges restraint during protests (kp) [see AI statement], Banda cripples life in Tarai, by Madhav Ghimire and Lila Ballav Ghimire (kp), Agitation will continue until Madhes state is guaranteed: SSFN Chair Yadav (kp), UDMF to intensify agitation (ht), Rajendra Mahato burns new statute (ht), Constitution celebrated across nation (ht) [How can you claim this???], Maoist chair takes ‘tough line’ on Madhesi demands: Dahal claims Madhesis gained the most under federalism as they were the only ones to get province solely based on identity (kp) [Nobody preserved more than male Tagadharis!!], Bhattarai asked to take over UCPN-Maoist (ht), NC to address concerns through statute amendment: Congress extends the term of party’s working committees for six months (ht) [It has been your duty to address these concerns before the promulgation of the conastitution!!], No need to bow down before Madhes agitation: Bijukchhe (kp), Leaders pledge to implement constitution: Say genuine concerns of agitating parties could be addressed by amending statute, by Prakash Acharya (ht) [Such genuine demands exist for years or even decades! Why did you not make necessary changes before the promulgation of the new constition?], India expresses concern over unrest: Indian External Affairs Ministry voices security concerns of their freight companies and transporters over the prevailing unrest in regions of Nepal bordering India (kp), PM, Thakur meeting fails to yield results (kp), Sadbhavana Party prez urges govt to form body for addressing demands (kp), Madhesi fronts discuss future course (kp), Implementation of new constitution: Over 100 new laws required, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Pradhan resigns as PM's press advisor: PM accepts Pradhan's resignation (kp), UN acknowledges Nepal’s constitution (kp), Chinese felicitations on charter promulgation (kp), Losing state religion: The reinstatement of secularism in the statute is certain to help build a more tolerant society, by Pratyush Nath Upreti (kp), Progressive start: The new constitution goes further than its predecessors in securing people’s rights, by Gyan Basnet (kp), A new beginning: It is now time to explore the positive aspects of the statute and amicably resolve its deficiencies, by Udaya Shamsher Rana (kp), Major revenue sources under central govt, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), The Constitution Of Nepal: Read, Follow, Don’t Ever Burn It, by Prem Khatry (rn), The Difficult Road Ahead, by Shyam K.C. (rn), New govt after October 3: Koirala to resign once he returns from UN General Assembly (ht)

21/09/2015: Constitution promulgated: A long struggle and aspirations of people of Nepal has finally manifested into a reality, says President Ram Baran Yadav, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai and Binod Ghimire (kp) [Whose aspirations? Those of women, Janajati, Madheshi, Dalits, and Muslims who constitute 85 percent of the population??], Public, political leaders hail the commencement (kp), Int’l community greets statute cautiously, by Anil Giri (kp), One protester dies, several hurt in Tarai demonstrations (kp), Madhesi-Tharu alliance on the cards: Sadbhawana Party Chairman Rajendra Mahato says they will continue to fight for the rights of Tarai people by  forging alliance with like-minded forces (kp), After statute, parties focus on new govt (kp), The truth about federal states: Province 3 would fare the best while Province 4, 6 and 7 might not be economically viable, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp), Historic Achievement, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

20/09/2015: Promulgating An Unacceptable Constitution, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Talk to the Tarai: The new constitution has not been able to address the demands of the Madhesis, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Disgruntled groups protest new constitution promulgation (kp), Big 3 renew appeal for talks: Say ready for amendment on province delineation; call agitating groups to be part of charter promulgation (kp), Protesters reject major parties’ offer, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), A Delicate Balance: We are relieved to have new constitution but would like to see a larger ownership (kp), People plan welcome events across districts (kp), Bhattarai: More to be done; The Maoist leader says new statute does not address the concerns of Madhesis, Tharus, Muslims and other marginalised groups, by Nagendra Adhikari (kp) [And why did you vote for its promulgation?], New govt agenda takes centre stage (kp), New statute to address gender issues, says Minister Pandey (kp) [Do you really think that the people are so stupid??], Still unequal: Although the new constitution vows to do away with gender-based discrimination, controversial clauses still relegate women to the position of second-class citizens, by Sapana Pradhan Malla (kp), A historic day: The new constitution will unleash many opportunities for progress and prosperity in Nepal, by Abhi Subedi (kp) [??], The evolution of Nepal's constitution: The constitution of 1990 was regarded as the best one Nepal had had until then, but it did not last a long time, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Departure from the past, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Forgotten promises: The rights of marginalised communities and minorities in Nepal’s Constitution 2015, by Mukta S. Lama Tamang (kp), Promulgation Of ‘Constitution Of Nepal’ Heralds A New Era, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

19/09/2015: Memo submitted against ‘rights violation in Tarai’ (ht), Janajatis to observe Sept 20 as black day (ht), DAO steps up security in Kailali (ht), Mahato plans to intensify protest in Tarai districts (ht), Rajendra, Matrika, JP to form alliance, by Ritesh Tripathi (rep), Madheshi lives matter: Innocent civilians in Tarai have been killed but the media attention has been scarce, by Puru Shah (rep), Govt to provide Rs 1m to Tarai protest dead (rep), Constitution authenticated, by Binod Ghimire (kp), CA chair authenticates new constitution: 537 lawmakers sign the document, including all RPP-N members who had opposed the charter, by Prakash Acharya (ht), New constitution certified (rep), Big 3, MJF-L deal stuck on wording: With the both sides making efforts to seek acceptable words, leaders remain hopeful of consensus (kp), Big III fail to rope in Gachhadar, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Modi’s special envoy urges addressing Madhes demands (rep), ‘Utilise time before statute promulgation’ (kp), Try to forge consensus till last moment: Jaishankar, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Historic Day: A New Federal Constitution In Offing, by Pranav Bhattarai (rn), Wait is over: That we have been forced to wait for seven long years means that the morning after the new constitution gets formally promulgated ought to feel different, by Hitesh Karki (rep)

18/09/2015: Morcha warns ‘stern protest’ for Madhes rights (kp), UDMF decides to keep door for talks open (ht), Madhesi front to burn new constitution (ht), Habeas corpus petition over arrest of 5 Morcha leaders annulled, by Madan Thakur (rep), Big 3 positive on Tharu demands, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Big 3 hold talks with Tharu leaders, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Big III in bid to rope in Gachhadar (ht), Demos continue in Tarai districts (kp), Footnotes from the Far-west: Tikapur has been left with an open scar which will take a long time to heal, by Anurag Acharya (nt), NHRC condemns Bethari shooting (kp), ‘Govt polices are not Dalit friendly’ (kp), The die is cast: Hopefully, the new constitution of Nepal will not fragment the country and divide its people, by Shyam KC (kp) [Sorry, but it already does! This constitution is the worst that could happen to Nepal!], New constitution draws mixed response: Some people are planning to organise Deepawali on Sunday, others are calling for blackout protest (kp), New constitution draws mixed reaction in Kailali, by Yogeshwor Rawal (rep), Protest kick off against new charter (ht), Despite reservations, RPP-N to embrace new statute (rep), CA members who voted for the new constitution (rep), UML leaders brief int’l groups on statute, latest political affairs: Leaders urge foreign diplomats to play a constructive role in the implementation of the new constitution approved by over 90pc lawmakers in the Constituent Assembly (kp) [507 out of 598 MPs means 84 percent! Most important: The party leaders prevented freedom of opinion in voting and voting was not secret as it should have been for such important document!!], Experts confident of int’l support to new constitution (ht) [This has to do with the fact that foreign views are guided by rules of diplomacy and are based on innocence of Nepal's internal reality!!], China welcomes new constitution (rep), India’s Foreign Secy arriving today with Modi message, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Indian foreign secretary arriving today, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), When will the election of key positions begin? (rep) [Now it's time for another round power struggles among the traditional male Tagadhari elite!!], PM’s UN visit may delay new govt formation: Friday’s Cabinet meeting to decide whether Koirala will attend UNGA, by Bhadra Sharma (kp) [Power-hungry Mr Oli will not be pleased!], Lacking A Sense of History, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [A strange view of history from centre perspective!], Don’t Snatch Human Rights of innocent people, by Roshan Kumar Jha (rn), No prez speech at ceremony to promulgate constitution, by Prakash Acharya (ht), New constitution new era, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep) [??], A constitution, like it or not: We are so desperate to move on, we are willing to pass a constitution that won’t guarantee a majority of citizens equality and freedom, by Bisdushi Dhungel (nt), New constitution leaves revolution 'unfinished' in Nepal (Channel News Asia), Parties should now shift focus to economic agenda: Private sector (rep), Idea of fun, by Biswas Baral (rep)

17/09/2015: CA passes new Constitution, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Overwhelming majority endorses draft constitution: Of the 532 Constituent Assembly members present, 507 voted in support of charter; 25 RPP-N members voted against it, by Prakash Acharya and Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Overwhelming majority endorses new constitution: Constitution has 308 articles, 35 parts and 9 annexes, by Thira L. Bhusal and Ashok Dahal (rep), Top leaders hail new statute as first by people’s representatives, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep) [But did not even allow the representatives to speak out their mind!??], Minority group concerns: Govt to form 7 commissions, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [How can you call 85 percent of the people minority groups??], Show humility: Minority groups need to be brought onboard for broad ownership of statute (kp), Sharma resigns from UCPN-M: Other Madhesi leaders likely to follow suit (ht), Irate Hindu activists try to manhandle minister (ht), Tharu leaders to talk only with heads of big 3 parties (rep), MJF-L puts forth four-point demand to rejoin CA process (kp), MJF-Democratic sets riders for supporting new statute (ht), UDMF reviews ongoing Madhes agitation: A long battle awaits if the statute is promulgated, warns front (ht), Criminal cases against seven front leaders (ht), Eastern Tarai limps back to normalcy (kp), Shipments via Bhairahawa return to previous levels, by Madhav Dhungana (kp), Oli’s reps meet top Indian officials, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Indian leaders express their concern about Tarai unrest (ht), United Kingdom hopes for inclusive constitution (kp) [??], UK, Germany, Russia welcome new constitution (rep), No drastic 'reform' in judiciary in new constitution, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), A case for change: How can people of all ethnicities work together to stop Nepal’s downhill slide?, by Pramod Mishra (kp) [Nepal will be dominated by the minority group of male Tagadharis as long as the other groups weaken themselves though a multiplicity of stakeholders that fight each other internally!], New constitution: 'Jobless allowance’ removed from draft (kp), Promulgation Of Constitution At Swordpoint?, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Administering Federal Nepal: Bumpy Road Ahead, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Wrong advice: The notion that everything is acceptable in love, war and foreign relations explains the behavior of so-called influential democratic countries in constitution making, by  Prateek Pradhan, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala's press advisor (rep), Letter to Madheshi youth: Ask yourself, what sort of fight for dignity and citizenship is this where you alienate yourself and threaten your brothers?, by Shivani Neupane (rep), Govt confident world will hail constitution: Foreign Minister tells envoys door to dialogue still open (ht), NC, UML to celebrate new constitution with Deepawali (ht)

16/09/2015: Stop it: The mad rush in Constituent Assembly when half the country is burning is no way to get a new constitution, by Bhagirath Basnet (rep), CA resolution: Constitution promulgation on Sept 20 (kp), CA passes motion for promulgating constitution (ht), CA approves ceremonial prez, bicameral legislature: With 176 of the 302 articles already approved, voting process is likely to end this afternoon (ht), 176 articles endorsed in three days, by Prakash Acharya and Tika R. Pradhan (ht), 176 out of total 302 articles endorsed, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Tharu leaders hope to reach agreement, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Tharu leaders positive for talks (ht), Protest against proposed state boundaries claims 36 lives (kp), 4-yr-old among four killed in Rupandehi police firing (kp), Four including toddler die in police firing in Rupandehi, by Sher Bahadur KC (rep), Child killed in Rupandehi police firing: Protesters claim three demonstrators also shot dead; Curfew clamped till tomorrow morning (ht), Tikapur protest deaths: Murder case likely against 22 people, by Mohan Budhair (kp), UDMF resorts to arson, vandalism in Bara (ht), Jhapa churches targeted in bombing plot, four cops hurt (kp), Bomb blasts at two Jhapa churches (rep), SC rejects plea to ban use of lethal weapons (kp), SC orders against use of lethal force (ht), Security forces on high alert ahead of D-day (ht), Children look for their share in constitution: As per government data, there are 1.62 million child labour in the country out of which 620,000 are involved in ‘dangerous’ jobs (kp), Eastern Tarai protests worry Madhesis in the west, by Devendra Basnet (rep), Bara-Parsa industrial corridor hit by strikes: Businesses incur losses amounting to billions of rupees due to month-long bandh, by Ram Sarraf (ht), Parties discuss formation of next govt (kp) [This is most important now!], ‘CA voting of utmost importance’: US favours broadest possible support (ht), New Constitution A Sure Thing Now, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Changing the discourse: Key question is what makes dialogue result-oriented; How it can address people's concern and that of political elites, by S.B. Subedi (rep)

15/09/2015: CA okays 57 articles: Approves contentious provisions on citizenship, secularism, federalism, by Binod Ghimire (kp), CA snubs proposal for gender friendly citizenship provisions: Clauses say both parents have to be Nepali for their children to acquire citizenship by descent, experts say, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), CA endorses seven-province federal model, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Major articles endorsed by CA so far (rep), CA likely to promulgate constitution on Sept 20: Voting on final bill of new statute continues; 57 articles endorsed, as big III united in voting, by Prakash Acharya and Tika R. Pradhan (ht), New constitution on Sept 20: CA, by Ashok Dahal (rep), President to promulgate constitution on Sunday, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), CA voting draws mixed reactions in Tarai districts: Some say there is no alternative to voting, while others believe that a new statute should address the disgruntled groups (kp), Protests, bandas cripple Tarai life (kp), Rally to denounce govt ‘suppression’ (kp), Tharu, Madhesi leaders meet UCPN-M chief: Condemn Dahal’s silence on ongoing agitation in Madhes (ht), Tharus organize rally in Dang for social harmony, by Devendra Basnet (rep), Tarai-Madhes banda exceeds over a month, by Madan Thakur (rep), Turmoil in Tarai cripples normal life in eastern hills, by Giriraj Baskota (rep), Curfew hours cut in Janakpur, Mahottari (ht), Prolonged general strike hits Rautahat service seekers (ht), Terror tactics: What has happened in the Tarai these past couple of weeks is terrorism, plain and simple, by Mukesh Khanal (rep), Not over yet: Madhesi parties should perceive the constitution as an ever evolving document instead of arguing that this is the end, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [History tells a different truth!], Madhes protest deaths: Govt urged to provide respite to family (kp), Five NC lawmakers return to CA (kp), Pro-Hindu group clashes with police (kp), OHCHR concerned by violence (kp), Narrow Vision Activating Forces Of Disintegration, by Prem Khatry (rn), Indian govt urges parties to be flexible, resolve outstanding issues (ht), Backward classes: Who are they?, by Krishna Bahadur Adhikary (ht)

14/09/2015: A bit longer: Even at this late stage there is no harm in waiting for another few weeks for a broadly acceptable statute, by Ajit N.S. Thapa (rep), Risky rider: If a narrow definition of secularism is included in constitution, there is a real risk of Nepal becoming a de facto Hindu state, by David Kainee (rep), Big 3 push ahead with CA process, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Voting on amendment proposals begin: Constituent Assembly preparing to deliver new constitution in four days, by Prakash Acharya and Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Voting on new constitution starts, by Thira L. Bhusal and Ashok Dahal (rep), CA votes on constitution bill: First three articles of draft charter endorsed; remaining expected to be approved by this evening, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [This process is a farce since the male Tagadhari leaders of the big parties forced their CA members to withdraw necessary amendment proposals! Only secret voting process would give the MPs a chance to represent the interests of their respective social groups as it is the fundamental idea of this CA! About one third of the CA members, for example, are women but none of them had a chance to vote against the continued discrimination of women!], PM confident of int'l support for new statute (rep), Agitators’ concerns to be addressed thru amendments (ht) [??], Big 3 vow new constitution, leaving change options open (rep), Failed negotiations lead to three-party decision (kp), Missed Opportunity And Enevitability Of Dialogue, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Protesting parties livid at CA process (ht), Statute will be contested from outset: Morcha (kp), Madhesi parties say protest will continue (rep), Unrest continues unabated in the plains (ht), Four injured as police open fire: at demonstration in Rautahat: Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha supporters shoot at cop in Siraha, vandalise police posts in Dhanusha (kp), Agitation continues in Dhanusha (ht), We have to address the concerns of the marginalised, interview with Narayan Kaji Shrestha, UCPN-M (kp) [Yes, but you don't!], Nation builders or breakers? Moment of truth, by Anil Shah (ht)

13/09/2015: Civil War If Constitution Promulgated, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Civil society calls for genuine dialogue (kp), NHRC calls for talks to end violence (kp), Parties face pressure to delay CA process (kp), Bhattarai, NC leaders for delaying statute (ht), CA voting process to start (ht), SLMM seeks longer halt for talks (kp), ‘Statement of intent on Madhesi demands today’, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Review army mobilisation, NHRC tells govt (ht), Army set to return to barracks (kp), Agitators torch three trucks, police posts (ht), UN Secy Gen calls for meaningful dialogue (ht), Chinese leaders, experts suggest: Nepal crisis should be resolved through dialogue, by Akhilesh Upadhyay (kp), UDMF defies prohibitory order (ht), Morcha protesters demand martyr status for deceased (kp), Failure to provide security cost Thaman’s life: Family, by Rajendra Nath and Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), RPP-N to rejoin statute drafting process (kp), RPP-Nepal to participate in CA process (ht), Life in Birgunj returning to normal as demonstrations subside (ht), Commission likely for resolving issue of boundaries of federal units, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Demarcation through Commission: Thapa (kp) [This would be against the interim constitution and all agreements! Besides, such commission would never be inclusive and only serve the interests of the ruling circles!], FNCCI delegation meets PM Koirala: Seeks conducive environment to resolve ongoing turmoil in Tarai (ht), Distrust and dialogue: In times of political polarisation, defining groups in opposition to each other can create further rift, by Ajapa Sharma (kp), Road to nowhere: It is unfortunate that uncertain road blockades have now come to be known as the new ‘normal’, by Atul K. Thakur (kp), On The Horns Of Dilemma, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Crisis Of Leadership, by Kushal Pokharel (rn)

12/09/2015: Tarai protest: 14-yr-old among five killed in police firing (kp), Six killed in police firing in Janakpur, Jaleshwor, by Brij Kumar Yadav (ht), 5 protestors killed in Jaleshwar, Janakpur, by Mahesh Kumar Das and Suresh Yadav (rep), APF ASI lynched in Mahottari (ht), Withdraw Army from Tarai: NHRC (kp), Resolve disputes through talks: NHRC (ht), CA prolongs discussion on “Revised Bill” (ht), Process halted for 2 days: Three major parties renew call for dialogue with agitating Madhesi and Tharu groups (kp), Big III pause process to draft constitution: Invite protesting parties to negotiating table; UDMF rejects offer, says remove army first, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Big 3 defer clause-wise voting for Sunday (rep), Morcha nixes talks offer, insists on all four conditions, by Manoj Paudel (kp), Madhes-based parties reject talks, challenge 3 major parties to console people themselves, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Eight-state model could end Tarai crisis: Gachhadar (kp), Protesters vandalise a dozen factories (kp), Protest in Tarai: FNCCI demands security (kp), Agitating parties asked to resolve dispute: FNCCI urges dialogue to settle contentious issues as protests are resulting in huge economic loss (ht), Donors express concerns about Tarai unrest (kp), Indian envoy meets top leaders (ht), Army chief Gen Chhetri warns of challenges to national security (ht), Ethnic group to stage peaceful protests for Kirat state (rep), Ensure Dalit rights in statute: Dalit Civil Society (ht), A past for a present: Whether it is a dog’s bite or deaths in Kailali, caste and ethnicity have become the central issue. And our history of forgetting the past is to blame for it, by Malati (kp), Come to reason: There was no sensitivity to demand of Madheshis and Tharus for one or two states in the Tarai in the draft constitution, by Hari Bansh Jha (rep)

11/09/2015: As Tarai burns, parties could at least put CA process on hold: We still believe it is not too late for the parties to sit down for talks and iron out their differences (kp), Douse the flame: Major parties must take active steps to gain the trust of opposition groups (kp), Flame of Tarai protest continues to burn (kp), Tarai unrest: NC lawmakers write to int’l community; The lawmakers say parties are starting another civil war in the country due to syndicate of some political elites (kp), Ex-Maoist combatants involved in Tikapur carnage: NHRC (kp), Tharu leader held for probe, by Mohan Budhair (kp), Voting likely from today (kp) [???], CA to conclude discussion today: Major parties yet to decide whether to begin voting or to wait for agitating parties’ response to the talks offer, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Big Three leaders to discuss Madhesi preconditions: Army recall from Tarai districts could be on the cards, by Anil Giri (kp), UCPN-M to seek halt to CA process for dialogue (ht), UDMF rules out talks with Big III (ht), Morcha seeks pause in process before dialogue: Madhesi leaders say excessive use of force to muzzle dissenting voices in Tarai has raised doubts over major parties’ intent, by Madhav Dhungana  (kp), Bijaya Gachhadar warns of bloodshed (ht) [Only to remember: He originally supported the illigetimate procedure of the big III!], Agitators defy curfew, hurl petrol bomb at police van (ht), Bandh causes huge loss in Lumbini (ht), Major parties urge RPP-N not to leave CA (kp), How we got here: It is best to push back the date of constitution promulgation to build maximum ownership of the document, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp) [The current draft is not based on interim constitution and earlier agreements, neither in procedure nor in contents! Shred it!], Questioning CA’s Legitimacy Is Ridiculous, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [The CA as inclusive representative body of all sections of society has the only legitimate right to write the constitution, but the non-inclusive handful of male Tagadhari party leaders does not! When will you understand the difference at last?], Federalism Is An Idea Whose Time Has Come, by Ash Narain Roy (rn), Just do it: A new constitution that lays the foundation for a just, democratic and prosperous Nepal is within grasp, but it first needs confidence-building measures (nt), Point of no return: Unless both sides pause and find mutual terms of agreement, we are headed for a dangerous collision in the Tarai, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Masochism in the Madhes: The agitation in the Madhes will not lead the Madhesi people anywhere, by Jivesh Jha (nt)

10/09/2015: 4 dead, scores hurt as police, protesters clash (kp), Four killed in police firing in Mahottari, Saptari, by Brij Kumar Yadav and Byas Shankar Upadhyaya (ht), Protestors try to burn police personnel alive in Biratnagar (kp), ‘Excessive’ use of force concerns rights groups (kp), CCWFC rally demanding equal rights for women (ht), Passing on citizenship: Mass rally calls for women rights (kp), Lekhi warns of armed revolution (ht), Magarat leaders launch protests, by Madhav Aryal (kp), FSF-N seeks UN intervention: Asks the world body to normalise situation for an acceptable statute (ht), Constitution drafting process: 50 amendment proposals tabled so far in Assembly (kp), CA members defend proposals (ht), Big Three invite disgruntled groups for talks: Offer no incentives to address dissenting views (kp) [Talks without willingness to necessary fundamental changes of the draft are absolutely useless!!], Big III appeal to agitating Tharu, Madhesi forces to sit for talks: Say constitution can still be revised, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Leaders urged to negotiate with agitating forces, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Deal with it: To deny the validity of past agreements because ‘circumstances are now different’ is disingenuous, by Deepak Thapa (kp), CPN-UML urges agitators for talks: All Madhes-centric parties and a few others have quit the CA demanding the plan to go for a seven state model be rectified (kp), Laxman Tharu held over Tikapur clash (ht), Apex court seeks minutes of 16-point agreement (kp), FNCCI appeals to party leaders to end protests, by Madhav Dhungana (kp), FNCCI asks parties to end strikes: Says these protests are violating people’s right to earn a living (ht), Agitation Will Not Break The Impasse, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

09/09/2015: Social order, for whom? The new constitution is unlikely to contribute either to democratisation or social stability, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), CA begins final rd of Charter process (kp), CA begins clause-wise discussion (ht), NC lawmakers from Tarai warn of walkout, by Anil Giri (kp), Tarai-based parties boycott constitution drafting process, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), MPRF-D boycotts CA process (rep), ‘Over 90pc of parties will support an eight-province model’, interview with Bijay Kumar Gachhadar (kp), Bid for talks with agitating forces on (ht), Compromise a compulsion, say NC leaders (ht), UML central leaders to visit riot-hit districts: UML plans to organise rallies and other activities to restore communal and explain the party’s position on constitution (kp) [This will further heat the turmoil!], Protest continue: 20 injured in Tarai clashes (kp), Madhes agitations leave 32 injured, by Suresh Yadav and Mahesh Kumar Das (rep), Tikapur riot: MJF-L leader held for probe, by Ganesh Chaudhary (kp), DoE tells its subordinate bodies to resume schools:  Around two dozen parties in the past had agreed not to shut schools and involve students in political activities (kp), Prolonged protest puts transporters in tight spot: Over 5,000 goods-laden trucks, 1,000 passenger buses and around 15,000 workers have been stuck in the bus park area due to banda, by Lila Ballav Ghimire (kp), Bandh hits economy hard in far-west (ht), Govt to procure anti-riot equipment worth billion rupees for police, APF, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Big 3 set to table new Bill on Reconstruction body, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Post earthquake reconstruction: Experts criticise govt rebuilding approach (kp), Will We Have The Constitution Next Week? Narayan Upadhyay (rn), The last mile: Revisiting past agreements, the central demand of protestors in Tarai, could invite more problems than it will help solve, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep) [Yes, the decision is with the CA, but not with the male Tagadhari leaders of three parties who want to prohibit the MPs of their parties to safeguard the aspirations and interests of their respective social groups as it is demanded by the interim constitution!!]

08/09/2015: Pray for Nepal: A secular state ensures impartiality that freedom of religion does not, by Vishwendra Pasuwan, Cherring Yonzon and Shakun Sherchand (kp), Sowing strife: The major parties have tried to downplay the evils of secularism, but this insincere term must be resisted, by Bindesh Dahal (rep) [An article against secularism written only from high caste Hindu perspective and ignoring historical and social facts that have contributed to Nepal's current crisis! State and religion have to be strictly separated, especially in a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country!], Tharus say struggle only option to win rights (ht), Tharu leaders pledge ethnic goodwill (ht), Pemba Bhote forced to withdraw proposal (ht) [This is what the big three call inclusive and democratic procedure!!], ‘Don’t share or post provocative statements’: OPMCM urges agitators not to disturb communal harmony (ht) [The non-inclusive constitutional draft of the Tagadhari leaders of the big three is the most provocative of all statements and the reason of turmoil!], Three parties to blame for unrest: Gachhadar (ht), Madhesi parties seek support of int’l group, civil society (kp), PM urged to bring MJF-L back into fold, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), UCPN-Maoist in bid to get agitating forces’ concerns addressed: Nepali Congress, CPN-UML discuss how to bring MJF-D back into four-party fold (ht), Leaders weighing ways to manage discontent: Some NC, UML leaders withdraw amendments, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), NC fails to rein in lawmakers over separate amendments (rep), 15 NC leaders, including lawmakers resign (ht), NC leaders quit party over proposal to split Rukum, by Devendra Basnet (rep), Banda continues in Tarai districts; NC office torched (kp), Banda keeps 3m kids off school: Over 20,000 schools and colleges shut; 50 of the 220 academic days lost due to quakes and banda (kp), Prolonged strike takes its toll on Tarai, by Jitendra Kumar Jha (rep), NC party office torched in Janakpur: Protestors torch 2 police beats in Jaleshwar, by Suresh Yadav and Mahesh Kumar Das (rep), NHRC objects to Madhes, Muslim fronts’ statement (kp), Some of private sector concerns addressed, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), FinMin Mahat says policies adopted earlier irreversible (ht) [Statement by NC leader Mahat that the rulings in the new constitutinal draft are not meant as they are written!!], Grand illusions: As it is clear that the CA will not write a pro-people constitution, we should consider forming an all party convention to write the statute, by C.P. Gajurel (kp) [Hardly any of the party leaders stands for a pro-people constitution! Thus, such constitution has to be written by honest representatives of the people, not by party leaders!], Wrangling over Reconstruction Authority returns: Maoists want bill revised, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Reconstruction process: Govt’s tardy approach worries donors, by John Narayan Parajuli (kp)

07/09/2015: Process to draft statute enters last lap tomorrow, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Chances of having statute in accord ‘slim’, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Trouble with waiting: Leaders’ strategy to test the waters before engaging with agitated groups could backfire (kp), Decks cleared: The amendment proposal of the three major parties has also sought to give more weight to the distribution of population than geography (ht), Nembang: CA can't now include any new provision (rep) [Constitutional and other legal regulations have never been a hindrance for party leaders to do whatever they liked!!!], Disgruntled voices getting louder in central Tarai, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), General strike hits Tarai hard (ht), Security forces escort 3,254 vehicles through Tarai (rep), Madhesi Morcha mulls non-violent protests, by Ritesh Tripathi (rep), Thakur accuses govt of closing door to talks (ht), It would be a blunder to promulgate statute without resolving crisis, interview with Upendra Yadav (kp), Tharuhat Tarai boycotts Constituent Assembly (ht), 29 dead in clashes till now, says Gautam: Claims demonstrators trying to render negligible the state’s presence (ht), Civil society leaders criticise draft statute (kp), Life in Tikapur far from normal, by Ganesh Chaudhary (kp), ‘Institutionalise secularism’ (kp), Piece it together: Dalit leaders cannot establish their agendas if they isolate themselves from other marginalised groups, by Subhash Nepali (kp), Problems Pending, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Twilight of tokenism: Gachhedar could have claimed centre-stage through the Third Madhesh Uprising. Perhaps it is fear rather than greed keeping him in bondage, by C.K. Lal (rep)

06/09/2015: Big 3 register amendment proposal at CA, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Three parties register joint proposal, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Provinces’ demarcation completion within a year: Federal Commission for delineating provinces to be formed six months after statute comes out, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht) [This is the task of the elected CA and not that one of a non-inclusively nominated commission!!], MJF-L decides to pull out of charter process, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), UML top brass urged to convince agitators: Around three dozen lawmakers and party leaders have put forth suggestions on the statute after party restricted them from directly registering amendment proposals (kp), , Harmony and discord: The issue is not whether we need Akhanda or Tharuhat but that every Nepali is entitled to equal rights, by Sameer Pokhrel (kp), Protests ease in Biratnagar (kp), Tangible and intangible: Govt should simultaneously address the post-quake problems and the Tharu protests against the proposed provinces, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Why Identity Politics Is Pernicious, by Ritu Raj Subedi (kp) [Why do you continously make misleading statements? Nepal is a multiethnic state in her entirety. The demand and the need of the hour is the ending of the exclusion policy in politics, law, media, education, etc. as it has been practised by the single ethnic identity based central state till today that is once again promoted by the current draft of the male Tagadhari leaders!!]

05/09/2015: Address marginalised groups’ concerns, says Civil Society (kp), The 7-state model, by Khim Lal Devkota (kp), Over 140 in Cong seek draft revision: Shekhar Koirala defies party directive, registers amendment bill in CA, by Anil Giri (kp), Shekhar Koirala defies NC’s instruction: Registers amendment proposal at Constituent Assembly Secretariat (ht), Shekhar Koirala warns of religious, ethnic conflict Suggests pausing constitution drafting process, by Prakash Acharya (kp), NC Janajati, Madhesi lawmakers float amendment proposal (ht), Four major parties fail to settle key issues (ht), Big parties to go for common amendment proposals only, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Gachhadar seeks deadline extension (ht), Statute not possible in current situation: CPN-M to envoys (ht), No amendment proposal yet on press provisions (kp), Tikapur locals still living in fears (ht), Cop shot in Bardiya protest dies, by Kamal Panthi and  Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), Cop shot dead in Bardiya (ht), Banda continues to affect life across Tarai (kp), UDMF shutdown cripples life in Saptari (ht), UDMF demands removal of police units (ht), Protest demanding Kirant province in Khotang (ht), Writ on recalling Army quashed (kp), Federal Narrative: Challenges And Prospects For Federal Nepal, by Pranav Bhattarai (rn), Kailali Carnage And Federalism, by Bishnu Gautam (rn), Govt plans new mechanism for reconstruction, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Kathmandu blues: So long as Kathmandu does not rise, history suggests, the government won't be doing much, by Hitesh Karki (rep), Modi’s Insistence on Crafting An Inclusive Constitution, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

04/09/2015: Parties weigh 3 ways out of crisis, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [The only correct way is still missing: Shred this draft and return to the constitutional inclusive way! The federation of the country is only one aspect of many!], 11-state report sole federal basis: Yadav (kp), ‘Address concerns of Janajatis in statute': UML Janajati lawmakers appeal party leadership to constitutionally guarantee rights and representation of all ethnic groups (kp), Efforts on to break ice with fired-up agitators, by Tika R, Pradhan (ht), Open and shut case: Despite the deepening deadlock and violence, disagreements on the constitution aren’t intractable (nt), Govt urged to hold dialogue: Lawmaker Rai demands release of Aang Kaji Sherpa (ht), SSFN demands Sherpa’s release (kp) [Arrested for criticising a minister?], Four protesters arrested during demonstration (ht), Maoists arrested for intensifying violence in Tarai, by Madan Thakur (rep), Protests on in Tarai; govt office, vehicle set on fire (kp), UDMF cadres set fire to land office, jeep (ht), Birgunj finally gets respite for two hours (ht), A mood swing: There is palpable difference in the mood on Birganj streets now and 2003-2006 protests in Kathmandu, by Amanda Snellinger (kp), Madhesi Front takes out dhoti rally in Janakpur (ht), Lawyers support agitation (ht), Revolution And Counter-revolution, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [An extremely strange and distorting article!], Tarai district court judges return to Kathmandu: To remain in the capital till ‘normalcy returns’ to the districts, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), RPP-N’s amendment proposal seeks monarchy along with Hindu state (ht), Dead and buried: Dissolution of Reconstruction Authority reveals govt’s disregard of quake victims (kp) [!!], NC, UML at odds over validating Reconstruction Authority (kp), Out of the limelight: Government needs to assure the future generation of Nepalis that their efforts will not go unrecognised, by Shyam K.C. (kp), War on the web: The recent spate of inflammatory posts in the aftermath of the Tikapur killings point to an urgent need for social media laws, by Bhanu Bhakta Acharya (kp), Draft constitution: Intergovernmental relationships, by Mukti Rijal (ht), The federalisation folly: Nepal’s unique geography will deliver only as an integrated whole, not as fragmented enclaves, by Bihari K. Shrestha (nt), Birthing a new constitution: A long time ago in what seems like a far-off galaxy the warring parties came together and signed a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, by David Seddon (nt)

03/09/2015: NC lawmakers threaten to go against party fiat: Suggest leadership to resolve Tarai issues before statute, by Anil Giri (kp), NC PP decides to continue CA process, by Prakash Acharya (ht), MJF-L gives big 3: Sept 5 ultimatum: ‘Will boycott constitution process if they fail to meet protesters’ demands’, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Gachchhadar forms new alliance to champion Madhes cause: Upendra Yadav for halting CA process (rep), Clashes spread east to Janakpur, Biratnagar (kp), Tarai protestors defy prohibitory orders, clash with police (rep), ‘No to statute sans Madhesis’ rights’ (ht), Limbuwan to bar CA members (ht), Efforts on to bring agitating parties, outfits to negotiating table (ht), Yadav accuses govt of genocide (ht), PM assures NHRC peaceful solution to current crisis (kp) [A peaceful solution looks different! The irrational and non-inclusive draft and the arrogance of the leading politicians are responsible for the current escalation!!], Big Three responsible for Tikapur violence: Lekhi (ht), Fuel on the fire: Perceiving the current volatility as a law and order issue could worsen matters (kp), Feeling the pinch (ht), Action and reaction: Violence cannot resolve complex issues even though it may seem to provide quick fixes, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Int’l rights groups call govt to rein in police (kp), Writ filed against use of weapons, excessive force (kp), ‘Banke demonstrations a model for other agitators to follow’ (ht), Students at receiving end of indefinite bandh in Kailali (ht), Daily wage earners feel the heat as bandas persist, by Amar Khadka (rep), Parties struggle to overcome divisions: Dahal and Bhattarai meet PM Koirala and urge him to start formal negotiations to end the current crisis, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Citizenship through mother: Rights activists begin hunger strike (kp), ICJ urges CA to ensure universal human rights: ICJ adviser says the draft statue needs revisions to meet international standards regarding human rights protection (kp), Revise Constitution Bill to protect human rights: ICJ (ht), Rebuilding authority remains ‘suspended’, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Forum Of Federations: Sharing Comparative Federal Experiences, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Challenges Before Promulgation Of Constitution, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

02/09/2015: Nepal: Conflict Alert (International Crisis Group), Woods for trees: Political establishment is proving incapable of bringing stability and is squandering one after another chance in the Tarai plains, by Kanchan Jha (rep), 5 die in clashes with police: Dozens hurt as protesters in Tarai districts demonstrate defying curfew order, by Bhushan Yadav and Laxmi Sah (kp), Five protesters killed in police firing: Birgunj declared riot-hit area as agitators defy curfew, indulge in arson, by Ram Sarraf (ht), Parsa declared riot-hit zone as Birgunj death toll hits 5, by Ritesh Tripathi (rep), Tharu men flee villages in wake of deadly Tikapur clash, by Mohan Budhair (kp), Deaths ‘diminish’ talks prospect; Killings premeditated: Yadav, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Thakur, Yadav in town but talks still uncertain, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Security forces misbehaving with Tharu women: Lawmakers (ht), Normalcy yet to be restored in Tikapur, by Suryamani Gautam and Tekendra Deuba (ht), Prolonged banda brings life to a halt in Eastern region, by Benup Raj Bhattarai (rep), Agitators, police clash in Dhanusha, Mahottari (ht), NHRC concerned by violent Tarai protests (kp), Foreign envoys concerned about violence: Ask all agitating groups to seek peaceful solution, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Past and present: Top leaders must engage with Tharu leaders and seek a political solution (kp), Janajati MPs to propose joint amendment (kp) [This is the way how the CA should work!!], Lawmakers urge dialogue on govt, agitating parties (rep), Koirala to negotiate amendment proposal with other parties (ht) [Include representatives of social groups into the negotiations, not only parties!!], NC body to ready joint amendment proposals to statute bill (rep), Wrong directive (ht), Thapa’s proposal to adjourn meeting rejected (ht), Hindu state supporters take out rally (kp), Single women ‘left without access to relief: There are 498,606 single women in the country and it is estimated that around 2,000 women lost their husbands in the earthquake, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Pride and prejudice: The good elements of Harka Gurung’s development regions could have been used for federating Nepal, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Will Protests Deter Ruling Parties?, Narayan Upadhyay (rn)

01/09/2015: Madhesh maligned: The thrust of the draft constitution could have been no different had it been proposed by erstwhile Rana rulers or Panchayat supremacists, by Sukhdev Shah (rep), Anti-draft protests flare in central Tarai: Protester dies in police firing in Birgunj, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), Police firing claims life in Birgunj, by Ram Sarraf (ht), Tarai protestor killled in Birgunj, toll reaches 16, by Madan Thakur (rep), One more chance: The major parties should use the next seven days to address the demands of the Madhes-based parties and the Tharus, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Let go of god: The constitution needs to clearly state that Nepal is a secular state, by Gyan Basnet (kp), Nepali Congress, UML tie their CA members’ hands: Prohibit them from registering individual amendment proposals (ht) [Unbelievable procedure! According to the interim constitution, the CA members first of all have to represent the interests of their social groups and not those of their party leaders!!], NC, UML discourage lone charter amendment bids, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [Long live the highly undemocratic state of Nepal!!], Party leaders seek to soothe tension in district (ht), Govt, protesters urged to hold talks, be flexible ‘without further delay': Earlier the dispute was only over five districts of Tarai but now it is over 15 districts (ht), Security plan charted out for Kailali district: Curfew relaxed in Tikapur for two hours from 8 to 10am on Monday, by Ganesh Chaudhary (kp), Muslims, teachers support ongoing agitation (ht), Limbuwan bandh hits life hard (ht 01/09/2015), UML urges int’l community to respect Nepal’s sovereignty (kp) [Nepal's sovereignty lies in the hands of her people, not in the hands of some male Bahun leaders of NC und UML!!], India keeps out of Nepal’s internal matters: Official, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Disaster Management: Govt yet to have meaningful bill (kp), Present political situation: PM Koirala’s options, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht)

31/08/2015: Tracing the missing: I appeal the govt to immediately make the whereabouts of those disappeared during the conflict public, by Ram Bhandari (kp), Kin of 1,530 seek closure as govt yet to criminalise disappearance, by Dewan Rai (kp), Kin of missing want govt support, by Bhim Bahadur Singh (kp), TRC, CIEDP shouldn’t replace regular court proceedings, demand conflict victims (ht), Tikapur curfew hits sick people, by Ganesh Chaudhary and Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), Locals in Tikapur fearful even as curfew continues, by Biswamani Pokharel, Dil Bahadur Chhatyal and Yogesh Rawal, Banda continues to cripple life in Tarai (kp), 2 weeks of indefinite strike cripples life in eastern Tarai, by Ajit Tiwari (rep), Writing on the wall: It is imperative that the top leaders engage Tharu, Madhesi groups with immediate effect (kp), Tharuhat leaders seek to resolve Tikapur issue (ht), Govt should acknowledge the grievances of the Tharus, interview with Jitendra Narayan Dev (kp), Janajati leaders lobbying top leadership of Big Three for rights, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), PM sends fresh invite to protesting parties, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Talks And Conditions, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), 4 parties to take charter process, talks together, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Seven days set for amendment proposals, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Lawmakers get 7 days to file amendments to constitution bill, by Ashok Dahal (rep), PM to renew call for dialogue with disgruntled sides (kp) [But an honest agenda is missing!], Leaders want entire Rukum in Province 5: PM Koirala, receiving a memorandum from leaders from Rukum, says parties are holding talks to keep all districts undivided (kp), UML, Maoists spar over controversial remarks (kp), Problems of Self-creation Prime Minister Koirala, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Enduring Vulnerabilities, by Ajit Kumar Singh (SAIR)

30/08/2015: No dialogue in present state: Madhesi Morcha: Tharuhat community leaders present preconditions (kp), Tharu leaders commit to social harmony, by Ganesh Chadhary and Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), Madhesis, Tharus want govt to meet conditions for talks (ht), Protesters obstruct newspaper delivery (kp), Kailali DAO keeps vigil on
social networking sites (ht), Parties not serious about Tikapur incident: Locals (kp), Impatient parties: Tikapur was an outcome of the mishandling of the federalism issue by the leaders, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), Tikapur Carnage A Culmination Of Diabolic Politics, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), ‘Promulgate statute by addressing demands’: CA members call for inclusion of issues raised by Muslims, Tharus, other indigenous groups (ht), PM holds talks with Dalits, women activists (ht), NC Madhesi CA members tell party leaders to heed to agitators’ issues (ht 30/08/2015), In the making: The draft constitution needs to be amended before implementation, by Ananta Raj Luitel (kp), Int'l day for the disappeared: Govt ignores UNHRC recommendations, by Dewan Rai (kp), ICJ urges govt to establish credible process (ht), Dodging peril: Federalisation based on ethnic and regional segregation will undermine national unity, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp) [The current central state that identifies Nepal with the culture and values of male Tagadharis only has been undermining national unity for centuries! Only the inclusion of history, culture and language of the so far excluded ethnic and regional communities into national identity and their equal participation in all spheres of life and society guaranties national unity!!], Grassroots elections: The absence of local-level leaders resulted in multiple problems during relief work after the quake, by Binayak Basnyat (kp), The Frontiers Of Secularism, by Gyan Basnet (rn) [Secularism is the only option for a state that in the past has misused aspects of Hindu culture and religion to exclude and suppress the majority of its people (Janajati, Madheshi, Dalits, Muslims, and women in general)!]

29/08/2015: Tikapur tangle needs political solution: 24-hour curfew for last five days, by Akhilesh Upadhyay (kp), Protracted agitation, continuous curfew cripple life in Kailali: Business houses complain they are incurring daily loss of millions of rupees due to bandh (ht), Prolonged curfew sparks food shortage in Tikapur (kp), Kailali incident has inter-ethnic families worried, by Devendra Basnet (rep), Court quashes plea against Army move (kp), SC quashes writ filed against government move (ht), Agitating parties term NA positioning ‘unconstitutional’ (kp), Stop army mobilisation: Agitating parties (ht), CPN-M’s plea (ht), NHRC team reaches Gaur to assess security situation (kp), Security on East-West Highway still a ‘challenge’, by Suresh Yadav and Mahesh Kumar Das (rep), Cross-border movement tightened in restive districts (rep), UDMF likely to reject PM’s talks offer (ht), UDMF bandh enters 14th day: Kin refuse to receive police firing victim’s body (ht), Demarcations, citizenship, threshold dominate CA discourse, by Ashok Dahal (rep), NC, UML lawmakers for 3-5 pc election threshold: Lawmakers from the two ruling parties say that election threshold is needed to ensure government stability (kp), Debate on revised draft constitution continues (ht), Fiscal Question In Federalism, by Pranav Bhattarai (rn)

28/08/2015: Whose constitution is it anyway? The political interests of few leaders has superseded consensus in the constitutional process, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Votebank constitution: Never to leave maps in the hands of politicians. Never mix politics with boundaries (nt), Parties in talks, but challenges dog statute, by Kamal Dev Bhattari (kp), PM assures Prez political solution (kp), Four parties to wait for agitators' response: NC, CPN-UML unwilling to change number of provinces, demarcation (ht), ‘Govt committed to securing broadest possible consensus’ (ht) [The reality looks different!], Protests continue in Tarai (kp), Curfew in Tikapur stays till further notice (ht), Injured protesters fear to go to hospital for care (kp), Youths flee Kailali villages, by Ganesh Chaudhary and Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), UCPN-M Madhesi Front to begin struggle with 10-point demand (ht), Govt briefs donors on situation: Foreign, finance ministers say violent acts cannot obstruct constitution (kp), Major party leaders push for early statute (kp), Army: Not mobilisation, aid to civilian authority (kp), Edge of the precipice: Emerging from the ongoing political polarisation requires picking up one of two options on federal demarcation, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp), A Blot On Humanity, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Ground Zero in Kailali: The Tikapur attack was premeditated, but the government set the stage for it to occur, by Om Astha Rai (nt)

27/08/2015: Storm in the making: If anything, the tragic event of Kailali is a good illustration of the need for federalism in its true sense, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Draft constitution can still be amended: Leaders, by Prakash Acharya (ht) [Shred this draft and let the inclusive CA, not a handful of male Bahuns, draft the new constitution as it is prescribed by the interim constitution!!], Major parties reach out to Tharu, Madhesi leaders: PM entrusted to invite agitating parties for talks; Framework of possible agreement remains unclear, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai and Roshan Sedai (kp), PM invites Madhesi, Tharu outfits for talks: Gives them three days to respond to his offer, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Mahato rules out talks with govt (ht), Three hurt in Nawalparasi clashes (kp), Rumour fuels racial tension fear in Kailali, by Ganesh Chaudhary and Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), Police monitor social media (kp) [??], Security up in border, 7 more held, by Mohan Budhair (kp), Agreement to hold peaceful agitation in Banke (ht), Parties agree to keep peace in Jhapa (ht), Police, APF vacate posts over safety concerns in 3 districts (kp), Dozens of police posts shifted in Rautahat (ht), Govt forms panel to probe Kailali incident (ht), Petititon at SC against army mobilisation (kp), Writ filed against army mobilisation, first hearing on Sunday (ht), Protect children during demonstrations: UNICEF (ht), Put off statute for consensus: Baidhya (ht), Replace ‘people’s war’ with ‘armed conflict’: SC (ht), Cargo movement comes to a halt in Birgunj (ht), Capital stares at shortage of essentials, by Rajesh Khanal (kp), Govt to brief international community today (kp), Valley court officials stage pen-down (kp), Haphazard Demarcation: A Pandora’s Box, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

26/08/2015: Address demarcation issues: Madhesi, Tharus (ht), Major parties to address protesters’ concerns (ht), Agitator killed in police firing in Gaur, by Prabhat Kumar Jha (ht), Big Four ‘ready’ to talk to protesters, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), What caused Kailali carnage, by Ganesh Chaudhary and Thakur Singh Tharu, (kp) Five held for Tikapur violence, by Tekendra Deuba (ht), Tikapur still tense; 4 suspects arrested, by Ganesh Chaudhary and Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), Probe panel soon (ht), ‘State suppressed peaceful movement’ (ht), Tharu leaders rue Tikapur incident (ht), Tharu leaders press govt, parties for talks, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Tharuhat protest should not disturb social harmony: locals (rep), NC, UML leaders reach out to Tharus: Deuba says he is not against the community (ht) [This statement is contrary to the constitution draft!], Far-west DIGs, Kailali CDO recalled (ht), Modi urges Nepali stakeholders to avoid violence: Indian embassy expresses reservation on DPM Bamdev Gautam’s remarks in the House, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), India, UN urge peaceful solution as violence mounts (rep), Probe all protest related deaths: HRW (ht), Political parties pledge to ensure communal harmony during stir (ht), Madhes bandh affects supply of daily essentials (ht), Curfew in Nepalgunj, Kohalpur (ht), Strike withdrawn in Rukum (ht), UCPN (Maoist) against army mobilization (rep), Violence Must Not Be A Bargaining Chip, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Abort the draft: The West and especially the EU have been exerting pressure to give continuity to secularism which could help increase Christian population in the country, by Hari Bansha Jha (rep)

25/08/2015: Five pc vote threshold, rhino as national animal sought (ht), Two-day strike ends with little impact (ht), SSP among eight killed in Tikapur clashes, by Tekendra Deuba (ht), SSP among 8 killed by Tharuhat protestors, by Dil Bahadur Chhatyal (rep), Leaders of three parties see Tikapur incident as ‘serious’; Their conclusion: The violence was the result of infiltrators in the Tharuhat movement that want to derail the statute (ht), Dang declared riot-hit (ht), Rautahat tense, curfew clamped in Gaur after violence erupts (ht), Gaur under curfew after violent protests (kp), Thori locals warn of stern agitation (ht), Eight, including three security personnel injured in Rukum (ht), Army deployed in riot-hit zones, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Shoot-at-sight order issued, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Parliament condemns violence (ht), Maintain harmony, lawmakers demand (ht), Major parties appeal for calm: Stay away from violence, says PM, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [Yes, but this draft is also a kind of violence and aggression!], End violence: The government and the major political parties should invite the agitating groups for a negotiated settlement of the issues related to Pradesh boundaries (ht), Remain calm: The incident in Kailali yesterday was a huge setback to constitution project; dialogue remains the only solution (kp), Locals protest splitting of Baglung district (rep), Ministries cagey about PM relief fund spending, by Rajan Pokhrel (ht), Trouble ahead: The disagreements over the constitution are gradually dragging Nepal into a vicious cycle of conflict, by Prakash Bhattarai (kp), The path to peace: State authorities arguably have a greater responsibility to comply with the laws that they seek to enforce, by Randhir Chaudhary (kp), Federal bogey: Federalism, although not a magic bullet, is also not a pure evil as sections of intelligentsia believe, by Bindesh Dahal (rep)

24/08/2015: A continuous conundrum: Jaffnaization as a desirable goal and Mahendra Rajapaksa as an ideal protector of the ruling Jaati have begun to crop up during soirées of PEON salons in Kathmandu, by C.K. Lal (rep), Madhesh, mistaken: If ruling parties continue to ignore developments in Madhesh, ongoing protests could snowball into Madhesh Andolan II, by Praveen Kumar Yadav (rep), Statute Bill tabled amid opposition:  2 days for CA members to study draft; Deliberation begins on Wednesday; Changes on citizenship, CIAA, President clauses, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), CA on cusp of promulgating constitution, by Prakash Acharya (ht), CA’s latest plan is new statute by mid-September, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Four SP members resign, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Citizenship provisons affect single mothers, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Tharus to intensify protest against 7-province model, by Devendra Basnet (rep), What lies at the heart of Tharus’ stir, by Janak Nepal and Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), Prohibitory order in daytime, curfew imposed at night: Tharuhat, intact far-west sign papers pledging to maintain communal harmony in their movements (ht), Politics in Tarai ‘volatile’ as charter nears finish, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Bandh cripples life across country (ht), 40 banda enforcers detained (kp), Bandh has little impact; 43 held from Valley (ht), Itahari businesspersons defy bandh (ht), 4,000 containers, trucks stuck at border in Birgunj: Bandha affecting customs duty of Rs 50m a day, by Ritesh Tripathi (rep), Trucks with imported goods stranded (kp), Strikes hit handicraft business in Biratnagar, by Jitendra Shah (kp), NMSP announces indefinite general strike in Madhes, Tharuhat (ht), Maintain restraint, NHRC tells UDMF (ht), Address agitators’ demands: Lawmakers (ht), PM invites agitating groups for dialogue (kp), PM appeals to agitating parties for talks (rep), PM reaches out to disgruntled forces: Asks those within and outside CA to seek negotiated settlement of grievances (ht), Agitators place embargo: DAO places bar on gatherings in Khalanga (ht), NC leaders urge PM not to split Rukum (kp), Rukum locals intensify protest, by Devendra Basnet (rep), Shootout at Samakhusi: Underlying public approval of Ghainte’s killing is widespread lack of trust in institutions of governance (kp), Cabinet reviews security situation (ht), The New Constitution And Disturbances, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

23/08/2015: Big 3 to reach out to disgruntled parties, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Big III to appeal to disgruntled parties to hold negotiation (ht), Mixed reactions in west to 7-state model (kp), MJF-L bolsters Tharus’ agenda (kp), SAC panel to probe Madhesi leaders’‘hate speech’ (ht), Madhesi Leaders Under Scanner, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn) [It would be by far more urgent to bring the male Tagadhari leaders of the three big parties under scanner!!], Indefinite general strike disrupts life in Tarai (ht), Banda continues in Tarai districts (kp), Prohibitory order in Bhairahawa; curfew clamped in Tikapur (ht), Agitators serve 72-hour ultimatum for intact Rukum (ht), House panel to look into ‘secessionist’ remarks (kp), Constituent Assembly likely to take one month to deliver new constitution, by Prakash Acharya (ht), It is unlikely that leaders will be able to promulgate the constitution without addressing the issues of inclusion, by Atul K. Thakur (kp), Roots of rage: Despite being privileged Bahuns, we have done nothing to end discrimination against Dalits, by Bhawana Upadhyay (kp)

22/08/2015: Seven-Pradesh model fails to satisfy Madhesis, Janajatis (ht), Three parties ink 7-state agreement, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Parties at sixes and sevens? Nembang says no,constitution drafted: After six-province model,three parties agree on seven provinces; Sitaula submits final revised draft of statute to CA chairman, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), MJF-L severs ties with NC-UML-Maoist bloc (kp), MJF-D severs ties with Big Three (ht), Panel hands over final draft to CA chairman (kp), Protests continue across districts (kp), Tarai bandh organisers torch police post (ht), SAC to probe Madhesi Front’s provocative talk (kp), 26 injured in Jajarkot clash (ht), Dogged denizens take out canine rally against demarcation (ht), Intact far-west supporters, Tharuhat cadres clash (ht), President calls UDMF leaders to negotiating table (ht), Rally for secularism (ht)

21/08/2015: Churning in Madhes: Parties in plains trying to win over constituencies, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Tharuhat stir in Kanchanpur (ht), Citizenship law: Revision dubbed smoke screen (kp), CDC to submit constitution Bill in CA today: Decides not to wait for Special Committee of senior leaders of major parties to settle the disputed issues (kp), CDC to submit report with six-province model, secularism today, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Tarai leaders' inciting call: ‘Will ask govt to investigate’ (kp), Muslim coalition to support agitation (ht), Bhairahawa residents defy banda: Several hurt as locals retaliate against banda enforcers; Local admin clamps curfew (kp), Sushil Faced Humongous Problem?, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Goon killed in ‘encounter’, by Manish Gautam (kp) [including "Ghainte’s political nexus" to NC], Out Of The CA Into A Dark Tunnel, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Trust no one: What do Nepalis think about parties, leaders, federalism and secularism?, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Detail report: Himalmedia Nationwide Public Opinion Survey 2015 (nt), Surveying survivors: Those hit by the earthquake have been living in temporary shelters for four months now, and waiting for help to rebuild, by Om Astha Rai (nt), It's governance, stupid: The parties are obsessed with politics, but people care more about inflation, joblessness and corruption, by Om Astha Rai (nt), None of the above: Nepalis don’t trust the present crop of leaders, but this is an opportunity for fresh new faces to win public support through performance (nt), Damn the people: Public opinion does not seem to matter to politicians in our dysfunctional democracy, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Over-fermented federalism: Crafting a federal state is a lot like baking the perfect croissant, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt)

20/08/2015: Parties weigh 7-state model (kp), Key constitutional issues likely to be settled today, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Top leaders indecisive yet again, by Ashik Dahal (rep), Dreams deferred: The country will one day belong to the marginalised anyway; it is only a matter of time, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Madhesis, Tharus and Janajatis ally (kp), Tame the wind: Protests in the Tarai indicate that its discontent needs to be taken seriously (kp), Protests unabated in tarai districts: Civil society members emphasize dialogue, by Suresh Yadav (rep), Two protesters hurt in police firing in Taulihawa: Indefinite Madhes strike hits life across the plains as all activities come to a grinding halt (ht), Tension in Taulihawa, two injured, by Kiran Man Bajracharya (rep), Saptari death sparks stir, by Jitendra Khadka (kp), Curfew lifted; bikes, police beat torched (ht), Protesters shot at cops in Saptari, says Gautam (ht) [??], General strike hits Jajarkot denizens hard (ht), Prohibitory orders lifted in Jumla HQ (ht), Limbuwan warns journos on Facebook (ht), Students on streets with books to protest indefinite banda, by Devendra Basnet (ht), Tragedy and farce: Nepal’s slow reconstruction process is an indication of its failure to learn from history, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (kp), Proposed Madhesh Pradesh: Holistic Vision Would Fare Better, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Constitution Up In The Air?, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Ad hoc ways: The major parties agreed to extend the five-year tenure by six more months after the NC found it impossible to hold its 13th general convention on time (ht) [These guys bend constitution and law whenever they like because they see themselves as being above the law!]

19/08/2015: Protester dies in Saptari firing; 7 hurt in Taulihawa, by Jitendra Khadka and Manoj Poudel (kp), Protester killed in police firing, by Byashshankar Upadhyay (ht), Protests continue, man dies in Saptari firing, by Jitendra Kumar Jha (rep), Agitation for Karnali state on in Jumla (ht), Delineation feud festers as Mid West MPs differ (kp), Sadbhawana Party leaves CA: Five CA members from party to quit en masse (kp), Sadbhawana Party to quit CA today (ht), Tarai-Madhes bandh cripples life (ht), Draft committee gets four more days: Leaders inconclusive on key contentious issues, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Big 3 seek middle path to settle row: Senior leaders from major political parties weigh alternatives to resolve the contentions regarding religion, federalism and election threshold (kp), Voices of all will be accommodated in new statute: PM (ht) [What nonsense!], Lumbini province sought (ht), Did not make secessionist remark: Singh (kp), Citizenship provision: ‘Constitution to be more gender friendly’, by Dewan Rai (kp) [This is not gender friendly but women discriminatory and based on patriarchal thinking! Women married to foreigners are more or less made non-citizens! Women and men have to be treated absolutely equal!!], It takes two: The transitional justice commissions must treat conflict victims as key partners, by Ram Bhandari (kp), Workers rally for labour rights (kp), Redrawing Of Provinces Poses Difficulties, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), 1047 bandas in 5 yrs as wide criticism falls on deaf ears, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), Missing women: Women are more rational than men; If Nepal had more women at the top, Nepali politics would have been less contradictory and saner, by Neelam Adhikari (rep)

18/08/2015: Hope and no change: The Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee’s report is against people’s aspirations, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Sitaula panel misses final draft deadline, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Jumla demos turn violent, by LP Devkota (kp), Offices torched in Jumla: Agitators defy curfew; 6 hurt in baton-charge (ht), Protesters forced police to act: Gautam (ht), Tharuhat, intact far-west cadres clash (ht), Dhangadi tense after clashes over Tharuhat, by Dil Bahadur Chhantyal (rep), Tharu front announces fresh stir programmes (kp), Split surfaces in Nawalparasi agitation (ht), Allegiance to CA: Madhes parties to wait until final draft (kp), ‘Madhesis are for unity, integration’: It’s a do or die situation in Madhes, says FSF-N Chair Upendra Yadav (ht), UDMF announces indefinite strike (ht), Madheshis can’t complain: Unless the 2013 public mandate gets reversed in a similar election or referendum, all opposition to draft constitution can be treated as banditry and will justify harsh repression, by Sukhdev Shah (rep), Bandh hits life across country (ht), 82 protesters arrested (kp), 80 agitators arrested (ht), House orders probe into 'secessionist’ remarks: DPM Bam Dev Gautam presents an audio record of the public address by Yadav and Singh at Tikapur (kp), Civil Code Bill confines woman’s identity: Activists (kp), Glorious Strike: In the Name of People and Progress, by Prem Khatry (rn), New statute to let a party elect its working committee even after 5 yrs (ht), Ban bandhs: Anybody may be allowed to call a bandh, but people should be free to support it or not; any use of force must be made punishable (ht)

17/08/2015: No to Hindu rastra: Imposing Hindu statehood on Nepal would be an antithesis to inclusive democracy, by Gopi Upreti (kp), We demand an autonomous Tharuhat region, interview with Rajkumar Lekhi (kp), Dalit blues: The draft constitution has taken a step back from the Interim Constitution when it comes to Dalit's rights, by David Kainee (rep), Rights of the Dalits, women have indeed been reduced, interview with Baburam Bhattarai (kp), The CPN-UML is for religious freedom, interview with Bhim Rawal (kp) [Religious freedom instead of secularism means that national identity remains linked to Hindu values! What has happened to the young revolutionary politician Bhim Rawal I met in 1990?], Differences delay final statute draft, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Parties likely to review number of provinces: Nepali Congress, CPN-UML moot five-province model, UCPN-M suggests seven federal units, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Leaders to change demarcations yet again, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Mid West MPs offer realignment options to address agitation (kp), Split surfaces in Surkhet agitation: The four major parties have been blamed for driving a wedge in the movement for intact mid-west province (ht), Women-led demo for intact Rukum (ht), Effigies of top leaders burnt (ht), Madhesi, Janajati Maoist leaders to accept statute, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht) [??], SP lawmakers likely to quit CA; FSF-N also comes up with the same threat (ht), Nidhi expresses dissatisfaction over draft constitution (ht), Madhesi alliance's protest hits life in Tarai districts hard, by Suresh Yadav (rep), Madhesi Morcha shuts down schools reopened by TGSC, by Arjun Oli (rep), Banda hits life across country: Vandalism in several districts; Police arrest 117 banda enforcers (kp), 13 injured in jumla firing as protesters defy admin restrictions, by LP Devkota (kp), Curfew clamped in Jumla after 13 hurt in police firing (ht), Bandh hits life across country (ht), Valley denizens largely defy general strike; 106 arrested (ht), Indefinite strike for intact far-west (ht), Majority accept draft constitution: Nagarik Survey, by Bishwamani Pokharel (rep) [You should better write: Majority not or not at all satisfied! Besides, the majority of the disadvantaged sections of society in the rural areas have not been involved in this survey!!], Hornet’s nest: Protests have not been seen in places where districts have not been merged, or where existing map has not been changed, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), Moments Of Joy And Dissatisfaction, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

16/08/2015: Consider viability and locals’ views in states: Prez to Big 4 (kp), Keep people’s welfare in mind, prez tells leaders (ht), Minors paraded half-naked to press demands, by LP Devkota (kp), Protester injured in police firing, by Narayan Sharma (kp), Province no 2 rendered economically weak, says Yadav (ht), Persistent strikes hit life hard in Tarai region (ht), Rolpalis give mixed response: Local Magars urge leaders to consider their identity while naming the state in the new federal set up, by Kashiram Dangi (kp), Separate district sought (ht), Demarcation of federal units: Leaders divided as pressure piles, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Parties yet to sort statute disputes (kp), Dalits stage alertness rally (ht), Paying a moral debt: We need to support Dalits in their struggle to better their economic and social status, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Quarrel Over Federal Map: Right A Wrong, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Protest for secular Nepal (ht), Secularism or religious freedom? A secular policy does not hinder the democratic credentials of a state but promotes them, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), Is Sushil A (Ring Or Wrong) Leader?, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

15/08/2015: Task force begins rewriting statute draft: Citizenship clause to remain unchanged in revised charter (ht), Women-friendly constitution sought (ht), NEFIN reveals protest plan (ht), Peaceful protest to keep mid-west undivided (ht), Karnali paralysed by six days of strikes (rep), Sah leaves drafting panel (kp), Prabhu Sah quits drafting committee (ht), Parties in talks to redraw borders (kp), Province 2: Dissatisfaction at dearth of natural resources, by Bhusan Yadav (kp), UML MPs pitch for expansion (kp), 2 dozen hurt as RPP-N cadres clash with police (kp), Lawmakers for addressing agitators’ demands (ht), Oli warns ‘anti-national elements’ (kp) [But Oli himself is one of the top leaders of the anti-national elements who are against inclusion and women and for the continuation of male Bahunbad!!], CA yet to get full shape though statute promulgation date nears, by Ashok Dahal (rep) [Why this? The constitution is decided by selfish party leaders who ridicule interim constitution, Supreme Court and the rule of law!!], Madam Nepali, by Malati (kp), Constitution In Final Stage, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn), All sham: When their design to form new government immediately after earthquake did not materialize, parties came up with constitution plan, by Trailokya Raj Aryal (rep)

14/08/2015: What went wrong with Janajati movement? Observers say everything from power struggle, second CA poll results, to NC and UML, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), For secular Nepal: Secularism is a fundamental part of what it means to be living in a democratic republican polity committed to pluralism, by Pratyoush Onta (kp), Feeling for Province Two: The primary concern with the proposed band-aid federalism is how it will hurt the poor of the Tarai-Madhes, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp), Whose federalism? The division of the Mid-West by leaders who intend to use it as a ladder to power is unacceptable, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Bound by boundaries: If the disputed districts must be recarved to bring the Madhesi, Tharus and Janajatis on board, let us do it, by Om Astha Rai (nt), It ain’t over yet: The parties have arbitrarily drawn state boundaries, but who is going to own this draft constitution?, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Protests continue against six-state federal set-up (kp), More than 24 agitators injured (ht), General strike affects life (ht), Word renewed to amend draft: Drafting Committee taskforce starts work on Constitution Bill, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Task force gets two days to prepare final statute draft (ht), Fed commission may finalise state borders: UML (kp) [This has to be the task of the inclusively elected politicians, neither that of party leaders nor that of a non-inclusively nominated commission!!], Correcting Flaws In Federal Demarcation, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Promise of youth: Nepal should acknowledge the contribution of its youth (kp), Pros And Cons Of Directly Elected Executive Head, by Birendra P Mishra (rn), New Constitution: Fight against corruption, by Dinesh Pant (ht), The Final Countdown, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep)

13/08/2015: Drafting panel told to present bill in 5 days: Addressing demands for undivided regions and districts remains a challenge, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), CDC gets five days to pen final draft (ht), Drawing lines: Parties need to think about principles underlying delineation of boundaries (kp), Dubious distinction; If the ‘mother and father’ provision is retained in the constitution, Nepal will join the host of undemocratic countries, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Karnali banda enters fourth day, by L.P. Devkota (kp), Protest amid curfew in Surkhet, by Motilal Poudel (kp), Curfew and its defiance on in Surkhet (ht), Curfew in Surkhet for 3rd straight day (rep), Tharuhat bandh cripples life in Tarai (ht), Tharu lawmakers ‘plan future protests’ (kp), Haphazard Province Delineation Opening Pandora’s Box, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Nation cannot tolerate more violence: PM (kp) [This is true, but why do you not accept that the unconstitutional and non-inclusive procedure of a handful of male Bahuns has caused this violence??], Home Minister defends use of force during protests (kp), Statute can’t please all communities, says Oli: Urges UML CA members not to take sides, but to douse the blazing fire (ht) [And why does it please the traditionally ruling elite, i.e. predominantly male Bahuns and other male Tagadharis as always before??], Oli asks UML MPs to support 6-state model (kp), Intact Sagarmatha zone sought (ht), Pvt sector concerns ‘not addressed’ (kp), Private sector denounces revised constitution charter for ignoring suggestions, by Ramesh Shrestha (ht), A step forward: The draft constitution should be amended to give more rights to disabled persons, by Sudarshan Neupane (kp), Proportional representation: Start with humble threshold, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht)

12/08/2015: MPs back ‘undivided’ demand: Cross-party CA members warn of fuelling stir if their regions were not kept whole in states, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Top leaders’ plea to stop protests, by Prakash Acharya (ht), 15 hurt in Surkhet police firing (ht), 4 parties vow to redraw borders in 6-state model (kp), Protests continue against proposed federal set-up, by Motilal Poudel (kp), Four parties’ CA members oppose demarcation (ht), NEFIN agrees to launch nationwide protest (kp), Calls for autonomous mid-western region (kp), ‘No compromise on autonomous Madhes’ (ht), Protests flare up in plains against six-province model (ht), Banke Muslims for secularism (kp), Warning against merger of VDCs (ht), Dalits enforce chakkajam (ht), Province 1: Call for opportunities in land of great promise, by Chetan Adhikari (kp), Abuse of authority: If an executive can override the decision of the court, where is the rule of law in Nepal?, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Six-Province Model: Parties Must Stick To Decision, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn) [??], Country of the young: The idealist and motivated, albeit ignored, youth of Nepal are rebuilding the nation, by Brabim Kumar (kp), Power of young people: Maximizing their contributions, by Giulia Vallese (ht)

11/08/2015: Old order: Draft constitution seeks to re-institutionalize the same old order, by Kalpana Jha (rep), Sustainability prime concern: A survey of resources and challenges of provinces, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Dalit lives matter: The new constitution must go further than its predecessors in securing Dalit rights, by Gyan Basnet (kp), Foes of freedom: The draft constitution denies people the freedom to choose and change their religion, by Saral Shrestha (kp), Citizenship clause needs amendment: Article 11 (3) requires a person seeking citizenship to prove both his/her parents are Nepali (ht), Janajatis, Madhesi go for joint movement (ht), Tharus up in arms for ‘autonomous Tharuhat region’ (kp), Tumult around as constitution enters crucial final phase: Protests erupt against demarcation; Top leaders vow to correct move, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Protest in Surkhet turns violent, 2 killed, by Motilal Poudel (kp), Two shot dead in Surkhet as protests turn violent (rep), Three killed in protest against six-province model in Surkhet (ht), Incident occured while protecting lives, properties: Home Ministry (kp), Bandhs paralyse life in many districts (ht), Boundaries unjustified, discriminatory: UDMF (ht), ‘Draft constitution failed miserably to address Madhesi agendas’ (ht), Limbuwan demands nine districts (ht), World’s indigenous people: Identity matters the most, by Chun Bahadur Gurung (kp) [Unfortunately, the constitutional draft by the male Bahuns in no way reflects the substantial statements of this article!], The Reporter: How will journalists avoid offending sources and users while at the same time adhering to the highest standards of content and free expression?, by Dharma Adhikari (rep)

10/08/2015: A difficult start: Numerical superiority is not an adequate basis for the drafting of a constitution (kp), Opening act: The constitution must include all elements of participatory democracy to be acceptable to the majority, by Lok Raj Baral (kp), The farcical circus: The "clowning glory" of the draft statute is the midnight settlement over federal boundaries, by C.K. Lal (rep), Parties yet to settle religion, citizenship, threshhold issues, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), Report in CA amid protest, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), CPDCC submits revised draft: RPP-N CA members chant slogans to protest tabling of charter, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Madhesis, Janajatis oppose 6-state model (ht), Indigenous, Madhesi leaders gear up for protest, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Madhesi, indigenous forces against proposed delineation, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Our bottom line is 11 states as proposed by the first CA, interview with Laxman Lal Karna, Sadbhawana Party (kp), Leaders vow to adjust provincial boundaries: Federal commission, CA’s special committee to look into disputes (rep) [All this has to be done before the promulgation of the constitution! Else it will never be done!!], Baglung split may be rectified: Paudel (kp) [And when will the numerous deliberate splits of traditional ethnic territories by Ranas and Shahs in the name of establishing a unitary Hindu state be rectified??], Protests flare up in Tarai plains (ht), Discontent in Maoists over 6-province pact: A dozen leaders and CA members say they will defy a party whip if the UCPN (Maoist) tries to impose the six-province model (kp), Five UCPN-M CA members sign note of dissent (ht), 6-state deal draws mixed reactions (kp), Six-province model draws mixed reactions from people (ht), Jajarkot denizens seek intact mid-west (ht), Lawmakers unite against proposed Baglung split (kp), Citizenship issue: Debate for ‘or’ provision still ‘unresolved’ (kp), Statute draft revision: CIAA gets to probe ‘improper conduct’ (kp), Constitution Writing: Hardest Nut Has Been Cracked, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn) [?? Yes, continuation of male Bahunbad and non-inclusion guaranteed!!], Pvt sector hails consensus on federal states: Expects the latest move to usher in stability in the country and boost economic progress (ht), Lawyers seek greater role for veep, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht)

09/08/2015: Parties seal 6-state deal: UCPN (Maoist), MJF-Loktantrik allow process to move by registering notes of dissent, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai and Binod Ghimire (kp), Parties agree on six-Pradesh model with boundaries, by Ram Kumar Kamat and Prakash Acharya (kp), Tharu members form struggle committee: All the 36 Tharu Constituent Assembly members of different parties will be members (ht), Madhes leaders warn of ethnic tensions (kp), Yadav warns of revolt (ht), The Dalit march: Nepal cannot afford to ignore the demands of the Dalits in the forthcoming constitution, by Abhi Subedi (kp) [Nepal can't but, be sure, the male Bahun leaders do it in their non-inclusive constitution!], Spell it out: The constitution should say clearly that the state will be neutral towards all religions, by Sushil Pandey (kp), Muslims demand Hindu state (ht) [??], Enough already: Lawmakers must amend discriminatory provisions in the constitution or be ready to face the wrath of women, by Prativa Pandey (kp), Statute Writing: Missing Another Deadline?, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

08/08/2015: Women activists continue citizenship protests (kp), Women activists demand equal citizenship provisions, by Shreejana Shrestha (rep), Fears grow over Nepal’s ‘anti-women’ statute (ht), Concern about right to abortion (ht), Charter criticised for failing to ensure proportional inclusion (ht), CA members, stakeholders call for empowerment of Right to Information (ht), Parties unable to sort constitution disputes (kp), Demarkating federal boundaries: New issues crop up to add to confusion, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), 27 NC CA members oppose inclusion of Tarai districts in hill state (ht), NC Madhesi lawmakers demand 4 Tarai states (kp), UML wants Saptari, Siraha in eastern province (kp), Banda for undivided Far West affects normal life in Kailali (kp), The roti-beti bette noire: The Madhesi woman is arguably the most talked about individual in Nepali politics; According to men, she has the power to change Nepal’s demography all by herself, by Darshan Karki (kp), Elusive Federal Constitution, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), Five states ideal for Nepal, interview with Matthias Hartwig (rep) [This title does not really reflect what Mr Hartwig has said!], Waiting for Godot: We have now proven to the world that when it comes to us  there is no event big enough which will force to mend our ways, by Hitesh Karki (rep), Sushil-led Government (part 65), by Siddhi B. Ramjitkar (km)

07/08/2015: Hollow nationalism: Women lawmakers should put pressure their party leadership to rethink discriminatory citizenship provisions, by Maina Dhital (kp), Same old story: Empowerment of the people at the grassroots remains the most effective antidote against ethnic and regional unrests; Orthodox Hinduism being the basis of state polity for millennia, the high caste rich ascribe themselves to lord over their communities, and the rest of the people, mostly the Janajatis and Dalits live in utter poverty, by Bihari Krishna Shrestha (kp), Commodifying to survive: Insecurity about secularism stems from the fear among many Nepalis they will be converted, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), Bordering on brinkmanship: A constitution cannot be a pot-holed road to be hurriedly patched up. It is a highway to carry Nepalis to a prosperous future (nt), Statute entangled in boundary mess, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Leaders focus on securing vote banks while demarcating boundaries, by Prakash Acharya (ht) [!!], Deal so close yet so far, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Twist in the tale: Top leaders inched closer to a fresh deal on demarcating federal provinces, but a last-minute hitch stalled negotiations, by Om Astha Rai (nt), Akhanda Sudur Paschim stir reignites, by Mohan Budhair (kp), Autonomous Madhes Pradesh(es) sought: Madhesi UCPN-M leaders have also demanded the ‘or’ provision in citizenship clause (ht), ‘Respect sentiments of Madhes’ (kp), UML’s Janajati MPs campaign for secular state (kp), Villainy And Venality In Politics, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Agitation for intact far-west hits life (ht)

06/08/2015: Not caste in stone: To entertain the idea of making Nepal a Hindu state would mean institutionalisation of caste hierarchy, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Perpetuating problems: The articles of the draft consititution must be consistent with the spirit of the preamble, by Prakash Bom (kp) [They must first of all be consistent with the interim constitution, SC decisions and the ambitions of the people! This so-called draft is not more than an interest paper of male Tagadharis, especially Bahuns!!], 4 major parties agree on 6 provinces, by Ashok Dahal (rep) [Long live the non-inclusive federal unitary state of male Bahunbad, once called Nepal!], Parties hope to settle disputed issues today (kp), Boundary question takes a new turn (ht), Boundary question takes a new turn, by Ram Kumar Kamat and Prakash Acharya (ht), Govt panel to probe police action against Dalit protest (kp), Use of force against Dalit protesters will be probed: Gautam (ht), Civil society, rights activists join the stir (kp), 14-year-old raped, force-fed toilet cleaning solution, dies: Perpetrators use political pressure to make victim’s family drop charges, by Pratichya Dulal (kp) [This case proves Nepal's anti-women politics and the close connections between politics and crime!!], Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Handling Emerging Challenges, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Required: Constitution With Federalism, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Building New Nepal: What is needed?, by Guna Raj Bhatta (ht)

05/08/2015: Women activists continue protest: They have been demanding that every clause of the new constitution should be non-discriminatory (kp), The forgotten: The draft constitution overlooks the concerns of the conflict victims, by Suman Adhikari (kp), Flawed document: Without check and balance against executive overreach, there is every chance of an authoritarian rule; An authoritarian ruler might compromise with sovereignty, by Bindesh Dahal (rep), Religious tolerance: Upcoming constitution must have equal respect for all religions, otherwise there will be communal riots, by Giri Bahadur Sunar (rep), Apology sought for police action against Dalits (ht), Protests for equal rights: House asks govt to clarify police action (kp), Parties ‘close gaps’ on state restructuring, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [But only toward each other, not towards the people!!], Parties may go for 6-state model with boundaries: Consensus on all contentious constitutional issues, including citizenship, likely by this evening, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Disgruntled forces launch joint protest (kp), Strike called on day of statute promulgation (ht), Transitional justice act: ‘Amendment must’ for effective TRC, CIEDP (kp)

04/08/2015: Parties at odds as NC, UML push for 6-7 states (kp), State demarcation again snags process: NC for settling issue first; UML opposes, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Parties positive on delivering constitution with boundaries of federal units (ht), Tough job ahead (ht), Heading towards federal structure: ‘Statute should make roles of different govt layers clear’ (kp), New constitution: Disabled people stage demos demanding political rights (kp), Deuba: India for consensus among all political forces (kp) [This is a necessity but even more important is that you abide by the interim constitution and your earlier agreements and that you respect the honest demands of the so far not included sections of society!!], Morcha, CPN-M to launch joint protest (kp), Joint movement against draft statute (ht), Rectify provisions, says KC (ht), National reconstruction authority: Lawmakers press for swift appointment (kp), House panel directs govt to form Reconstruction Authority soon (ht), Ex-trafficking victims demand citizenship right: A study says not being able to pass on citizenship to their children is one of the biggest troubles faced by trafficking survivors (kp), What about us? The draft constitution has totally neglected the political rights of the working class, by Premal Kumar Khanal (kp), Let us be: The revulsion shown by some Western nations towards Nepal’s Hindu identity borders on hypocrisy (kp) [The revulsion of some Tagadharis towards the excluded sections' demand for a secular state borders on hypocracy! Give the the rights and status that have been denied to them under the Hindu state! This has nothing to do with Western countries!], Mention religious freedom instead of secularism: NMSP (ht), Badis flay draft of the constitution  (ht), Mood of the Madhes: If the state continues to ignore the grievances of the Madhesi people, it will do so at its own peril, by Randhir Chaudhary (kp)

03/08/2015: For the people: Political parties should prioritise drafting a widely acceptable constitution (kp), Janajati, Madhesis join hands in protest (kp), Madhesis cannot accept incomplete constitution: Thakur (ht), Delivery of statute unlikely by Aug 17, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Still a long way (ht), Parties divided over delineation of federal states (kp), PDCC postpones report on draft constitution, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), TRC will not look into the cases sub-judice at the court, interview with Surya Kiran Gurung (kp), Private sector urges liberal economic model (kp)

02/08/2015: Draft Constitution Unacceptable To More Than Two Thirds Of Population, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Undo the change: Including unpleasant aspects of the past in the preamble will fuel bitterness among the people, by Gopal Thapa (kp), Conscientious objection: The Constituent Assembly should have the final say on federalism, not Parliament, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), Special panel of CPDCC fails to settle key issues (ht), Panel yet to winnow out public feedback: NC for ‘religious freedom’ instead of secularism as statute provision; UML and Maoists for deferring demarcation as it would delay constitution; Parties may send agreed issues to CA and thrash out remaining issues (kp) [This interest paper of male Tagadharis is not appropriate to be a long-term constitution!], NC leaders for ‘religious freedom’, state borders (kp) [Religious freedom does not prevent the Hindu orientation of the state!], Nepal will be secular: Gyawali (ht), Only way ahead: Lawmakers should address public concerns while finalising the draft constitution, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp), UCPN-M Janajati CA members submit memo (kp), Janajatis, Madhesis declare next phase of protest (ht), Madhes-based parties threaten to intensify stir (kp), Heed our concerns: Madhesi leaders (ht), Identity, rights demands justified,says NC leader Giri (ht), Lantern rally for Dalit rights (ht), No country for us: When I tell my daughter that she can do anything boys can, am I not lying to her?, by Shradha Giri Bohara (kp), Women activists launch fresh protests (kp), Oli has made U-turns on issues: Paudel, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Voice of the people: Journalism in indigenous languages has come a long way in Nepal, by Meera Rajbhandari Amatya (kp)

01/08/2015: Janajati parties to develop alternative national force, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Parties mull ways to take public views into statute (kp) [Actually, they are only interested in preserving the non-inclusive aspects of their draft!], Bid to resolve charter disputes to continue today (ht), NC, UML at odds over chief secy, CEO posts, by Anil Giri (kp) [Not interested in relief to the people in need, only interested in posts and and access to funds as usual!!], The spectre of secularism, by Pranaya Shamsher JB Rana (kp), At the crossroads: It is up to Nepali Congress and CPN-UML whether to surrender to secessionist threat for short-term gains or put national interests first, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep) [??]

31/07/2015: Five-member panel to speed up draft revision (kp) [100 percent male, 80 percent Bahun even though male Bahuns not even make up 6.5 percent of the total population! And this panel shall abolish Bahunbad and the domination of male Tagadharis?? Forget this farce!], Discord over how to take in suggestions (kp), Citizenship through mother or father: Demos calling for ‘or’ provison (kp), Divisive Dynamics Of Religion, Race And Regionalism, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Our syndicate raj: The ills of governance result from the unaccountability in our electoral politics, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp)

30/07/2015: Four parties bid to win over disgruntled sides (kp) [They want to replace their non-inclusive draft by a completely new one under adequate participation of all groups of society??], CA to follow ‘informal’ calendar of operation, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Leaders discuss draft with constitutional bodies (ht), Draft proposes weak federalism: Lawyers (ht), ‘Where are Dalits’ rights in statute?’ (ht), Dalit lawmakers find fault with draft constitution, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), CA gives PDCC 4 days to draft consensus report, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Will think twice before endorsing it: Bhattarai (ht), Large section of public favours ‘or’ provision: 57,000 people from 18 districts sign a petition in support of ‘mother or father’ provision on citizenship issue (kp), Legal omission: The draft constitution should include a provision against untouchability practised during menstruation, by Chandra Bhadra (kp), Call for children-friendly constitution (kp), Heads of constitutional bodies demand greater autonomy (kp), Constitutional bodies against parliamentary monitoring (rep), EC acting chief advises leaders to finalise state delineation first (kp), Right turn: There is little to take the UML at its word when it comes to recognising the country’s diversity, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Constitution Writing: Accommodate Feedback For Legitimacy, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Draft Constitution: Strengthen public institutions, by Madhukar Shamsher JB Rana (ht), With no help post-quake, locals live in despair, by Madhusudhan Guragain (rep)

29/07/2015: The neglected south: Even by its poor standards, Nepali state’s neglect of Madhesi Dalits is appalling (kp), Baburam Bhattarai challenges Janajatis to resort to revolt (ht), Feedback report tabled in CA amid din of protest (kp), Report tabled amid protests: Secularism, citizenship Articles’ language may be changed, by Prakash Acharya (ht) [Secularism is the precondition for inclusion, equality and social harmony in the multireligious, multiethnic, multicultural and multilingual state of Nepal! Anything else would mean the continuation of centuries of discrimination!!], Bardiya submits most suggestions (kp), Parties to clarify draft clauses (kp), UML chief bins directly elected PM agenda (kp), UML endorses Oli’s political document (ht), Delineation of constituencies every 20 years illogical: MJF-Democratic, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), No invitation for talks yet, say Madhesi leaders (kp), UDMF not to talk with four parties (ht), Redraft statute, says Yadav (ht), Budget inadequate to ensure free, compulsory education: Article 17 of the draft constitution envisions providing free and compulsory education to all up to the secondary level (kp), 42 injured in Itahari clashes, by Bedraj Poudel (kp), Dilemma In Addressing People's Feedback, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Apathy everywhere: These issues should have been resolved well on time because they obstructed relief distribution in the quake affected areas (ht)

28/07/2015: Right historical wrongs: The constitution should ensure that the next generation will not need to fight for political change again, by Gyan Basnet (kp), Federalism first: Those lobbying for local elections should support the demand to resolve the issue of federalism, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), ‘Secularism’ will be changed, says UCPN-M chief (ht) [Even a revolutionary Bahun still remains to be a Bahun first!!], New Constitution: Make it fair and just; Likewise, the preliminary draft Constitution 2015 does not fully guarantee women’s choice and right to reproductive health and symbolizes Nepali women as existing only to bear children, by Karuna Onta (ht), CA committee submits report on people’s feedback, by Prakash Acharya (ht), ‘State boundaries before statute promulgation’ (ht), Feedback boiled down to 7 points, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [??], Disgruntled parties invited for talks (kp), ‘Statute in present form unacceptable’ (ht), Madhesi leaders vow to continue protests, by Abdhesh Kumar Jha (kp), Bhattarai urges them to respect sovereignty, territorial integrity (kp), Rajbhandari to 'raise bonded labour issue’: Report says approximately 30,000 children and 143,000 adults are still subjected to different kinds of forced labour in Nepal (kp ), ‘Put age bar for leaders’ (kp), Govt apathy turning relief materials into decaying waste: TIA customs area reeks of rotting unclaimed food items, by Rajan Pokhrel (ht), Decisive Moment, by Deepak Kumar Nayak (SAIR)

27/07/2015: Many-faced god: The idea of ‘religious freedom’ over secularism could prove damaging (kp), Miscarriage of justice: Nepali women stand to lose the ability to control their fertility if the draft constitution is not rectified, by Melissa Upreti (kp), In Nepal, men still believe only they are entitled to rights, interview with Meera Dhungana (kp), 4 chief whips assigned to sort feedback on charter (kp) [They are not qualified for this task! The inclusive way would be: 1 Dalit, 1 Janajati, 1 Madheshi, 1 Tagadhari; 2 of them should be women!!], CA committee submits report on people’s feedback, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Panel to submit report on public suggestions today (kp), Four parties adamant on statute by Aug 17: Say even if they fail to iron out differences on key issues,they will deliver the new constitution, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Maoist reservations on the draft (kp), Madhesis pitch for autonomous states (ht), Landless demand housing right: National Census of 2011 states that nearly 12 pc of the country’s total population is landless (kp), Now Incorporate People's Suggestions, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

26/07/2015: CA chair, parties one on statute date: Nembang’s proposal to promulgate charter on Aug 16 gets nod from top leaders of major parties (kp), Political leaders in bid to address public feedback (ht), ‘Draft statute a betrayal of Madhesis’ (ht), Pressure on UML to adopt directly elected PM (kp), BRB bats for directly elected exec head (kp), NEA submits suggestions on draft constitution (ht), Internet freedom: Unrestricted broadband internet access should be included as a fundamental right in the statute, by Bimal Pratap Shah (kp), Draft and dilemma: The upcoming constitution should demarcate state territories and honour past agreements, by Abhi Subedi (kp), We’ve had enough: The new constitution should empower Dalits and break the legacy of discrimination, by Dhana Bahadur Mijar (kp), Statute Writing Process: Feeding The Feedback, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Do They Understand Two-thirds Majority?, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

25/07/2015: 4 parties agree to promulgate: new constitution by August 10: Date to be finalised after leaders meet CA Chairman Nembang today morning (kp), Parties vow to deliver constitution by Aug 15: To incorporate suggestions made by public on the first draft, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), ‘No shortcut to statute’ (kp), Bring all forces on board: Prez (ht), 37 districts submit feedback report (kp) [districts or district centres?], Tarai leaders term statute charter anti-Madhes, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), CA chair advocates discretion: Urges leaders not to make statements contradicting 16-point agreement, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), UCPN-M submits 13-point memorandum to CA chair: Says fixing tentative boundaries of eight pradeshes will be an appropriate move (ht), KMC wants rights on par with federal provinces (kp), Banda affects life; enforcers commit arson, vandalism (kp), “They burned my taxi while I was inside” (kp), 100 CPN Maoist cadres held in Valley during bandh: Demonstrators force schools, shops, businesses to shut; Vehicles vandalised, torched in different parts of capital city (ht), CPN Maoist bandh cripples life across country: Demonstrators vandalise, torch vehicles; Police detain cadres in different parts of country (ht), 3 months since the great earthquake: ‘Enforcement more important than improving building code’ (kp), Rebranding Nepal: How do we deal with the economic calamity that faces Nepal in the aftermath of the quake, by Chiran Raj Pandey (kp), Book guilty of Godar incident: NHRC (kp), NHRC wants action against indicted officials (ht)

24/07/2015: Janajati MPs press for equality, inclusiveness: 59 lawmakers from across party line object to at least five dozen articles in the draft, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), NHRC advises ‘or’ provision on citizenship (kp), NHRC hands over its suggestions to Nembang (ht), CJ Shrestha calls for judicial autonomy (kp), Compromising independence of judiciary can fail democracy: CJ (ht), Lawyers divided over prez powers, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), State delinieation debate: Dahal steps up negotiations (kp), Demand for single Madhes province obsolete: Experts, by Lilaballav Ghimire (kp), Constitution draft regressive: Madhesi leaders (ht), Yadav warns of Madhes revolt (kp), Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha to launch struggle for separate state (ht), Malice And Melodrama, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [Violence has to be rejected, but this is once again an oversimplified view of this author who cannot deny his social and political affiliation!], RPP-N warns of House obstruction (ht), ‘Review foreign and security policies’, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Panel receives feedback from 18 districts (ht), Pay heed to people’s concerns: Yadav (ht), Parasitic proposal: The state should endeavour to create jobs instead of making impractical promises in the constitution, by Pratyush Nath Upreti (kp), Let’s move on: Chance to finally have a constitution for the people, by the people, of the people, by Damakant Jayshi (nt)

23/07/2015: CA concludes feedback collection (rep), CA panel seeks more time to compile views (kp), AI calls for extending time for public consultation: Says human rights shortcomings should be addressed urgently (ht), ‘Allot more time to collect feedbacks’ (kp), Report on charter feedback in 4-5 days, by Prakash Acharya (ht), NA is ‘for statute, not democracy’, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Yadav bids to galvanise Madhes forces, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Madhesis fear parties in bid to defer federalism, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Banda hits normal life (kp), Mixed reaction to draft constitution (ht), NLS submits public views to CA chairman (kp), UML to review its position on forms of govt (kp), ‘Guarantee rights of differently-abled’ (ht), Include Army chief in National Security Council: Deuba (kp), Mention neighbourhood policy: MoFA, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Rights groups call for additional fundamental rights provisions (rep), Insurance regulator worried about possible cutback in power, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), AHRC condemns use of undue force by police (kp), Thapa condemns assault on him, RPP-N cadres: Claims the attack has exposed the government’s defeated mentality, attackers are anti-Hindus (ht) [??], Jailbirds deprived of chance to air their views in Chitwan (ht), Feedback on statute (ht), For the people: If the drafters want to prevent large-scale unrest, they should invite Madhesi and Janajati leaders for discussion, by Pramod Mishra (kp) [But this would be against the self-interest of the male Tagadhari leaders!], Life under federalism: A federal unit will not bring substantive changes if we do not alter the economic fundamentals, by Ram C. Acharya (kp), Public Hearings On Draft Constitution: Respect Public Voices, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

22/07/2015: All for change: A durable constitution will need the ownership of large section of population (kp) [Especially, it has to be written by the elected representatives of the people in an independent way and not ordered by some high caste males who claim to be the leaders of the country!!], First draft of Constitution: Confusing and vague, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht), Draft feedback collection comes to an end, by Prakash Acharya and Tika R. Pradhan (ht) [The draft has not reached greater parts of rural Nepal yet; people in other areas had hardly time to read, think about and comment the draft! This is a farce!], States, religion, citizenship, govt main concerns: Calls loud for ‘religious freedom’ instead of secularism (kp), 3-layer process to address views registered by public, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), UML leaders press for directly elected PM: Pokharel, Bhattarai hand separate views to CA chairman (kp), More protests against charter on Day II (ht), Day II: Clashes, disruptions repeat: In Dhanusha, programmes foiled in all constituencies (kp), Six students held for demanding CA’s dissolution (ht) [This is not in support of such demands but the question must be allowed: What is the difference between such demands and the continued grave violations of the interim constitution and the disreagrad of SC decisions by leading politicians?], Madhes front: Govt tried to muzzle dissident voice: Leaders claim innocent civilians were deliberately attacked by security personnel in Birgunj (kp), Bandh affects feedback in Tarai region (ht), People dissatisfied with feedback collection in far-western region (ht), ‘Draft biased against marginalised'’ (kp), Federalism no pressing issue: DPM Gautam (kp) [?????], Social issues take back seat as feedback drive concludes (kp), CNI discontent over reference to socialism (kp), Feedback collection sees huge public participation (kp), Dissenting forces stage protests (kp), Directly-elected prez necessary: Bhattarai, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Loudest demand for direct election for key political positions (rep), Drawing the line: Based on geography, population and regional balance there could be five provinces in the hills and three in Tarai, by K.L. Devkota (kp), Free to perform: Nepal needs an independent and autonomous authority for recovery and reconstruction, by Daman B. Ghale (kp), A Constitution For All, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Draft statute more pathetic than Interim Constitution: Acharya (ht), NP seeks to supervise cops in provinces (ht), Kavrelis want one-horned rhino as new national animal (ht), Let it be beautiful: With new constitution comes resurgence in the hopes and dreams of our people, once unsure of the future but now captivated with dreams of easy, peaceful and simple life, by Subhash Ghimire (rep) [Did you get another draft than the official one that has been written by a handful of male high caste party leader??]

21/07/2015: Bias unveiled: The draft constitution goes a step backwards and seeks to curtain the rights of women, by Rajju Malla Dhakal (kp), ICJ concerned about draft constitution (ht), Many call feedback collection ‘political sham’, by Anup Ojha (kp), People register views: Participants seek religious freedom, indigenous identity, Karnali State (kp), Violence mars hearings on charter: 69 people involved in disruption of programmes in 10 districts detained, by Prakash Acharya and Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Violence mars public hearings in Madhes: Scores hurt as party cadres clash with police (kp), Morcha flays ‘state oppression’ (kp), UML condemns attacks on ex-PM Nepal, FinMin Mahat (kp), Security upped in Valley (kp), RPP-N, Chand party disrupt public opinion collection (kp), Feedback collected despite obstruction (ht), Call to ensure Hinduism as state religion (ht), Nepali missions solicit views (kp), CA panel advises people to use other channels (kp), Children seek free education up to secondary level (kp), Conflict victims want provision of retrospective law: They demand that the new constitution should include their right to truth, justice and reparation, by Dewan Rai (kp), Rukum folks demand employment opportunities in constitution (ht), Remove labour rights from fundamental rights, says FNCCI, by Rajesh Khanal (kp) [??], FNCCI gives feedback on statute charter, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), ‘Make diploma level minimum qualification for CA membership’ (ht) [??], Nepal Army wants CoAS in security council (kp), PM claims everyone’s demands will be met (ht) [???], Pradesh demarcation after constitution: Oli (ht) [!!!], Nepalis abroad seek voting rights (ht), Low turnout puts cold water on campaign (ht), Call for intact far-west (ht), Redraft the Constitution: Guarantee people’s sovereignty, by Madhukar Shamsher JB Rana (ht)

20/07/2015: Constitution draft ‘against’ civil liberty, by Dewan Rai (kp), ‘Independence of judiciary under threat’: Experts say amendments needed to ensure courts enjoy full freedom, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), ‘Faulty’ provisions may invite power tussle, warn stakeholders, by Gaurav Thapa (kp), EC seeks more teeth for electoral reforms, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Baglung locals strongly seek threshold for PR seats, by Nirjana Sharma and Dilip Paudel (rep), Found in translation: Linguistic justice cannot be guaranteed unless the state equally promotes and preserves all languages, by Miranda Weinberg and Prem Phyak (kp), Life imprisonment sought in new constitution, by Raj Kumar Bhandari (ht), Ensure employment for youth: Locals, by Arjun Poudel (rep), ‘Lower class ignored in draft constitution’ (ht), Dalits of Gaur totally ignored by committee (ht), Feedback process focused on cities People in rural areas have no idea whatsoever about draft statute (ht), Public hearings on statute begin today, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Statute suggestions top 12k: Two-day public consultation begins today; Leaders in districts to collect views on draft (kp), Statute copies yet to reach far-flung villages (ht), ‘Not enough time given to read draft constitution’, by Nirjana Sharma and Chabilal Tiwari (rep), UML asks cadres to support party stance (kp), Collection under way in Saptari: Joint Democratic Madhesi Morcha cadres continue to burn copies of draft (ht), Suggestions On Constitution: Historic Moment For The People, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn) [Hopefully, the people will remember the similarly disappointing event of 1990!!], One last hurdle NC, Maoists need to convince UML of the significance of delineation (kp) [?? NC and UML have been the parties that opposed delineation most! This even led to the failure of CA-I!], PM: Delineation of states on cards along with statute (kp), Madhesi people want provincial boundaries settled first, by Ashok Dahal and Ritesh Tripathi (rep), Pradesh borders must be delineated, says NMSP (ht), Army gives suggestions on draft constitution (ht), NA voices reservations over draft (rep)

19/07/2015: Experts say draft littered with errors (ht), Govt ignored int’l conventions: Youths; A youth activist says Minister Neelam Khadka’s rosy promises to ensure women’s reproductive rights fell flat (kp), Address our concerns: NEFIN (ht), Draft constitution: Governance issues not addressed, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Activists seek Consumer Court (ht), NC’s Amresh Singh flays draft statute (ht), Speakers air grievances (ht), People’s aspirations ignored, says Pradip Giri (ht), PM pressed for state borders before statute, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), In hinterlands, folk still wait for draft: Say they can’t provide inputs without seeing blueprint (kp), Statute draft in short supply as CA gears up for public consultation (kp), Oli urges public participation (kp) [??], DPM Singh calls on all to provide suggestions (ht) [You have hardly included any of the suggestions and own promises that have been made since 2006! Why do you ask for more?], NMA demands constitutional body (kp), Sowing Seeds of Another Revolution, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

18/07/2015: CA members out for public consultation (kp), 2 days off to collect views (kp), Statements against 16-pt accord irk UML: Second largest party says it will raise issue in 4-party meeting (kp), Ensuring Political Stability Electoral Threshold Is a Key Element, by Pranav Bhattarai (rn)

17/07/2015: Call for land rights in statute: Experts say the new constitution should ensure equitable access of all classes, genders and communities to land (kp), Statute draft extends ‘free ticket’ to perpetrators of war-era crimes, by Dewan Rai (kp), NRN citizenship provision Political rights denied, by Ram Khadka (ht), Local polls possible only after December: EC (kp), The constitution as if the people mattered: Top leaders have packaged greed and prejudice in a draft constitution, but there is still time to correct it, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Public consultation on draft: Chopper flights to cost CA dearly (kp), Draft copies won’t suffice for collecting suggestions: Experts (ht), Madhesi cadres obstruct public opinion collection, by Shiva Puri (kp), Madhesi parties torch draft of constitution (ht), Some Comments On The Draft Constitution, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn)

16/07/2015: Fast track to nowhere: There is every possibility that this constitution will not be Nepal’s last, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Alliance to battle the ‘and’ provision (kp), Turning the tide: The draft constitution’s provision on forming a judicial committee threatens to reverse gains in local justice, by Mukti Rijal (kp), Public feedback collection begins (kp), Disabled persons want draft in other formats, by Ramesh Chandra Adhikari (kp), CIAA doesn’t want its powers curbed (kp), CIAA seeks end to House supervision (ht), SC opposes Constitutional Court: Gives no reason for opposition in suggestions on statute (ht), TRC, CIEDP yet to prepare regulations, by Dewan Rai (kp) [??], Remember the disaster? Disputes over the constitution should not hamper recovery and reconstruction efforts (kp), Public Views On Draft Constitution: Mere Formality Or Reality?, Uttam Maharjan (rn), Hollow promises: The lakhs of families whose houses were destroyed cannot wait long without sliding further in their economic condition (ht), What’s the plan? Our efforts at resettlement and reconstruction need to go hand in hand with development of mega projects, by Prabhakar Ghimire (rep), Draft Constitution: Some comments, by Anil Shah (ht), Country is theirs: The country belongs to a handful of politicians, businessmen and syndicates and cartels affiliated to the profit regime, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep), Mixed bag: Provisions for acquisition of Nepali citizenship have been broadened; But some conditions are opaque and misleading, by Chandra Prasad Luitel (rep)

15/07/2015: Off the hook: The draft constitution seeks to limit the powers of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), UML, oppn decry NC monopoly in budget making, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Will Federalism Issue Be Resolved Soon?, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), UDMF rallies against 16-point agreement (ht)

14/07/2015: Call to amend unfair provisions gets stronger (kp), Missing the point: If the new constitution is promulgated without federalism, it will be a defunct document, by Dipendra Jha (kp), ‘Statute revision’ to let CA set borders (kp), UN lobbying for amendments to draft constitution, by Rajan Pokhrel (ht), National animal: Janajati CA members bat for rhino, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Provision of removal of C-in-C draws concern, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Stakeholders call for
ensuring children’s rights since in womb (ht), Back and forth: Even with societal advancements, multiple forms of discrimination still thrive in Nepal, by Prayash Raj Koirala (kp), Free the media: The draft constitution should be amended to promote self-regulation in the media, not government intervention, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), RPP-N to boycott feedback programme (ht), Will statute feedback make a difference?, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Nembang warns against delay (ht)

13/07/2015: Prez told about flaws in constitution: Doesn’t comply with Interim Constitution and spirit of past movements, say civil society members (ht), Janajati, Madhes parties seek prez intervention (kp), Madhes parties rally against draft statute (ht), Delineation of provinces has to be done by parties, not the commission, interview with Pitambar Sharma (kp), Delineate provinces before statute: UCPN (Maoist) (rep), FNJ for ‘complete press freedom’ in new constitution (ht), Constitution draft reaches Karnali, by L.P. Devkota (kp), People’s suggestions not really sought (ht) [Just as in 1990!!], Money in politics: Parliamentarians should be held accountable for funds they spend (kp), Against Doling Out More Funds To CDP, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Nepal at crossroads: Expanding nexus for nationalism, by Umesh K. Bhattarai (ht)

12/07/2015: Janajatis to take dissent note to constituencies (kp), Janajati forces gearing up to launch movement: Tuladhar-led INNM and Kumal-led NEFIN to come up with agitation programmes soon, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), By men, for men: Male politicians curtailing women’s rights should know we make up half the voting population, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Single women call for amendments in first draft of constitution: Single women demand the country’s upcoming constitution should recognise them as a marginalised group (kp), Citizenship provisions make some citizens more equal: Lawyers (ht), Nembang bats for state demarcation pronto (kp), Nembang wants boundaries settled first (ht), Nembang pledges to create strong base for free press (ht), Six hurt in Rolpa blast, by Kashiram Dangi (kp) [late victims of the insurgency!], Quake-hit Gandarva community denied relief, by Anup Ojha (kp), Endorsement Of First Draft: A Milestone In Statute Writing, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn) [How can you call this non-inclusive, women discriminating, fundamental rights disrespecting and the constitution violating draft a milestone?], Democracy goes digital: The internet should be used for holding discussions on proposed legislations, including the draft constitution, by Bimal Pratap Shah (kp)

11/07/2015: President tells leaders to respect SC order (ht), Prez seeks statute with state borders (kp), President urges statesmanship, ample time for public debate (rep), International community hails progress in constitution (kp) [But they mention preconditions that have to be fulfilled by the new constitution which, in many respetcs, are not met by the current draft! So, they hail the progress, not the product!], International community hails statute process Stresses on ensuring common ownership of the constitution (ht), Further othering the other, by Malati (kp), Madhesi front announces stir (kp), Pro-Limbuwan party warns of protests, by Madhab Raj Ghimire (kp), Rally against 'discriminatory' citizenship provision, by Riwaj Rai (rep), CA plans to take inputs from NRNs (kp), Civil servants to leave for districts with 2 lakh copies (ht), Govt policies, programs: Oppn parties register seven amendments (kp), Oppn criticizes govt policy, program (rep), Dahal terms policies and programmes ‘hollow’: Says the country will head towards crisis if the government tries to move ahead unilaterally (ht), Quake relief irregulaties: PAC snubs CIAA, submits report to Speaker-led panel (kp), Policies and Programs Of GON For FY 2015, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

10/07/2015: Exclusionary elections: The draft consitution needs to restrict special representation to politically excluded groups, by Seira Tamang (kp), Egos at the door, please: Cheer up, we have a draft constitution and so far it’s only been set alight by Madhesis, women and minorities, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), 'How do you find draft constitution?': Lawmakers to ask for public feedback (rep) [The 240 FPTP MPs are not onclusive but predominantly male Bahuns and some Chhetris! The people should be questioned by thos MPs who have been elected inclusively on the basis of the PR system!!], 15-day action plan to collate views, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), CA endorses 15-day calendar for feedback on first draft, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Delhi visits ‘ill-timed’: Observers question intent of talks in Delhi when constitution is being finalised in Kathmandu, by Anil Giri (kp), Earthquake relief: PAC set to probe irregularities (kp), Quake survivors still await govt relief: A decision to provide cash relief to only those whose quake-hit houses are pulled down is said to have delayed the process, by Kumbharaj Rai (kp), Sharma: Let EC announce elections (kp), UDMF announces first phase protest (ht), No CA after statute: UML chief (ht) [?? The CA has to stay as parliament until new elections take place; it has been elected by the people and cannot be replaced by a body that is nominated by so-called leaders!!], Madhes Politics Of Farce And Self-affliction, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [an oversimplified analysis!], Quest for equality: Throughout South Asia, the ideology of equality stemmed from religion before becoming a political discourse, by Gérard Toffin (kp), UN blames red tape for delays in relief delivery to quake victims (ht), Redraft Constitution: Framework for economic revolution, by Madhukar Shamsher JB Rana (ht)

09/07/2015: Native aliens: The message is clear: Men own this country; Women had no place in Nepal in the past and they will have no place in Nepal in the future, by Anjali Subedi (rep), Govt plans to keep tabs on media draw flak (kp), FNJ objects to govt policy on media (ht), Prez unveils govt’s policy, programme: Lays emphasis on short to long-term work plans for rehab, reconstruction, by Binod Ghimire (kp), Prez presents govt’s policies and programmes (ht), Locals polls within new fiscal year: Govt (rep), Govt policy and programs bring disappointment to education sector (rep), Strategy aimed at reconstruction, infra, farming, tourism unveiled (kp), Action plan ready for public opinion collection (kp), Time to negotiate: It is a positive sign that the parties are keen to engage disgruntled voices (kp), Public feedback: Going by the experience of the first failed CA, the feedback being collected from the people will just be a formality (ht), Present NHRC report: Panel (kp), Fear the future: Drafters of the constitution have demonstrated myopia rather than long-term vision for gender equality, by Pramod Mishra (kp), First Draft Of The Constitution: A New Ray Of Hope, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Constitutional Court: Vital To Tackle New Challenges, by Mukti Rijal (rn), New CJ warns against politics in judiciary (ht)

08/07/2015: Power to the few: Nepal’s proposed draft constitution clearly attempts to de-politicise ethnicity, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), ‘No one can stop new constitution’ (ht) [Nepal is one of very few countries in the world where decisions of the Supreme Court are not respected as binding law but instead are ridiculed by leading politicians!!], Draft constitution now ready for public feedback, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), CA endorses statute draft: Public consultation for two weeks from tomorrow, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Parties dwell on names, state demarcation (ht), CA set to get feedback on first draft of statute, by Prakash Acharya (kp), Statute Draft: Time For Modification, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Geopolitical Influence, by Hira Bahadur Thapa (rn), Disaster-hit people: Right to live with dignity, by Amrit Prasad Sharma (ht)

07/07/2015: Tread with care: The Supreme Court stay order should be seen an opportunity to find ways to be more inclusive, by Pratyush Nath Upreti (kp) [This is exactly what the male Bahun politicians want to prevent at any cost!], Maoists press for state borders before charter: Citing changed context, party says it is better to settle the demarcation as the constitution draft undergoes modifications (kp), Delineation should precede statute: Nidhi (kp), CA in hurry to resolve row over federalism (ht), UDMF set to launch protests against draft constitution (ht), CA chair urged not to shorten feedback period (ht), Citizenship rights: Activists press for equality (kp), ‘Ending patriarchy’ sought in Preamble (ht), Memo for Hindu state submitted (ht), FM Mahat for ban on strikes (kp), Capital control: The business-related provisions in the draft constitution seek to promote a closed economy, by Sujeev Shakya (kp)

06/07/2016: Janajatis table dissent against draft: Fearing conflict in state assemblies while naming provinces, indigenous lawmakers want the names decided by this CA (kp), Indigenous CA members register views (ht), 4 parties boycott CA meet seeking state delineation (kp), Mahato threatens to blockade Capital (kp), Mahato warns of blockading Capital (ht), RPP-Nepal announces stir to press its agenda (kp), RPP-N to struggle for Hindu state (ht), Bid to name states on cards: Parties will also try to demarcate boundaries before new statute, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Press for freedom: Draft provisions that subtly allow govt greater powers should be removed (kp), ‘Remove provision of Constitutional Court’ (ht), Few hits, many misses: The draft constitution looks progressive in places but mostly has a lot of restrictive clauses, by Hari Phuyal (kp), Three contenders for Reconstruction Authority chief executive officer post, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht) [Thank god, all of them are male Bahuns as it is normal!], Pointless to argue that you can’t break VDCs, municipalities, districts, interview with Bimalendra Nidhi (kp), Constitution Writing: Obstacles Ahead, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

05/07/2015: Draft curtails women’s right to inherit property, by Pratichya Dulal (kp), Talks for statute calendar begin: UCPN (M) Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal says they are not in favour of cutting public consultation short (kp), Four parties for delivering statute before August 5 (ht), Parties mull options to decide state delineation, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [Change the constitution if it does not fit to your inferiour intentions! Disregard the SC if you don't like its justified and necessary decisions! What understanding of democracy and the rule of law is this?], Yadav disapproves of draft statute (ht), Veep Jha says state not treating Madhesis fairly (ht), RPP-N agrees to allow CA deliberations (kp), RPP-N ends obstruction after Sitaula clarifies on religion related provision (ht) [??], Disabled community leaders demand political rights (kp), Tread this path: The UCPN (Maoist)’s decision to allow the federal commission to carve eight states is welcome, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp) [But the state has also be become inclusive with equal rights and opportunities for all citizens and leave its single ethnic identity!!], The value of waiting: A hastily-created constitution without the approval of the Consituent Assembly will not succeed, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), Break the barriers: Without unity among political parties, Nepal cannot solve A the problems created by conflict and by the quake, by Santosh Pariyar (kp), Pradeshes to have own police forces for security (ht), Some Comments On Preliminary Draft Constitution Of Nepal, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

04/07/2015: Women leaders slam statute draft: They say the first draft of new constitution does not offer women equal status as men, both in terms of rights and representation (kp), ‘Ensure women’s rights in constitution’ (ht), Indigenous leaders flay draft (ht), CA discusses draft as RPP-N protests, by Binod Ghimire (kp), CA meet continues despite RPP-N obstruction: Thapa’s party should thank progressive parties for PR system that brought it to CA: Sitaula, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht) [?? Better bring the excluded and disadvantaged sections of society to power!], Madhes parties to launch joint stir, by Anil Giri (kp), Madhesi forces aim to form alliance: Stress united front needed to stage struggle to secure their rights in constitution (ht), UCPN-Maoist lawmakers criticise party leadership (ht), Statute will be a common document: Khadka (ht) [How this? The majority of society is ecluded by procedure and contents!!], Constitution draft: CIAA powers curtailed, by Bhadra Sharma (kp) [Yes, please do everything to keep corruption in higher political circles alive!], Duplication in tax headings draws flak (ht), First draft of constitution: Lawyers oppose restrictive clauses, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), The endgame: Trying to dictate terms to 90 percent CA majority equates to the classic case of the tail trying to wage the dog, by Tika P. Dhakal [The grave shortcomings of the draft are not a question of left or right but of inclusion, participation, equality, justice, fundamental rights and the rule of law, Mr Dhakal!!]

03/07/2015: Drafting challenges: Without the committed intervention of citizens and political parties this draft will pose huge long-term problems, by Seira Tamang (kp), Ensure identity, federalism, says Yadav (ht), A sub-optimal draft: The 601 CA members must arise to correct the draft constitution so that it reflects the values of the times, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp), #citizenshipthroughmothers: Discriminatory citizenship clauses should be a national issue, not just a gender one, by Tsering Dolker Gurung (nt), Call for ‘mother or father’provision (ht), There is a draft: The text of the new constitution has regressive flaws, but it the best for now. Let’s move on, and work to improve it as we go along (nt) [Sounds exactly like the statements of the Bahun leaders after the promulgation of the non-inclusive statute of 1990!!], CA takes statute ‘fast track’: Samajbadi Forum, TMLP, Sadbhawana Party and RPP-Nepal claim move unconstitutional (kp), Constituent Assembly in ‘fast-track’mode: Rule on seven-day discussion on first draft of constitution suspended; Fringe parties protest, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Cong lawmakers tell party not to ignore SC order: Urge to settle federalism issues before statute promulgation (ht), Parliamentary Party meeting: NC brass draws flak for ‘giving in to leftist agenda’; Members warn offlouting party whip and disowning constitution without the names, demarcation of states , by Anil Giri (kp), Constitution Making At Historic Turning Point, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [??? Long live non-inclusive male Bahunbad and unconstitutional procedure!!], Burning issues: The legitimacy and ownership of the draft constitution will be seriously tested in the coming weeks, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Nepali by descent (nt) [satirical], Quake survivors not even receiving Rs 15: Lawmakers (ht), Closer to completion: With the renewed committment, the leaders resumed negotiations ans inked 16-point deal that settled major issues, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep) [They only settled their own major issues which are completely different from those of nation and people, especially of the not included sections of soceity!!], Politics for Dummies, by Kalu Maila (rep), The Quake and the Constitution, by George Varughese (sp)

02/07/2015: Activists demand equal rights, more representation for women (kp), ‘Citizenship provisions discriminatory’ (ht), Madhes parties burn copies of statute draft (kp), Madhesi parties burn copies of draft constitution (ht), Statute draft open to suggestions (ht), List of powers of federal, provincial and local level organs: As given in the annexes of the preliminary draft of the new constitution system [unofficial translation] (rep), The country is yours: The quake has provided us with a chance to finally right the years of discrimination faced by Tamangs, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Judge the judges: The new constitution should firmly establish the notions of judicial accountability and independence, by Govinda Sharma 'Bandi' (kp)

01/07/2015: In this together: Marginalised groups should stand together to safeguard inclusion provision in constitution (kp), CA gets constitution draft: Deliberations begin tomorrow n Leaders term the milestone major achievement, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai and Binod Ghimire (kp), First draft in public domain for feedback: CA enters the most vital phase of promulgating constitution; Deadline for people’s say on document to be set tomorrow, by Prakash Acharya and Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Copies torn (ht), ‘Parliamentary system not acceptable’ (kp) [statement by Mohan Baidya], FNJ calls for ensuring press freedom (ht), Rijal unhappy with FNJ (ht), Executive power for PM in reconstruction body (kp), ‘Civil society’s role crucial for recovery’ (kp), Aid Pledge, Statue Draft: Things To Cheer About, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Better days ahead: It is time to institutionalise all positive gains in the constitution and move forward, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp)

30/06/2015: Women rights in statute: Hundreds rally in Capital against ‘inequalities’, by Dewan Rai (kp), Disputes keep draft from landing in CA, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Parties agree to table final draft today: Decide to finalise the document after nine hours of haggling, by Ram Kumar Kamat and Prakash Acharya (ht), Decks clear: The weaker points of the draft need to be further amended during its journey towards promulgation – from the perspectives of national interests (ht), Draft constitution sets Jestha 15 for annual budget (kp), House panel tells govt to fix civic poll date at the earliest (ht)

29/06/2015: Panel endorses constitution draft: CA to receive paper today; Process moves forward despite reservations from CA members and parties, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [This document produced by male Tagadharis is not what the country needs! It aims at the retention of the non-inclusive, patriarchal state of the past and a continuation of Hindu political thinking!], Drafting panel endorses first draft of new constitution, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Two steps back: The draft constitution seeks to further consolidate the old power structure (kp), Women leaders term document ‘patriarchal’, by Dewan Rai (kp), Article of faith: Secularism and constitution (rep), More powers proposed for prez, by Thira L. Bhusal and Ashok Dahal (rep), Victors take all: Devided along caste liones and ambitions of political personalities that vie for patronage of PEON few Madheshis have resilience to wage street protests, by C.K. Lal (rep)

28/06/2015: Parties find fault with statute draft, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Parties register dissenting views, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), High time we took to streets: Madhesi leaders (ht), Constitution first draft in final stage, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Local body poll plan contested, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Going local: Local representatives must be elected for the government to better organise its reconstruction efforts, by Krishna Man Pradhan (kp), ‘It’s better if SC keeps quiet on 16-pt deal’ (ht), Maoists, UML to press PM to issue statute at earliest (kp)

27/06/2015: Citizenship through mother: Youth activists protest ‘regressive’ provision (kp), Citizenship in mother’s name ruled out (ht), Taskforce readies preliminary draft of constitution (kp), Task force sends draft constitution to CDC: To be finalised today (ht) [It's so easy to write a new constitution as long as only the interests of male Bahuns and other Thagadharis have to be included!!], Taskforce prepares first draft of new constitution: Full CA to get it on Monday, by Thira L. Bhsual and Ashok Dahal (rep), Don’t grant APF power to arrest, House panel tells Home Minister (kp), SAC tells authorities not to let APF exercise power that’s solely with NP (ht), Earthquake survivors still await cash to build shelter (kp), A grand success: I think our incompetent politicians should be reminded that begging for a few dollars and getting some is not something to be proud of, by Guffadi (kp) [satirical], Construction authority: CPN-UML for correcting ordinance (ht)

26/06/2015: ICJ: ensure rights in line with Int’l standards (kp), Post quake reconstruction: ‘Local polls must for recovery tasks’ (kp), Build back better: Now the focus should be on rebuilding both infrastructure and people’s lives (kp), No easy way out: We cannot be ‘doing feminism’ without addressing questions of racism and heterosexism within the citizenship debate, by Kumud Rana (kp), Supreme Court’s Stay Order: Some Reflections, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn) [The SC had to its job and the party leaders should also let the CA do its job! The new constitution has to be decided by the CA and not by some party leaders!], Interim order and interim constitution: By delving into politics, the Supreme Court verdict on the 16-point deal has once again blurred the separation of powers, by Binita Dahal (nt), Madhesi parties for a movement (ht), The real challenge begins now: Recent achievements should not allow the government to rest on its laurels, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), The Indifferent Republic: Even a massive earthquake can’t shake the concerned authorities into actually being concerned (nt), Needless drama: Like killing Caesar to prevent an anticipated misadventure, by Damakant Jayshi (nt), Hold it right there: Because a super fast-track constitution is unacceptable, let's hold local elections, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt)

25/06/2015: Contempt of court case against prime minister, CA chairman (ht), CDC taskforce gets second deadline extension (kp), States to have mixed election system, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Citizenship provision irks youths (kp), Madhes will break ties with Capital if past agreements are not implemented: Sonal (ht), Civil society seeks role in post-quake recovery: Civil society organisations issue a declaration demanding an environment conducive to post-quake reconstruction (kp), Southern gale: No matter what the major political parties do, they cannot stop the rise of Madhesi Young Turks, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Do earthquakes kill? It is of fundamental importance to identify key features of political, economic and administrative regimes that lead to a disaster, by Chaitanya Mishra (kp), The Political Accord Setting New Milestones, by Mukti Rijal (rn) [This was a legal, not a political decision, Mr Rijal! Under the rule of law, the SC had to decide in this way!], SC Stay Order And Constitution, by Uttam Maharjan (rn) [A new constitution based on the 16-point agreement will not bring the crisis to an end, it will extend and escalate it! The politicians must abide by the interim constitution and their earlier agreements!]

24/06/2015: Unfair criticism: Apex court decision has strengthened sovereigntry of CA which was being hijacked by political leaders, by Birendra P. Mishra (rep), Oli asks court, Prez to stay away from politics (kp), [Oli denies rule of law for Nepal! He should better stay away from politics since he does not understand that politicians have to obey to the rules of constitution and jurisdiction!!], CDC to finalise tentative first draft of new constitution, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Ordinance on reconstruction authority flawed: Experts (rep), Experts doubt Authority will be able to perform (ht), BRB for ‘solid recovery vision’ (kp), A new vision: The challenging task of rebuilding and reconstruction is not possible with our old ways of doing things, by Baburam Bhattarai (rep), Rs 14.7 million required for health, population sector (ht), Misguided priorities: The govt’s argument that the ‘relief phase’ is now over and all focus should be on rebuilding is flawed, by Shradha Ghale (kp), Awkward moment: The tug of war between government and donors does not inspire hope among quake victims; Both look like emperors without clothes, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)

23/06/2015: Task force working on statute (ht), Tell judiciary to show restraint, Nembang to Prez (kp) [??], Ensure cordial ties among state organs, President tells CA chair (ht), Genuine issues raised by Dalits would be addressed: CA chairman: The memorandum states that arrangement should be made to ensure representation of the Dalits at all levels of the State (kp) [And why are they not participated in this process??], Nod to ordinance to rebuild Nepal, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Race for rebuilding body CEO hots up, by Anil Giri (kp) [Of course, only male Bahuns in race! Power, power...], Defective body: It is odd that the PM should be the head of the authority’s advisory body as well as the head of the executive body of the authority (ht), Maoists not to own up PM-led panel (kp), PM-led authority meaningless, says Rayamajhi of UCPN-M: ‘Party will not be part of such a body’ (ht), ‘Include environment experts in Reconstruction Authority’ (kp), Inclusive efforts: Ensuring women’s full participation in the recovery process has enormous potential to contribute to building a stronger Nepal, by Ziad Sheikh (kp), Not without flaws: Despite having many shortcomings the proposed Disaster Management Bill creates a useful foundation to build future legislations on, by Dina Mani Pokhrel (kp), Setting the agenda: Organising the donor conference is just one among the many things the government needs to do, by Sujeev Shakya (kp)

22/06/2015: No democracy for women: CPDCC report specifically mentions father "and" mother provision, which shows the reluctance to provide equal rights to women, by Subin Mulmi (rep) [Patriarchal Hindu state thinking is still very present among the Tagadhari leaders!], Back to nowhere The Court’s verdict exposes flaws in the 16-point agreement at the cost of political breakthrough (kp) [This would only be a breakthrough in respect of preserving the interests of the ruling elite! This elite must lean that it bound to the interim constitution as well!!], Constitutional Obstacle To Constitution Writing, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn) [The obstacle are the party leaders, not the constitution!!], CDC task force fails to complete its work (ht), Newly formed SSFN slams 16-point pact (kp), Baidhya terms 16-point agreement anti-national (ht), Statute process will continue: Nembang (ht), Constitution writing: Maoists object to NC, UML ‘tough’ take (kp), Gone overboard: The apex court appears to be inconsistent while dealing with the writ petitions related to politics (ht), Govt finalizes plan for reconstruction authority, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Rebuilding authority ordinance in prez office (kp), Reconstruction Authority through ordinance: To be ready before donors’conference; UCPN-M opposes the idea, to play the role of opposition, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Relief irregularities: More ministers, officials under PAC scanner; The committee to scrutinise the Home Minister, Foreign Minister and Finance Minister (kp), Relief should make locals independent, not dependent on charity, interview with Som Paneru (kp), Post-earthquake Nepal: Psychosocial perspectives, by Katrin Tini Hermsen (ht)

21/06/2015: Statute drafting will go unhindered: Nembang;  Drafting Committee works even on Saturday; CA chairman has reportedly asked Sitaula-led panel to continue work on the preliminary draft (kp), CA continues its process despite SC order (ht), ‘Statute drafting will not stop’ (ht), ‘Avoid conflict among state organs’ (kp) [This is not a question of coordination Mr President! The SC has highest judicial authority, the CA has to write the new constitution and the government has to do the daily executive business, not more!!], Govt to move SC to overturn stay on 16-point deal (kp) [??], SC order against 16-pt pact draws mixed reactions (ht), Parties press for halt to constitution drafting (kp), Minister Nidhi hails SC ruling (kp), Ruling parties divided over authority formation (ht)

20/06/2015: Supreme Court stays 16-pt deal enforcement (kp), Apex court stays implementation of 16-point pact, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Supreme Court stays 16-point agreement, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), 4 parties: Ruling infringes upon CA’s jurisdiction: Govt to file petition against order (kp) [No, it only prevents the continued misuse of the interim constitution! There is only one consequence: Those who were part of the 16-point agreement should leave politics once and for all!!], Four parties defend 16-point agreement (ht), Big 4 challenge SC order, vow to expedite statute drafting, by Thira L. Bhusal and Ashok Dahal (rep) [In other words: They not only disregard the interim constitution but also the decision of the SC??], Relief irregularities: PAC demands action against minister, secy (kp), MoUD failed to keep records of tents distributed to quake victims: Minister Khadka (rep), Reconstruction body formation delayed by political differences: Proposal reaching Cabinet differs from what NPC had proposed, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Mainstreaming Youths In Nation Building, by Kushal Pokharel (rn), Govt needs about Rs 670 billion for reconstruction, by Rudra Pangeni (rep)

19/06/2015: Female leaders decry ‘unfair’ provisions: Women leaders have demanded one-third of the elected representatives in parliament, 40 pc in the provinces and 50 pc in local bodies should be women, by Dewan Rai (kp) [This will never change as long as a handful of exclusively male Tagadharis behaves as if the country belongs to them!!], CDC task force to begin settling disputed issues Contents prepared as they should appear in statute (ht), House Special Panel order: ‘Provide relief for families of missing people’ (kp), CA members mulling over policy for homeless in Valley, by Thomas Bogaty (ht), Govt asked to expedite supply of zinc sheets (ht), PAC to Fin Ministry: Clarify tax waiver on excavator imports (kp), Getting them back: Govt needs to repair damaged heritage sites and trekking routes immediately (kp), Lost in translation: The term ‘republic’ in Nepal pertains mainly to the symbolic sphere and makes dubious reference to the French Revolution, by Gérard Toffin (kp), Earthquake and government Lack of sincerity, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht), Braving the monsoon: Putting-off federal demarcation will anger some, but the 2 million people without homes have other worries, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Donors make big announcements, fail to keep words: DPM Gautam (rep) [Just like Nepali politicians!!!]

18/06/2015: Fissures feature: The quake has made the political and social inequality existing in Nepal even more prominent, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Nameless, Borderless Provinces, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), NEFIN submits memo to Dahal (ht), TMDP gears up to protest 16-point pact in Tarai districts (ht), Sitaula-led team tasked to make integrated draft (kp), CDC task force to settle disputes by June 22: Dispute on reappointment of office bearers of constitutional bodies after promulgating constitution (ht), Drafting committee gives taskforce a week to resolve disputes, by Ashok Dahal (rep), SC dead against any House panel to monitor justices, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), Re-election after constitution is promulgated, says NC veep Paudel (ht), Ministries’ governance capacity down: Mahat (ht), PAC launches probe into relief ‘irregularities’: A report shows more than 3,000 tents and tarpaulins had been distributed without receipts, with hundreds of them allegedly being doled out to non-victims (kp), Urban Dev Ministry under PAC scrutiny, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Not much relief: The only correction the government can make now is to identify those responsible for misappropriation and bring them to book (ht), Govt in dark about WFP-distributed relief aid, by Surendra Paudel (rep), Govt’s debt relief plan hits a major glitch (ht), Relief operations almost over: Govt, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), The honeymoon is over: Regardless of how the govt manages reconstruction, there is likelihood of some disillusionment creeping in, by Deepak Thapa (kp), AHRC objects to plan to grant policing duty to APF (ht), The right deal: The biggest challenge to the 16-point deal could come from within the four signatories; some NC and UML leaders appear insecure, by Tika P. Dhakal (rep) [A Tagadhari view that leaves earlier agreements, interim constitution and and the necessity of inclusive constitution writing aside!], Irregularities In Delivery Of Relief Supplies And Money, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

17/06/2015: CDC sub-panel settles citizenship issue, by Prakash Acharya (ht) [The male Bahun overlords as based on their traditional Hindu thinking have decided that women will remain second or third class citizens under the new constitution, subordinate to male persons! This issue is symbolic for what can be expected from the consequences of the 16-point-agreement!!], Subcommittees fail to settle some disputes (kp), 16-point deal challenged in Supreme Court (kp), SC accepts writ against 16-point agreement (ht) [Wow! Mind changed?], SC takes up writ petition on 16-point deal (rep), NC, UML at odds over deadline for constitution draft: While the Koirala faction of NC says ‘key steps’ should not be compromised to cut corners, Deuba camp supportsthe UML line of issuing the statute draft by mid-July (kp), NC-UML relations grow cold after PM’s remarks (rep), Baidhya slams UCPN-M for agreeing to statute deal (ht), House panel takes government to task on relief work, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), TIA customs yard full of unclaimed relief goods, by Rudra Pangeni (rep), House panel seeks reports on relief distribution irregulariries (rep), Quake victims yet to get money to build temporary shelters (ht), Relief for quake survivors: Discrepancies rampant in ID card distribution, by Tika Prasad Bhatta (kp), Justice undone: The government is taking advantage of the earthquake to further marginalise conflict victims, by Ram Bhandari (kp), Central command: Despite all its shortcomings, we should support the state when it comes to reconstruction works, by Sandhya Sitoula and Subin Mulmi (kp), Painful Vacuum In Local Governance, by Krishna Man Pradhan (rn), Poor spending: Learning lessons from the present chaos, the government must hold local bodies’ elections soon (ht), Rogues and roosters: A constitution will not bring food to the table of disaster victims; A national government would incubate corruption and anarchy, by Neelam Adhikari (rep)

16/06/2015: Pre-emptive right to self-determination ruled out, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Power deal irks Maoist, NC leaders, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Three parties merge to become Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum-Nepal, by Roshan Sedhai (kp) [It is the fifth strongest party in CA now with 3.7% of the votes in 2013 CA elections (to compare: NC got 25.5%)], MJF-N, FSP-N, KSRP merge to form fifth largest party in CA (ht), MPRF-N, FSPN, KINP merge to form FSFN (rep), PSC wants more power in constitution, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), NBA objects to CPDCC’s suggestion (ht), Why it failed: There was no option but be content with enshrined federalism in the new constitution and let it evolve or fizzle out, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep) [This article is in some respects distorting facts and overvalues the current agreement!], Dispute deferred: Statute through fast track route will pave way for UML to ascend to power with possible help from UCPN (Maoist), by Bindesh Dahal (rep), Centre cannot hold: Nepal’s federal aspirations contradict with the formation of a central reconstruction authority, by Arpita Nepal (kp), Too Much To Be Done In No Time, by Prem Khatry (rn), Less than 48pc relief, rescue fund spent, by Rajan Pokhrel (ht) [!!], Donors spent major portion of quake aid on int’l staff: Govt, by Surendra Paudel (rep) [claims a govt that is neither able to spend donated relief money nor donor supported development capital!!!], Putting the last first: The government’s plan to collect aid from foreign countries is plagued with numerous problems, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Post-quake reconstruction: Time to rethink, by Dipendra Gautam (ht)

15/06/2015: The neo-regressive Nepalis: The 16-point deal reached between anti-Maoists and the nominal Maoists, is almost a third coup in six years that has all but restored the status quo ante before Madhesh Uprising, by C.K. Lal (rep), Fast and furious: Constitutional process needs to be participatory for the new constitution to last (kp) [!!], Committee gets down to statute drafting task (kp), Constitution Drafting Committee begins its task (ht), 16-pt Pact: Problems Unsolved, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), We will have constitution by July 16: Start celebrating, interview with Krishna Prasad Sharma Oli, the urgently want to be PM (rep) [This unconstitutional and anti-inclusive procedure is everything else but to be celebrated!], 3 parties to announce merger today Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Nepal, Federal Socialist Party Nepal and Khas Samabeshi Party merge to form the new Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum (kp), President’s post to remain with Nepali Congress: Dahal (kp) [And why is he not re-elected by CA-II as it should be normal for democratic procedure?], Law drafted for prime minister-led rebuilding committee (kp), ‘Consider all factors before reconstruction’ (ht), Gender issues to figure prominently in PDNA (kp), Print Money For Quake Victims, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

14/06/2015: Citizenship issue: Civil society concerned over PDCC report (kp), New constitution by mid-July ‘a tough task’; Roadblocks: Disputes, constitution amendment, lengthy procedure, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Challenges galore before CDC, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Anti-deal parties seek Prez help: Request Prime Minister Sushil Koirala to correct ‘regressive’ move, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Five parties submit memo to President: State that 16-point deal violates Interim Constitution (ht), MJF-N,FSP-N and KSRP to announce merger tomorrow (ht), Muslim lawmakers seek broader rights (kp), Domestic, external forces trying to foil the deal: Dahal (kp) [This deal serves the interests of the ruling elite! It will once again delay necessary and unpreventable reforms for years!], Unified CPN-Maoist CC endorses 16-point pact (ht), Can 2072 Be An Annus Mirabilis?, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn) [The constitution writing process was not meant as a game for party leaders! The losers will be those who continue to be not included!!], Unity govt plan on backburner: Four parties focus attention on constitution drafting (kp), ‘Agreement on power sharing’ (kp), Reconstruction body ‘before donor summit’: Govt argues setting up committee ahead of June 25 conference will encourage donors to commit funds (kp), Govt plans mechanism to oversee reconstruction works before June 25 (ht), ‘700,000 pushed to poverty’ (kp), Quake likely to push 982,000 people back into poverty, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht)

13/06/2015: Hopes raised by new provision dampened: The ‘and’ clause on citizenship remains despite claims to the contrary, say rights activists, by Dewan Rai (kp) [Long live the exclusive state dominated by male Bahuns whose thinking is deeply rooted in archaic Hindu traditions!!], IERF objects to 16-point agreement (ht), SC refuses to register writ against 16-pt deal: Petitioner says he will move the court again to challenge the refusal tomorrow (ht) [The SC has to decide if the procedure of the leaders of the political parties violates the interim constitution! How can the apex court simply reject this writ?], PDCC report sent to Drafting Committee: CA gives panel 15 days to submit first draft of constitution, by Binod Ghimire (kp), CA sends CPDCC report to CDC: First draft of constitution to be prepared within 15 days, by Tika R. Pradhan (kp), Drafting committee gets 15 days to prepare preliminary statute (rep), Five small parties walk out of CA meeting (rep), Post disaster needs assessment: Rs 666.3b needed for post-quake rebuilding, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Quake damage billed at Rs 513 bn, income loss Rs 187 billion, by Rupak D. Sharma (kp), Quake damage put at Rs 701b: Damage to housing, human settlements totalled Rs 303 billion, by Rudra Pangeni (rep), HAMI: Relief distribution by I/NGOs publicity-oriented (kp), Red Cross starts quake recovery planning meet (kp), Information failure: One of the offshoots of the earthquake was perhaps the realiozation as to how internet technologies can be of help in diseminating 'timely' information, by Hitesh Karki (rep), Dalits: Empower them; Earthquake taught us that we are just a puppet in the hands of existence, by Giri Bahadur Sunar (rep)

12/06/2015: Glimmer of hope: We are cautiously optimistic about decision to allow mothers to pass on citizenship (kp), PDCC consensus report on statute reaches CA: CA to ask Drafting Committee to put issues together (kp), Consensus document tabled at assembly, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Constitution writing moves a step ahead, by Thira L. Bhusal and Ashok Dahal (rep), Statute in making (ht), A new deal: The earthquake was secondary to the parties’ realisation that their political careers depended on an agreement on a new constitution, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [But this agreement is by far insufficient and once again does not reflect the interests of the not included majority! The 'leaders' have lost every credit either!], Four UDMF constituents object to 16-point pact (ht), Amresh Singh registers nine-pt note of dissent (ht), MJF-N, FSPN close to finalising merger deal for new party, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Sixteen-Point Deal And Its Implications, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Climate of change: The quake has changed old narratives of the Maoist war, development and a Nepali identity, by Suman Khadka (kp), Seize the day: We shouldn’t miss the opportunity for nation-building that the quake has provided us, by Simón Dhungana (kp), ‘Treat victims of natural disasters equally’: The government has been directed not to discriminate against victims on the basis of types of disasters (ht), PAC to summon ministers over ‘relief misuse’ (ht), PAC seeks details of relief materials distributed to quake-victims, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), The big earthquake: Power politics, by Niranjan Mani Dixit (ht), Was that for real? Whatever the reason for the deal on the constitution, at least we have a deal, by Damakant Jayshi (nt), For politics’ sake: A decision on the number of provinces or forming a national unity government were hardly what 3 million earthquake survivors needed, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), Deconstruction before reconstruction: That famous Maoist dictum has a whole new meaning in post-earthquake Nepal, and not quite in the way Pushpa Kamal Dahal intended (nt), Bureaucracy as usual: Confusion and obstruction delay delivery of urgent relief supplies to quake-hit areas, by Stéphane Huët (nt)

11/06/2015: Citizenship from either of Nepali parents: Agreement to replace ‘and’ conjunction with ‘or’, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Federalism, republican set-up amendable, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Ban, int’l community hail 16-pt pact (kp) [They obviously don't understand the long-running consequencies of fundamental shortcomings in the agreement!], UDMF expels MJF-D for signing 16-point deal (ht), RPP-Nepal files note of dissent in CA (kp), Merger talks with UCPN (M) end: Baidya (kp), Madhesi parties urged to join statute process (kp), Paradise lost: Resettling people in the districts most severely affected requires more work (kp), Keep the fire burning: Much needs to be done to address past injustice but in the present, the country perhaps needs to move ahead, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Back To Constitution-writing Process, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Genuine quake victims deprived of relief: NHRC (ht)

10/06/2015: New Deal: Good beginning but a lot more needs to be done to fill gaps in the 16-point deal (kp), A combination of factors made 4-party deal possible: But a lot remains to be done to translate the 16-point pact into a successful constitution, by Akhilesh Upadhyay (kp), Landmark deal (ht), Leaders pledge to deliver constitution before July 16, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Four parties look set ‘to sell’ 8-province pact, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Oli spells out UML stance (ht), With accord, Oli takes centre stage, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), PDCC asked to submit report on 4-party deal (kp), Opposition parties work on separate strategies (kp), DDMC asks Prez to help open border with Tibet, by Sudip Kaini (kp), House panel directs govt on post-quake construction (ht), Quake-hit houses still not categorised: Shops and businesses are being run inside buildings that have developed cracks, but have not been categorised yet, by Sudip Kaini (kp), Finally, a settlement: While a political settlement gives us hope, we must be careful to scrutinise deeper political trends, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), G-7 leaders pledge support for Nepal’s reconstruction efforts (ht)

09/06/2015: Way paved for constitution: Four parties reach 16-point agreement; Deal to federate the country into eight states, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [The constitution has to be decided by the independent vote of every MP in the CA, not by deals among a handful of male Tagadhari leaders!!!], Four forces ink 16-point pact to deliver constitution, by Ram Kumar Kamat and Prakash Acharya (ht), What prepared parties for deal (kp) [including inofficial translation of the agreement], Deal divides 30-party alliance: UCPN (Maoist), MJF-Loktantrik are part of the pact; 28 opposition parties say they reject federal model, by Anil Giri (kp), Counting heads: Parties need to play active role in putting an end to the unscrupulous seeking relief cash (kp), Still waiting: In the post-quake relief effort, little attention has been paid to the plight of the disabled, by Umesh Raj Regmi (kp), Remembering to forget: A state which is unable to utilise information long at its disposal cannot be expected to erect a reliable data structure and deliver relief and reconstruction services based on such a database, by Yogesh Raj (kp), Some Thoughts On Disaster Management, by Prem K. Khatry (rn), Great Learning For Readjustment And Sustainable Shift, by Yuba Raj Guragain (rn)

08/06/2015: Dodging questions: Party’s indecisiveness on delineation and naming of provinces could prove costly (kp), Decide federalism, plan on rebuilding: UCPN (M): Says it will join government only after agreement on ‘vital’ issues (kp), Directive non-compliance concerns House panel (kp), Aid irregularities leave victims high and dry: Panel, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Satyarthi for two panels for Nepal’s reconstruction (kp), One-window reconstruction will avoid mistakes of relief phase, interview with Ram Sharan Mahat (kp), Road to progress: Nepal can use its unique geographical position and its youth population for future prosperity, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (kp), Compelling Conditions For Compromise, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

07/06/2015: Tarai parties seek tentative boundaries before federal commission (kp), Fringe parties supportive of four forces’ consensus bid (ht), UML presses NC for time-bound constitution plan (kp), NC-UML Alliance On The Skids?, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Govt to deploy fresh docs to 14 quake-hit districts, by Manish Gautam (kp), Victims report ‘irregularities’ in relief, by Rajendra Manandhar (kp), A climate of change: Notwithstanding many absurdities, Nepal, from now onwards will be a better and safer place to live, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp) [??], Thapa to send engineers to his constituency (kp), Expand subsidised loans criteria: MPs (kp), Tracking aid money, by Chahana Sigdel (kp) [see tool by Open Nepal Initiative], Student unions demand free education for homeless, orphaned: Served three-day ultimatum for the implementation of 10-point agreement (ht), What the earthquake has taught us: Govt needs money not foreign experts to deal with post-quake situation, by Rajan Pokhrel (ht), Building bridges: Political parties can still redeem their image by participating in reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), The next move: The quake has provided a unique opportunity to politicians to bury their differences and work together, by Sandhya Regmi (kp), Rubble and realpolitik: The republican government of Nepal has set a bad example for the people, by Atul K. Thakur (kp)

06/06/2015: State restructuring debate: 4 party leaders to seek fringe forces’ opinion (kp), Constitution by July 16, states new CA calendar, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Consensus on cards: Parties (ht), Data mismatch on victims hits ID, cash relief distribution: Census shows 59,000 households in Nuwakot, but 76,000 households have registered themselves as victims in the district (kp), After disaster, authorities now face debris dilemma (kp), Make plan to minimise risk in monsoon: Panel (kp), Govt told to give details on House panel directives (ht), Govt urged to make aid goods duty free: The government’s duty-free provision for imported relief materials expired on June 3 with the end of the firstphase of the relief and rehabilitation programme (kp), PMO asked to inform about ministers’ trips (ht), Unsung heroes: Besides limelight-hogging celebrities, there are millions of unreported volunteers who helped earthquake victims, by Birat Anupam (rep) [!! Here lies Nepal's hope for the future!], Despair and hope: A relief worker talks about his frustration with the government’s response and the problems, along with the stories of hope, he witnessed during relief missions to Sindhupalchok, by Yumaashis Setling (kp), Lapses in relief work prompts NHRC to press for local polls (rep), Young guns: We need to focus on positiv promotion and continue to work to bring more tourists into the country, by Abhinav Khanal (rep)

05/06/2015: Four-party meeting zeroes in on 6-state model (kp), Four-party parleys inconclusive (ht), No deal sans 30 parties’ consent: Dahal (ht), CA meeting postponed (kp), Political tectonics: KP Oli’s impatience to be a post-quake prime minister may force through a constitution but may open a can of worms, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Govt gears up for upcoming rainy season: Plans to buy excavators, bulldozers, loaders, trailers, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Fundamental flaws (ht), ID cards delay affects cash relief distribution (kp), Local or national government: Let us get to the bottom of why some favour cheating the citizenry of participatory local democracy, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp), Nepal slips in rule of law rankings (ht), ‘Include women in relief work’ (ht), Crisis management: Price of confusion, by Umesh K. Bhattarai (ht), Post-mortem of a disaster: The earthquake was not unexpected, but it could have been far worse. It was a rehearsal for the really big ones to come (nt), Prime Minister Koirala’s Messy Commitments, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

04/06/2015: Major parties ‘nearing’ deal on federal model: Leaders say efforts are under way to reach deal on either six or eight state model of federalism (kp), Constitution likely sans names of states, by Prakash Acharya (kp) [The male Bahun leaders do not want names from ethnic cultures simply because they see ethnic cultures and languages not as part of Nepal's national identity!!], NPC layout for powerful panel: PM-led agency to have more resources than any other govt agencies and right to implement land-related Acts, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), NPC submits report on reconstruction plan (ht), Look before you leap: We are not saying I/NGOs have been great but Center’s effort has been dismal (kp) [!!], Govt told to furnish report on response to tremor victims (ht), Send relief to more districts: House panel (kp), Dolakha residents till await relief: Due to lack of food, the villagers have been consuming the wheat stock they recovered from the rubble of their homes (kp), Rebuilding dilemma: Make to last, by Mani Dixit (ht)

03/06/2015: NC, UML ‘to accept’ 60-40 poll model if federalism row is sorted (kp) [This would be an intentional step to further reduce inclusion! Besides, NC and UML want to avoid any kind of better inclusion of ethnic and regional groups  through the future federal system! Long live male Bahunbad!!], We’re closer on disputed issues: Four forces; Dahal hints at necessity to join national unity government while addressing 30-party alliance (ht), UML leaders divided over change in govt (kp), Janajati parties divided on naming Pradeshes later (ht) [Not even ethnic names shall be allowed by the male Bahun leaders who continuw to identify state and nation with their own culture and values!!], House panel asks govt to ensure aid transparency (kp), NC to DPM: End ‘misuse’ of relief (kp), Amnesty Int’l urges end to discrimination in aid effort (kp) [!!!], Disaster diplomacy: The government needs to strengthen its economic diplomacy if it wants to garner more international support, by Achyut Wagle (kp), Govt permission must to mobilise aid to quake victims, says MoF (ht) [The main point is that bureaucracy has priority over urgent relief for the victims!!], Focus on reconstruction and constitution, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn)

02/06/2015: Vulnerable country: The state is the custodian of people's security; But despite myriad disasters no one is held to account, by Ram Sharan Sedhai (rep), High-powered reconstruction panel: PM-headed body proposed, by Anil Giri and Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp) [Any such panel may have political power but it lacks necessary vision, intellectual capacy and charisma!!], Govt ill-prepared to tackle post-quake monsoon mayhem, by Rajan Pokhrel (ht), Constitution first, consensus govt later: Oppn, by Prakash Acharya (ht), 4 forces agree to fast-track statute writing, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [A non-inclusive constitution decided exclusively by high caste males will be worse than delayed constitution!], Parties for first draft of new statute by mid-July (rep), Oli elaborates what consensus govt means (ht) [The urgently want to be PM!!], ‘National’ government: Political rat race, by Apekshya Shah Rana (ht), Political parties losing public trust?, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht) [Which trust??], Earthquake brings old adversaries together, by Aash Gurung (kp), Flood displaced face grim future: Families rendered homeless by last year’s flood have been asked to evacuate the forest area where they have been staying, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), Learn from Lanka: Sri Lanka’s reconstruction principles after the 2004 tsunami could be beneficial for Nepal, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Living under the shadow: The relief and rehabilitation efforts of the government have done little to ease the lives of the disabled, by Simone Galimberti (kp), Future roadmap: The main task of the interim government will be to hold elections to local authorities within two years, by Adarsha Tuladhar (rep), Put people first: Local elections shouldn't be delayed; People in rural areas should have someone to speak on their behalf, by Thaneshwar Bhusal (rep) [Yes, and parliamentary election candididates should be nominated by the repective local party basis and not by the male Tagadhari leaders at the centre!!]

01/06/2015: Parties for package deal on statute, national govt (kp), 20-party alliance ‘ready’ to join CA: Say parties should draft statute based on consensus, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [Consensus among the male Bahun leaders and some other Tagadharis or consensus among all social and regional groups??], Major parties agree on forming unity govt: Proclaim that they will resolve disputed constitutional issues within the next three days, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Dahal seeks oppn parties’views on unity govt (ht), Political parties risk irrelevance if they fail to tap aspirations of the young and educated, interview with Baburam Bhattarai (kp), Deal with govt must for I/NGOs’ involvement, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Quakes of wrath: Massive monsoon exodus isn’t far away if government, int’l response remain tepid (kp), Dealing with donors: The upcoming donor conference will be instrumental in planning Nepal’s long-term reconstruction, by Som P. Pudasaini (kp), Oli asks pary cadres to join resettlement works (kp) [Fishing for votes after more than one month inaction??], Govt distributes Rs 8 billion (kp), Quacks and quakes: The Great Earthquake has resulted in a number of curious explanations, behaviours and suggestions, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), End The Instability, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Comprehensive reconstruction plan: Integrated strategies are needed, by Dilli Raj Khanal (ht), ‘There is no point in building back the same thing’, interview with Jamie McGoldrick (ht 01/06/2015)

31/05/2015: Rehabilitate victims at the earliest: PM (kp), ID card, cash distribution starts in dists, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Displaced swarm into Valley: Nearly 16,000 people have left Sindhupalchok since the quake, by Roshan Sedhai and Rishi Ram Poudel (kp), End to relief distribution being mulled (ht), DAO seizes tents from UML leader (ht), Those guilty of irregularities in relief to face action (ht), High-level taskforce to probe high-risers’ status demanded (kp), Parties debate what should come first, unity govt or statute (ht) [Relief, reconstruction and inclusion must come first, followed by an inclusive constitution that reflects Jana Andolan II and the agreements of 2005 and 2006!], Govt change only after statute: NC; NC to urge CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) to focus on constitution writing instead of a change of guard, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), UCPN (M) seeks commitment to charter in accord (kp), Shelter before the storm: The primary tasks at hand for the govt are to construct temporary shelters and provide food stock, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Rebuilding Nepal: Experience from cyclone Nargis shows that coordination between govt and donors is key, by Bishow Parajuli (kp), Roadmap for rebuilding: April 25 showed that we cannot afford to be complacent; reconstruction must proceed on a war footing, by Bhim Udas (kp), Reviving The Spirit Of Labour, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), High-powered authority needed for reconstruction, say experts, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Price of neglect, by Sujata Awale (ht), Selling The Relief Supplies And Distributing Substandard Materials, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

30/05/2015: Cong pressed to pave way for national govt, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Parties dwell on nitty-gritty of forming national govt, by Prakash Acharya (ht), ‘Unity must for relief, reconstruction’ (ht), Minister Acharya for unity government (ht), Country needs willpower to overcome post-quake challenges: Bhattarai (ht), Indecent proposal: Proposal of KP Oli government is a Maoist ploy to regain its strength, by Trailokya Raj Aryal (rep) [?? What's the matter? The ruling NC has been elected by 25% of the voters, the CPN-UML by 23% and the "insignificant", as you call it, oppositional UCPN-M by 15%! Fact is that none of the current leading politicians has the quality and charisma to lead a constructive government! They are only interested in preserving their power and privileges!], Priority shifts from unity govt to constitution-making, by Ashok Dahal (rep), MoFA finds 10 missions ‘inactive’: Only 24 of 34 Nepali missions have collected funds for PM Relief Fund (kp), Open letter: Everyone I talk to blames the system, shows no interest in listening, and essentially says 'ke garne' about their inability to get to the bottom, by Shyam Sharma, Key donors keen to support beyond official window, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Separate body to oversee reconstruction works: Cabinet puts on hold FinMin’s proposal, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), ‘Funds will meet 50pc demand’ (kp), Relief Material Distribution, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

29/05/2015: UML, Maoists want change in govt leadership, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), Unity more important: Dahal (kp), National government not on priority list: Dahal (ht), Oli lashes out at govt for its slow response (ht), National unity govt need of hour: Oli, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Political aftershocks: This is not the time to get bogged down in a debate about forming a national unity government, by Damakant Jayshi (nt), Govt to form PM-led disaster mgmt body through ordinance: Information and Communications Minister Minendra Rijal says the Cabinet decided to bring an ordinance as forming a high-level mechanism is an urgent matter, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Failure to communicate: In this crisis, the government failed to communicate effectively with the people and the international community, by Chun Bahadur Gurung (kp), Ripe for rebuilding: The world has learned to build nations either through disasters or conflicts; In Nepal, it seems we must learn from the former, by Netra Prakash Bhandary (kp), Managing resettlement of earthquake victims, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Positive initiative: The committee’s directive is binding to the government. The victims need the money urgently as they have to build the shelters before monsoon (ht), Rock and a hard place: It doesn’t help that the Nepali state is intolerant, and the international community is oozing with arrogance, by Bidushi Dhungel (nt), All that went wrong, interview with Min Bahadur Poudel Chhetri, President of Nepal Centre for Disaster Management (rep), Little things that go a long way (rep)

28/05/2015: Panel seeks details of PM relief spending, by Rajan Pokhrel (ht), Govt advised to provide Rs 50,000 to quake victims (kp), Unpleasant truths: After the royal massacre and Maoist insurgency, the earthquake has only made old Nepal more vulnerable, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Kaski jail inmates spending sleepless nights after quake (ht), Create jobs within: The government also needs to be clear about several aspects of its financial assistance plan for the victims (ht)

27/05/2015: Partners in crime: The process of reconstruction must go hand-in-hand with the project of democratisation, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Govt draws flak from valley’s quake-hit tenants, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Lawmakers urge govt to increase cash relief amount Rs 25,000 proposed; Fin Min says budget maxed out (kp), Govt focusing on permanent settlement: Mahat (ht), Ensure accountability in relief distribution, NDRCC advised, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Unclear plan: The government also needs to be clear about its priorities before it convenes the donors’ conference in mid-June (ht), Relief quality row: NHRC to govt: Take action against WFP (kp), ID card distribution: Home, Federal Affairs ministries to work jointly; The Home Ministry has agreed to print and transport ID cards while the Federal Affairs Ministry will oversee distribution (kp), CK Raut arrested again (kp) [government once again not interested in court decisions!!], Experts call for improved land use policy (kp), Monsoon is coming: Govt should act immediately act to mitigate damage from landslides (kp), Ministries told to save money (kp), A question of trust: Like the government, I/NGOs in Nepal too have problems with transparency and accountability, by Anushka Bhattarai (kp)

26/05/2015: Better late than never: By reacting so belatedly to the quake, parties have missed a vital opportunity (kp), House rues govt withholding info: No ‘seriousness’ in implementing parliamentary panel directives (kp), Less than a quarter of pledged fund received: The UN and its partners aim to provide emergency shelter to more than 350,000 families whosehomes were destroyed (kp), Quake effects: Budget must now move away from cut-paste strategies and recalibrate the discourse on rebuilding Nepal, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Need for speed: Post-disaster procurement should not be a recipe for corruption despite the need for urgency, by Semanta Dahal (kp), All in one: A national unity government could be helpful in reconstruction and rehabilitation, along with the promulgation of a constitution, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), March From Relief To Reconstruction, by Prem K. Khatry (rn), Nepal’s Political Faultlines, by Anagha Neelakanthan (ICG)

25/05/2015: Dangers of resilience: Citizens should not have to fend for themselves; the govt has duties that it must fulfil in times of crisis, by Seira Tamang (kp), Conflict prone zone: Madheshi politicos have been silenced by the calamity in the mountains, but to assume Janajatis will accept their lot as easily as Dalits will probably be a mistake, by C.K. Lal (rep), PMO, Ministry in row over relief from foreign units, by Anil Giri (kp), Parties took a while to respond to national crisis, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [This disaster did not fit into their constant struggle for power and privileges but, instead, elucidated their failures!], Martyr’s family left in lurch after earthquake, by Pratap Bista (kp), Politicos join hands to provide relief (kp), Party activists lend a hand in building shelters for victims: Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) activists are involved in building temporary settlements inNuwakot, Gorkha and Kavre , by Prakash Adhikari, Sudip Kaini and Nagendra Adhikari (kp), Kathmandu MPs submit memo to PM on relief, rehabilitation (rep), Consuls briefed on relief efforts (kp), CNI seeks policy intervention (ht), ‘Slash taxes to revive econ’ (kp), Govt urged to protect lives of jailbirds (ht), I am keen on national unity govt, says PM (ht), Politics obstructs relief distribution (ht), SC registers petition seeking review of TRC, CIED acts, by Durga Dulal (rep), Challenges ahead: Ensuring humanitarian efforts are fully harmonized with recovery and reconstruction will be essential, by Oliver Lacey-Hall (rep)

24/05/2015: Remarkable resilience: Meeting the challenges of reconstruction and rehabilitation will require a leadership that is young and dynamic, by Gopal Thapa (kp), Ministry bars cash dole sans ID distribution: Ministry spokesman says the move to ensure that cash reaches real victims and for the sake of transparency (kp), Chinese rescuers return from Rasuwa as deadline expires, by Krishna Thapa (kp), No general amnesty to jailbirds, says home secy (ht) [But you are responsible for their safety!], No amnesty plan for inmates: Govt; Forty prisons across the country were destroyed in the earthquakes, forcing hundreds of inmates out in the open (kp), Parliamentary sub-panels submit reports (ht), Local all-party mechanisms face charge of hampering relief work (ht)

23/05/2015: Worker crunch looms with new departures, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Lawmakers assessment: ‘Security problems could arise if relief delayed’ (kp), Parliamentary panels for relocating over 100 villages, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Ministry to allot 45pc budget for rehab (kp), Safe shelters to be built across country: Govt plans to build community shelters to accomodate upto 150 people in all constituencies across the country (kp), Koirala advised to include private, social sectors in PMDRF (ht), Lawmakers from Valley call for integrated plan (ht), Volunteer farmhands needed: Post-quake, the rural populace does not have enough food stocks and is reeling under deaths and injuries. It is high time the government came up with plans for providing them with volunteer farmhands, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Deuba says Nepali Congress should lead unity government (ht) [another stupid power struggler back from earthquake break!!], Hammers and helmets: Our political parties are busy hosting press conferences to tell us that they will mobilise their cadres to help those in need. We all know that it is just another of their empty promises which will never be fulfilled, by Guffadi (kp), Leadership questioned: What has been the most remarkable is the lack of unity in Koirala Cabinet and institutionalization of corruption, all in name of people, by Prakash Chandra Lohani (rep), Road to recovery: Juddha Shamsher tried to utilize domestic resources as much as possible to normalize lives of people after the 1934 earthquake, by Lokman Singh Karki (rep)

22/05/2015: Lawmakers find lack of coordination in aid effort, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Parties seek cash for volunteers, by Lilaballav Ghimire (kp), House panel for separate ‘Heritage Conservation Fund’ (kp), House panel tells govt to set up Monuments Preservation Fund (ht), Ordinance mooted for response body: Lack of functioning central authority has led to poor coordination among the state agencies in relief and rehabilitation works (kp), Stress on National Repair Standards (ht), ‘Nepalis should rebuild on their own’ (ht) [Says a rich man! What has been the source of his wealth after ten years in underground??], Govt adopts austerity to save funds for quake reconstruction (rep), NPC drafts 4-stage post-quake rehabilitation, reconstruction plan, by Rudra Pangeni (rep), NRB seeks feedback for reconstruction guideline: Draft has floated plan for 10-year payback period on concessional home loans for quake victims, by Pushpa Raj Acharya (ht), Parties start talks on nat’l unity govt (kp), Before & after 2072: If earthquake volunteers become ‘political’, the country may go somewhere, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp), Independent and capable: Nepal must learn from Kashmir’s experience and institute an independent body to deal with earthquake response, by Rajeev Thapa (kp), Mountains to move: No government agency is monitoring or mapping the landslides triggered by the earthquake and its aftershocks, by Navin Singh Khadka (kp), Draft guideline introduced: Subsidised loans only for quake-resistant buildings, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Nomination of 26 CA members is govt’s business: SC, by Durga Dulal (rep) [Yes, but of the govt that was in office before the complete CA elected a new government! Besides, Sushil Koirala did not follow the letter of the Interim Constitution!! What kind of decision is this??], Consensus national government: A discordant note, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn)

21/05/2015: Where is Nepal aid money going? Britain is the biggest national donor to Nepal—but what will happen to the money flowing into a country where corruption is seen as ‘endemic’?, by Simon Cox (BBC), Spl panel orders govt to set up all-party body, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), ‘Form all-party mechanism’ (ht), UML to lead national unity govt: Bhandari (ht) [Wonderful, the stupid power strugglers have survived the earthquake!!], Set priorities (ht), Lack of legal clarity may hit controlled demolition, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Building laws need to be enforced: UN (ht), Helping whom exactly? t is a hard sell for the government to claim that it will not misuse relief aid when corruption is endemic, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Field notes: The double victimisation in the quake of the rural poor, who were also conflict victims, could lead to livelihood problems, by Ram Kumar Bhandari (kp), Desperate times: This is no time for government and foreign agencies to indulge in blame game: It is their collective duty to help earthquake victims, by Hari Bansh Jha (rep)

20/05/2015: Red tape may delay plan to build shelters: Works stuck with monsoon only three weeks away, by Bhadra Sharma and Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Agriculture ministry projection: Nepal needs 215,400 tonnes of food for next 3 months (kp), Unity Government For Disaster Management, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Govt failure spurs parties to engage in reconstruction work, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht)

19/05/2015: 2-month moratorium on building design nod, land plotting, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Construction of houses above two storeys banned: Blueprint approval mandatory in VDCs from next fiscal year; Errant builders to face action, by Ramesh Shrestha (ht), Lawmakers say relief distribution inadequate, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), In whom we trust: The government must go out of its way to win the trust of the donors and the people, by Sophia K. Tamot (kp), Exercise in futility: Accusing the government of being inept without understanding the ground realities will not help anyone, by Nirnaya Bhatta (kp) [Whatever you explain, this government is extremely weak, just as most of the governments before since 2008 and even earlier! Not only this government has failed, it is a whole generation of politicians!!]

18/05/2015: Thumbs down: Govt response at emergency since the first major quake has been disastrous (kp), Disastrous Delay in Delivery of Relief Materials, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), PM seeks int’l help for reconstruction (kp), Donors, Nepali officials divided over who leads rebuilding works, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Partners ‘interested’ to co-chair donor meeting: The govt will provide Post Disaster Needs Assessment to Nepal’s dev partners ahead of the conference by June 10 (kp), Duplication of effort among House panels; Charges: Bodies repeating orders, wasting officials’ time; MPs creating financial burden, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Don’t use choppers, panel tells lawmakers (ht), Govt to appeal for more aid in World Health Assembly (ht), NC, UML ‘ready’ for nat’l government (kp)

17/05/2015: Cabinet endorses short-term relief for quake victims, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Mutual trust: Instead of being suspicious of the international community, the government should work with them to rebuild Nepal, by Dipendra Jha (kp)

16/05/2015: Koirala turns down British PM’s call to allow in Chinook choppers (kp) [??], ‘Politicians hinder humanitarian support’ (kp), UN: Aid urged for quake victims largely unmet (kp), Fund collection should be transparent: FinMin (kp), Post Disaster Needs Assessment launched: The government will conclude the assessment by June 10, participate in international donors’ conference by June 22 and introduce the budget by July 8, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp)

15/05/2015: After the earthquake: Relations between the international community and the Nepali government have rarely been worse than they are now, by Thomas Bell (kp), Cabinet takes up NPC’s resettlement proposal (kp), Nat’l government not on cross-party agenda, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Parliamentary team to monitor govt relief works (kp)

14/05/2015: Profound Dismay, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Image disaster (ht), Distribution of tents among MPs halted, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Nembang objects MPS’ receiving tents (kp), Victims’ misery in remote areas continues as relief eludes them, by Prakash Adhikari (kp), Locals stop relying on govt, build shelters on their own, by Rishiram Paudel (kp), Quake displaces PM’s office, other agencies (kp), The National Calamity: Reckless Response To Disaster, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Only 15 per cent of $423 million sought received so far: ‘Donors want their money to go directly to needy people and oppose cumbersome process’ (ht), Trust deficit, by Sukh Dev Shah (rep), House endorses stricture unanimously (ht), Four-member group of lawmakers to head out into the affected districts (rep)

13/05/2015: No need to panic: PM (ht) [??], A cruel, cruel deja vu: Fragile confidence of Capital’s denizens in tatters; look ahead to spend nights under open skies yet again (ht), Government requests foreign medics to stay put (kp), Public calls for better data and traceability in response to Nepal earthquake (relief Web)

12/05/2015: ‘Give cash to quake victims for shelter’ (kp), Rehabilitation and reconstruction: Set aside 20pc of budget: Panel (kp), No more foreign troops, says NA, by Binod Ghimire (kp) [What game is the army playing??], Winds of fate: Aftermath of quake provides hope that fatalism’s hold over Nepalis is loosening (kp), Long past due: Promulgation of the new constitution would provide some semblance of hope to victims of the Great Earthquake, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [Definitely, but only if it is an inclusive one; and such one see,s not be in the mind of current leaders!!], Take constitution drafting process along, say lawmakers (ht), Come together: May the tensions and political tearing apart of contrary imaginations of state-building be levelled with this earthquake, by Isabelle Duquesne (kp), Flawed idea (ht), Second Round Of Quake, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

11/05/2015: MPs ask govt to step up aidL Cross-party lawmakers press for relief distribution before monsoon (kp), NC lawmakers hit out at sluggish relief distribution (kp), Some foreign medics to leave country (kp) [Why can they not stay longer if they want? The government has proved that it cannot provide enough help!], Govt call to coordinate aid has been seen as control attempt, interview with Surya Prasad Silwal, secretary at the Home Ministry (kp), Bodies mooted for disaster management (ht), Unused budgets can yield ‘Rs5b’ for relief, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp), Nembang urges Dahal for statute (kp), Unity in face of calamity, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Lawmakers root for consensus government: Call for joint efforts for reconstruction; Dire need of elected local bodies felt (ht)

10/05/2015: Party leaders press in House for national govt (kp), Motion tabled in House for relief, rehabilitation, reconstruction projects (kp), 27-point stricture presented on disaster: Pledges to rebuild houses or provide grant assistance (ht), Former PMs stress need for national unity govt (ht), Victims still spend nights out in open; Missions urged to route foreign aid via PM Fund (kp), Politics of earthquake: In times of war-like crises, there is no opposition; the whole nation is, and should be, one, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp), Quake awakens political parties, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), CBS explores ways to adjust quake damages in nat’l account, by Prithvi Man Shrestha (kp)

09/ß5/2015: Parties consider forming consensus government (kp), The price of politicking: Earthquake victims demand decency from their leaders. Politicians should rise above local politics and listen to them, by Weena Pun (kp), Cashing in on loss: We, the common citizens, are united to help each other, while our politicians are united not to help us but to help themselves, by Guffadi (kp), Martyr’s family loses house in tremor, by Prakash Dahal (ht)

08/05/2015: Three parties differ on details: Deal on ‘reconstruction resolution’ expected before Parliament meets today, by Bhadra Sharma (kp) [The eternal veto fighters are back on scene and try their best to prevent reconstruction in the same way as they prevent an inclusive constitution!!], Oppn alliance demands all-party mechanism (kp), All-party obstruction (ht), Common stricture likely to be finalised today (ht), Adopt one-door policy: Panel (kp), Generation next: Faced with a slow-to-act state, the youth, energetic and idealistic, have taken charge (kp), Earning back the people’s trust: Public misgivings about the government were confirmed by its unhurried response to the earthquake, by Tsering Dolker Gurung (nt)

07/05/2015: Tested and failed: Govt ineptitude has been on display, but it is the prime minister who has been found most wanting, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Govt to ask donors for cash aid (kp), Ministry for disaster (ht), Monitoring Relief, reconstruction: 30-party alliance for all party mechanism (ht), PM, top leaders visit quake-hit districts (kp) [12 days after the quake, the incompetent politicians return to surface and try to regain control!]

02-06/05/2015: Earthquake In Nepal: Lost Opportunity, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Relief Supplies/Customs Clearance/PM Disaster Relief Fund, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km), Neue verfassunggebende Versammlung – alte Probleme, von Karl-Heinz Krämer (Nepal Observer), An Appeal for Decentralization: Nepal’s Earthquake Politics, by Amanda Snellinger (Counterpunch)

26/04/2015-01/05/2015: Nepal under shock: see link collection on the devastating earthquake

25/04/2015: Dahal for letting people decide 7 or 10-province model, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Oppn forms team ‘to deal with NC, UML’: Maoist chief vows to move ahead as per the collective decision of the 30-party alliance on statute writing (kp), Dahal denies any pact with NC or UML, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), 30-party alliance to stay intact, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Statute talks unlikely before Koirala’s return (kp), Historic day fails to make its mark (kp), Kin of martyr say state has forgotten them, by Byashshankar Upadhyay (ht), Jajarkot to Jakarta: The politicians get to use our taxpayer money for medical treatment. The common citizens get nothing and are forgotten by the state, by Guffadi (kp)

24/04/2015: Voting if no accord by April 30: CA chairman (kp), CA process to begin on April 30: Nembang, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Vote process starts April 30 if no consensus: CA chair (rep), Maoists bid to placate allies: Madhes based and ethnic parties are unhappy with the main opposition for withdrawing the planned street protests (kp), Allies to ask UCPN-M’s stance on core issues: 30-party alliance to meet today, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Special Court acquits Raut (kp) [Nepal's political prisoner number one finally freed!], CK Raut acquitted of sedition charge (ht), Raut exonerated in sedition charge, by Durga Lal (rep), ‘When will people get statute?’ wonder civil society members (ht), The final redemption: he good news is that the constitution has become the only way for senior leaders to ensure a political future for themselves, by Anurag Acharya (nt)

23/04/2015: Oppn meeting today to decide on attending CA (kp), Second rung leaders discuss federalism row (kp), Bend or break: Madhesi leaders need to pursue a different strategy if they are to advocate for Madhesis (kp), 5 donors pull plug on support to NPTF, by Anil Giri (kp), Time to say sorry: As a successor to the state that entrenched untouchability, it behooves our govt to apologise to Dalits, by Deepak Thapa (kp), New Hope In Constitution-making Process, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Maoists worry conflict cases could be revived, interview with Bishnu Paudel, CPN-UML (rep)

22/04/2015: ‘Draft incomplete sans deal on federalism’ (kp), 'Nembang may send disputes back to CPDCC' (rep), Cross-party meet fails to take off (kp), UML mulls actions against erring ministers (kp), ‘Recommendations of NHRC ignored by government’ (kp), Nation in limbo: Nepal’s social transition demands as much attention as is accorded to its political transition, by Prakash Bhattarai (kp), SC seeks update on probe against Agni Sapkota (ht), Cultural pluralism: For promotion of justice, by Kedar Karki (ht), Missing the plot: By second CA polls most Madheshis were satisfied with two states in Tarai; But Nepali Congress and CPN-UML then created new hurdles, by Hari Bansh Jha (rep)

21/04/2015: Dangerous duet: As members of NC-UML coalition have not suffered discrimination because of their language, religion and caste, they lack understanding of those who have, by Kedar Maharjan (rep), Parties to put agreed issues in draft, talk federalism over (kp), Big 3 parties back to consensus course: Unanimously decide to send agreed issuers of new statute to CA Drafting Committee, by Kosh Raj Koirala and Ashok Dahal (rep), UCPN-M agrees to resume CA process, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Some progress (ht), Opposition front leaders feel let down (ht), Madhes-based parties give mixed reaction (rep), Weigh your words: Poorly designed statements are at the heart of recent political controvercies, by Bigyan Sharma (rep)

20/04/2015: NC, UML for voting if no deal by Thursday (kp), NC, UML for forwarding agreed upon issues to drafting committee (rep), Statute by mid-July, say Maoists (kp) [??], UCPN-M to propose new constitution work-plan (ht)

19/04/2015: Insiders press UML over fresh statute deadline (kp), Opposition’s take on 30-party front, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Dahal says UCPN-M won’t leave CA (ht), Sharma challenges NC‚ UML (ht), Meeting of top brass of
major parties likely today (ht), Optimism and change: This year, we will see a different power, not of violence, but of a resolute commonness of interest outside political rigmarole, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Broken dreams: There is a need to critically discuss the Dalit movement in Nepal to move forward, by Santosh Pariyar (kp)

17/04/2015: Out in the cold: Without a clear mandate and collaboration mechanisms, transitional justice commissions cannot provide healing, by Suman Adhikari (kp), TRC committee to visit far-west to interact with conflict victims (ht), Just Justifying war crimes: Transitional justice could suffer a setback under a package deal on constitution, by Damakant Jayshi (nt)

16/04/2015: Maoists ‘ready’ for compromise (kp), Ruling parties differ over deadline announcement (kp), ‘Dahal must mend his way to keep oppn alliance intact’ (kp), Inclusive democracy can be meeting point: BRB (ht), The saffron and the black: Religion in South Asia is understood as a ritualistic exercise, rather than an ethical search for meaning, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Consensus Game Or Shell Game?, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Report on conflict time rights violation out (ht), We should adopt fully proportional electoral system, interview with former Secretary and Chief Election Commissioner Bhojraj Pokhrel (rep)

15/04/2015: Consensus or voting: Uncertainty prevails, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Statute by May 29 slim: Oli (kp), Statute not by May 29, but within ’72 BS: Oli (ht), Three things we learned: This past year, the continuing significance of language, inclusion, and geopolitics were made apparent, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Violence begets violence: The excessive violence by police against protesters in Gaur follows a well-established pattern, by Dipendra Jha (kp), State still unclear about insurgency death toll, by Ashok Dahal (rep), The underlying facts: For the last few years, lawyers have been protesting almost all major government decisions without considering their professional boundaries, by Bimal Gautam (rep)

14/04/2015: CA gives parties another week for accord-building: Nembang presses top leaders to find consensus on disputes during break (kp), I’m ready to take risk to prevent conflict: Dahal (ht), Dahal says ruling parties not taking opposition seriously, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Ban the banda: UCPN (Maoist) has come to a belated realisation that bandas are no longer effective at achieving political goals; others should follow suit, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), President issues two ordinances (ht) [There is an elected parliament!! Presidential ordinances are absolutely unnecessary!!!], Panel to study relief for conflict victims (ht), Govt spent Rs 8.6b to reconstruct conflict-ravaged infrastructures: Rs 27.71more needed to reconstruct remaining ones, by Ashok Dahal (rep), KP Oli’s Madhesh: The remarcable change of face4 of Madhesh has now become a political issue being played out in how we choose to delineate our federal states, by Sukhdev Shah (rep)

13/04/2015: NC, UML agree to set fresh goal for statute (kp), Peacemeal solution unacceptable, says Dahal (kp), CA meet to be deferred again (ht), Yadav, Mahato advocate separate alliance of Madhesis, Janajatis, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Fluid dynamics: The nature of the under-formation Nepali state remains contentious, by Chaitanya Mishra (kp) [short version of the author's mahesh Chandra Regmi lecture: What Led to the 2006 Democratic Revolution in Nepal?], Compact between people and state is breaking down in Tarai, interview with Vijay Kant Karna (kp), Crater In Opposition Alliance, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

12/04/2015: Maoists seek delay in majority process (kp), Dahal mulling compromise on statute, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Leaders intensify negotiations (ht), Bandas don’t serve political goals: UCPN (M): A meeting of the party’s top leaders recently concluded that they should seek an alternative to such form of protest (kp), A Dangerous Prelude To Federalism, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn) [?? Long live the single ethnic identity based central state??]

11/04/2015: Madhes parties give a snub to Dahal; rift grows (kp), Rift in 30-party alliance widens: Three Madhesi parties refuse to attend opposition alliance’s meeting, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Ruling parties want sorted issues in draft (kp), NC, UML flexible on seven-state model: Pun, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Call House session, says RPP-Nepal (kp), CA process if no agreement by mid-April, says Nembang (kp), Delay in holding parliament's winter session worries oppn (rep), Dirty design: Division of labor is strategy of upper-caste people to dominate, divide and rule over the lower castes, by Giri Bahadur Sunar (rep)

10/04/2015: Parties in ‘issue-based’ talks (kp), Prez, CA chair press parties for consensus (kp), Dahal upbeat on reaching accord (kp), NC, UML to try for consensus till April 13 (ht), NC, UML to take CA process ahead even if no consensus by April 13, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), 30-party alliance to resume agitation if demands unmet (ht), Enough of it: Parties can do better than resort to a banda to fulfil their demands (kp), CPN Maoist captures land (kp), EU: Is third CA poll possible? (rep), Shape and sensibility: Our peopling and polity are such that we can leapfrog, even if two-and-half centuries late, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp), Caste as culprit: Was the recent acid attack on two schoolgirls an outcome of a lover’s rejection or of being rejected by society?, by Hritika Rana (kp), The Gaur Incident And Its Message, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), The landscape of fear: It is now the turn of the Maoists to be afraid: of karma and the International Criminal Court (nt) [Impunity is promoted by all big parties! Those who have to take responsibility are Maoists, security forces, leaders of parties who were in responsible positions during the insurgency, responsible persons under the royal putsch system!!!], Nearing the goal: The government and opposition have realised the futility of confrontation and need to end the deadlock on the constitution, by Anurag Acharya (nt)

09/04/2015: NC, Maoists return to negotiating table; PM: Let’s continue talks on federalism as draft panel looks into disputes (kp), Parties resume consensus talks (ht), Rift in alliance over strike withdrawal (ht), ‘Find consensus before next CA meeting’ (kp), Govt ‘delaying’ winter session of parliament (kp), Politicisation taking toll on conflict victims (ht), TRC, CIEDP lack decent office to function well (kp), Whither Political Accountability?, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

08/04/2015: Oppn bows to public pressure: Shutdown called off (kp), Alliance withdraws strike: Thirty-party front agrees to do so at Dahal’s insistence, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), 30-party alliance’s shutdown cripples life in Valley (ht), General strike hits life nationwide (ht), Taxi set on fire with cabbie inside, motorbike torched (ht), Twitter barbs sting BRB, by Chahana Sigdel (kp), I have nothing left now (kp), NC, UML discuss voting process (ht), No country for the young: Nepal needs leaders who can harness the potential of its young people and embrace the digital age, by Bimal Pratap Shah (kp)

07/04/2015: SC order on conflict cases: Political move cannot correct verdict: Lawyers (kp), Oppn parties to enforce general strike (kp), PM: Choose statute drafting over protests (kp), CA meet put off for another week: Bid to give consensus a chance,says Constituent Assembly chairman, by Prakash Acharya (ht), CA adjourned till Monday (kp), Dalits, Janajatis, Madhesis falter in grades (kp)

06/04/2015: Nembang likely to defer CA process: Parties may get more time to forge consensus (ht), CA meeting likely to be put off for a week (rep), Give PDCC another chance: RPP-N chief, by Binod Ghimire (kp), RPP-N chairman expresses concerns to PM Koirala (ht), PM Koirala urges Dahal to shun protests (kp), NC, UML must be flexible: Dahal (ht), Transitional justice process: Conflict victims remain uncertain about justice, by Bhawani Bhatta (kp), Constant vigilance: Dr KC yet again exposed the deep nexus between parties and business interests (kp), Preparing For Confrontation, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Seeds of conflict: There is no peace or freedom for the land-poor farmers; Thea have to completely surrender to landowners for their livelihood, by Krishna Pathak (rep)

05/04/2015: Amend TRC Act in line with SC verdict, demand victims (kp), Ruling parties not to stop CA procedure: First draft of statute will exclude disputed issues of federalism (ht), NC, UML against talks, says Dahal (kp), Agitation could last for a year, says Dahal (ht), MJF-N chair urges cadres to launch fresh agitation (ht), Power of satyagraha: Dr Govinda KC’s hunger strike and the widespread support it gathered shows that all is not lost, by Abhi Subedi (kp)

04/04/2015: Apex court verdict on transitional justice: Maoists submit memo to PM; Leaders of six parties demanded nullification of the SC verdict, release of those arrested on war-era cases andprovisions for reconciliation in war-era “political” cases  (kp) [This demand means impunity for fundamental crimes and has nothing to do with the rule of law! According to article 102(4) has the SC the final authority to interpret constitution and laws, not the PM or any other politician!!], Repeal SC verdict on TRC Act: Maoists, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Jaishankar suggests statute in consensus (kp), Indian foreign secy urges compromise for new statute (rep), Fighting spirit: It's in our blood to fight rather than succumb to any kind of pressure; That is precisely what keeps the fight going, by Hitesh Karki (rep)

03/04/2015: Another lost decade: The duration of the post-conflict transition has now lasted nearly as long as the war itself (nt), Parties to get more time for accord (kp) [Accord must be among CA members! The constitution writing is not the task of party leaders!!!], Seek broader consensus on statute: Indian secy, by Anil Giri (kp), India for early constitution with broader consensus, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Indian Foreign Secretary’s Visit: Will It Be Helpful To Constitution Writing?, by Birendra P Mishra (rn), Share and share alike: Everything in Nepal, from politics to the university, has fallen victim to the unenviable system of ‘bhaagbanda’, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Nepali Muslim women: Forgotten and discriminated, by Chunni Khatun (ht), Dalit, Ethnic community students score low due to discriminatory attitude of peers: Study, by Nirjana Sharma (rep), Harder to forgive than forget: “Have Nepalis forgiven the horrors in the war or have they simply forgotten?”, by Qianyi Qin (nt)

02/04/2015: Transitional justice: Maoists want SC verdict corrected (kp) [?????], Six Maoist parties to protest SC verdict (ht), Dead and denied. Nanda Prasad Adhikari’s dead body at the Teaching Hospital still awaits justice, by Bhanu Bhakta Acharya (kp), RPP-N warns of obstructing CA: Party leaders say they should be allowed to raise the issues of Hindu nation, monarchy and federalism in the Constituent Assembly (kp) [The demand for Hindu state and monarchy is in the same way unconstitutional and antinational as CK Raut's demand for an independent Tarai state! The current interim constitution defines Nepal as a secular and inclusive federal republic!], Youths ‘turn their back’ on govt (kp), Constitution By Consensus Is Not Hobson's Choice, by Uttam Maharjan (rn) [But the voting has to be the free choice of the CA members, not the dictate of the predominantly male Bahun leaders! Nevertheless, the composition of CA-II is not really inclusive!], Parties weighing options for solution before CA meeting (ht), Constitution making: Civil society’s role is a must, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht)

01/04/2015: Against odds, AJRA still sees a fighting chance: AJRA suffered its biggest setback when it failed to gather even 500 people during its Occupy Baneshwor campaign, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Dahal calls for much stronger movement (kp), PM urges leaders to begin dialogue: Agenda of CA meeting should be set through consensus, says CA chairman (kp), Conflict victims doubt they will get justice (ht)

31/03/2015: Talks only after solid proposal: Opposition front (kp), Commitment to abide by past pacts must: 30-party front: Alliance withdraws April 2 strike, action-oriented protests, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Diminishing returns: This week will be crucial to determining the future course of constitution-drafting in the country, Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp) [??? The worst case scenario has already been started at the beginning of 2010 when male high caste party leader unconstitutionally took over the task of constitution writing!!], Constituency politics: If the five districts are removed from the Madhes Pradesh, the Madhes will be deprived of river and forest resources, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Conflict damaged infrastructure: House committee tells govt to rebuild (kp)

30/03/2015: CA to meet on April 6 (kp), Nembang calls CA meeting for April 6, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Cops clash with demonstrators; dozens injured (ht), Oppn front says to intensify stir (kp), Transitional justice: Ensure our participation: Victims (kp), Controversial Decisions And Adamancy, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Millions of Nepalis to be without citizenship: Study; The number will go down if the clause is changed to ‘Father or Mother’ from ‘Father and Mother’ (ht)

29/03/2015: Dahal for new calendar, continued statute talks (kp), Parties still at odds as deadline expires today (kp), Talks positive, say political leaders (ht) [???], ‘Power-sharing issue ignored in federalism debate’ (ht), Jai Madhes: Madhesis shouldn’t have to make way for a ‘New Nepal’; rather, they should stand at its core, by Marouan Fatti (kp), Out on the edge: Weakening of national sovereignty and territorial integrity have grave implications for Nepal, by Gopal Thapa (kp), Give Momentum To The CA, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Parliamentary directives: Govt bodies find compliance difficult, by Prakash Acharya (ht)

28/03/2015: Cross-partynegotiations: Nembang advises PM to take lead (kp), Bhattarai for middle way solution to end deadlock (rep), Revitalising Local Governments: Political Commitment Is Needed, by Pranav Bhattarai (rn), Govt to provide compensation to conflict victims (ht)

27/03/2015: NHRC chief threatens to quit if govt fails to act (kp), MPs committed to ‘or’ provision for citizenship (kp), Parties to sit for talks on Saturday (kp), Parties set to hold serious talks tomorrow; Ruling coalition positive about consensus: Baburam Bhattarai (ht), Adopted maximum flexibility for consensus: Prime Minister (kp) [??], The accountability of Sushil Koirala: Dr Govinda KC (alive) and Nanda Prasad Adhikari (dead) speak for the weak and desolate, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp), Can CA Stay Frozen In Recess?, by Narad Bharadwaj, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Construction of human identity: Flawed pre-selected categories, by David Seddon (ht), When we were young: Child survivors of wars and natural disasters carry their trauma into adulthood, by Anjana Rajbhandary (nt), Just justice: Reconciliation is not possible without truth and justice for the relatives of those murdered and disappeared ten years ago (nt), An ailing nation: Should Nepalis just die because the government is too busy trying to draft a constitution?, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Elusive truth and justice: The quest goes on in Nepal, the UK and South Africa, by David Seddon (nt)

26/03/2015: CA chair grants four more days (kp), CA meeting to be held after March 29, says Subas Nembang: nified CPN-Maoist threatens to quit Constituent Assembly if contentious issues are put to vote, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Resolving Constitutional Impasse: Mediation Can Be Appropriate Tool, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Constitution On A Knife-edge, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

25/03/2015: Maoists seek more time for consensus (kp), Parties still divided, CA chair at loss (kp), Nembang to set deadline for parties on consensus: Expresses concern about calling House session (ht), Nine pradeshes ideal,says Bhattarai (ht), ‘NHRC success rests on winning victims’ trust’ (kp), Institutionalise women rights: Lawmakers (ht), TRC, CIEDP told to do their job effectively (ht)

24/03/2015: Prez ups effort for way out of logjam (kp), Dahal leaves for China on weeklong visit (kp) [??, though it doesn't matter either!], Inescapable truths: Reconciliation doesn’t mean forgiving the man who ordered the death of your husband as much as rebuilding a relationship with a state that has betrayed you, by Ram Kumar Bhandari and Erik B. Wilson (kp), Lack of data on conflict-era sexual violence hampers support (rep), Bed of thorns: Risks and challenges to constitution making have multiplied during two-month moratorium since CA missed January 22 deadline, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)

23/03/2015: No turning back: Attempts to turn back the clock on recent changes will only lead to new problems (kp), Major parties yet to start dialogue (kp), President urges leaders to end rift: Says he expects to see major achievement after he returns from China on April 1 (ht), Six pro-Maoist parties to protest against state: Allege violation of Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Interim Constitution (ht 23/03/2015), Six Maoist parties to oppose SC verdict on TRC, CIED (rep), Transitional justice: Maoist parties unite to press government (kp), Internal Dynamics Of Parties And Constitution Writing, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

22/03/2015: ‘Expedite talks to keep March 25 deadline’ (kp), No ‘meaningful’ talks till Dahal returns home (ht), Dahal: Peace process detractors against accord (kp), NBA stresses on consensus for constitution (ht), Tackling The Ethnic Threat, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn) [Yes, please delete the single ethnic identity based orientation of the central state!!!], Indigenous people raise issues for UN review (ht)

21/03/2015: Wait for consensus cannot exceed two months: Acharya, by Ram Kumar Kamat and Prakash Acharya (ht)

20/03/2015: Maoist brass asks Nepal, Sitaula to aid consensus (kp), The Consensus Ruse: The Maoist definition of consensus: ‘Do what we say or we’ll start another war and wreck the country all over again’ (nt) ['Accept what we say' is the understanding of consensus by all parties! It's not limited to the Maoists alone!], Govt paid no heed to my concerns: Prez (rep), Missing the mark: Development must strengthen the political agency of disadvantaged groups while addressing cultural practices that reinforce inequality, by Subhash Nepali (kp), Third Force And The Labour Of Sisyphus, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Delete 'interim': The best solution for now would be to adopt the basic document of the Interim Constitution 2007 and add the agreed bits from the new draft (nt), A temporary constitution: Why not just cut and paste the Interim Constitution and get it over with?, by Damakant Jayshi (nt), Justice in transition: The Maoists react badly to the Supreme Court verdict rejecting amnesty provisions in the TRC Act, by Binita Dahal (nt), Consensus on Disputed Issues of Constitution, by Krishna Raj Regmi (sp)

19/03/2015: CA chair renews ultimatum: Says he will initiate majority process if the parties fail to reach consensus by March 25 (kp), Forge consensus before March 25: CA chair; Says rift between ruling and agitating parties could widen if 30-party alliance intensifies stir (ht), Nembang gives parties a week to settle disputes (rep), Going nowhere fast: PM Koirala needs to reassert his hold on the constitution-drafting process (kp), Right to know: The public deserves to know what goes on in negotiations behind closed doors and who the spoilers are, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Moving Sideways Towards Consensus, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

18/03/2015: NC: CA process, talks together (kp), Dahal instructs UCPN (Maoist) lawmakers to be ready to quit CA, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Civil society against oppn protests (kp), Nembang wants leaders to clarify on their failure: Says he would like to hear it from ‘horses’ mouth’ before deciding on future course of the CA (ht), Nembang expects results from top brass meet (rep), UN briefed on progress in transitional justice (kp), Democracy in crisis: Political parties are not interested in carrying out reforms that can promote inclusion and unleash growth, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Troubling signs: Signs of foreign interference are evident; Some external forces appear uncomfortable with the idea of federal state in Nepal, by Hari Bansh Jha (rep)

17/03/2015: Stir fallout: NC, UML eye majority way of statute drafting (kp), Congress, UML urge opposition to rescind stir (ht), ‘CA voting only way out of impasse’ (kp), April general strike to hit tourism, by Rajan Pokhrel (ht), Scrap agitation, seek consensus: Nembang (ht), Man in the middle: Negotiations have taken place mostly between the UML and the Maoists; it is now time for the NC and PM Koirala to take centre-stage, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Daughters as traitors: By doing away with the ‘or’ provision on citizenship, the state is seeking to institute gender bias as a national policy, by Anjita Parajuli (kp), Demand of today’s Nepal: New thinking, not polarization, by Anil Shah (ht)

16/03/2015: PM’s plea against stir in vain: 30 parties unveil new protest programme (kp), Alliance announces second phase of stir (ht), Oppn alliance announces month-long protest (rep), Talks make no headway (ht), Verity and equity: Transitional justice commissions must ensure the sincere implementation of the Supreme Court’s February ruling, by Suman Adhikari (kp), Strong presence of women in first CA did make a difference, interview with Binda Pandey (kp), Save The Talks, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), The generational shift: It is difficult to find much difference in the extent, style and limitations of executive authority betweeen Marich Man Singh and Sushil Koirala, by C.K. Lal (rep)

15/03/2015: 4-party meet fails to iron out statute differences (kp), Consensus talks head nowhere: Blame-game vitiates environment for meaningful dialogue; With parties not budging, PM and Dahal to seek common ground today (ht), Disruptive proposal: Ethnocentric federalism cannot be a solution to the ills of this country, by Jainendra Jeevan (kp) [Just as the current ethnocentric orientation of the central state is not a solution!!!]

14/03/2015: Parties review statute positions: Leaders from NC and Madhes-based parties meet in Baluwatar (kp), Understanding on five districts still a far cry: Four forces planning to hold formal meeting today in bid for consensus, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Bill needs to broaden definition of torture, say rights activists, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht)

13/03/2015: NC, Maoists to give accord a chance: Preliminary meets set for today (kp), Congress, UCPN-Maoist hold informal talks (ht), Ruling parties to hold formal talks with oppn (kp), He does protest too much: Baburam Bhattarai spent his time in New Delhi pooh-poohing the choice of Nepal’s electorate, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp), To the sea: When CIAA itself is formed under the system of bhaagbanda, how will it catch the big fish?, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Democratic Majority And Tyranny Of Minority, by Narad Bharadwaj (rn), Stuck in the mud: The reasons for the delay in retrieving the Airbus and passing a new constitution are the same: bad management, lack of contingency planning, blame-throwing, failure of coordination, and a breathtaking inability to understand the gravity of the situation (nt), Justice adjourned: Nepal’s conflict victims have got legal relief, but it is unlikely their quest for justice will be addressed, by Anurag Acharya (nt)

12/03/2015: Nembang to delay CA meet for consensus (kp), CA deferral gave plenty of time for consensus: Nembang to prez (rep), Dahal shares displeasure with TRC officials (kp), TRC, CIEDP yet to get office space, logistics (rep), Long time coming: It will take the best of intentions to untangle the knot of transitional justice (kp), We may have to dig up graves of suspected ‘disappeared’, interview with Lokendra Mallick (rep), An active PDC will hinder consensus process: Bhattarai (ht), Inter-party Confidence Still Lacking, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Constitution and government: Separate the two, by Bhagirath Basnet (rep)

11/03/2015: Alliance defers agitation till March 15, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Consensus no mean feat, says Bhattarai (kp), Opposition puts off protest plans (kp), Partners withdraw support to Baidya-led alliance (kp), Conflict victim awaits justice, by Thakur Singh Tharu (kp), Dahal, Baidhya slam SC verdict: ‘It’s against values, norms, principles of transitional justice’ (ht) [Justice for victims is not negotiable!!], ‘Mainstream’ feminism, by Seira Tamang (kp)

10/03/2015: Mutual suspicion mars quest for consensus, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), PM asks oppn to chip in for accord (kp), Apex court ruling on transitional justice mechanism: UCPN (Maoist) objects to curbs on commissions’ jurisdiction (kp), SC verdict against CPA, says UCPN-Maoist (ht), Down comes the gavel: Conflict victims are waiting for the Supreme Court verdicts to be implemented, by Ram Kumar Bhandari (kp)

09/03/2015: 30-party meeting: Dahal asked not to soften stance (kp), Consensus in constitution writing in ‘package deal’ (kp), Ruling parties not serious, says Dahal (kp), Govt to release relief fund to Ganga Maya (kp) [???], Condition of conflict victims: Taskforce to submit report (kp), Dispassionate debate: Leaders should realise the dispute over five districts need not be so intractable (kp), Branches and boundaries: The protests in Kalaiya and Simara foretell the challenges of federating the country, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Ways To Sustain The Talks, by Nandalal Tiwari (kp)

08/03/2015: Top 4 to pursue consensus (kp), UCPN (M) to join House panel meets (kp), UCPN-Maoist for attending parliamentary panels’ meetings (ht), All power to provinces save three: Pokhrel (ht), The secession bogeyman: Since the politicians do not represent us, they invoke the fear of separation when we ask for rights, by Abhi Subedi (kp), Nationalistic Credentials Under Scrutiny, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Ban On Cow Slaughter, And Beef Eating In India: Its Implications In Nepal, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

07/03/2015: Formal talks set to begin today (kp), Formal talks with Dahal-led alliance set for today, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Ruling camp for wasting no more time (rep), OHCHR hails SC verdict on TRC amnesty provision (kp), OHRC hails SC ruling on rights violation cases: Apex court had upheld international standards rejecting TRC, CIEDP’s role in securing amnesty (ht), OHCHR hails SC rejection of amnesties for serious HR violations (rep), Decentralisation In Nepal: Taking Stock Of Local Governance, by Pranav Bhattarai (rn)

06/03/2015: Oppn decides to sit for talks (kp), 30-party alliance ready for talks: To resume agitation if majority process is not scrapped, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Opposition alliance ready for formal talks: To launch second-phase proests if talks make no headway, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Ruling parties for early deal (kp), OHCHR offers support to transitional justice process (kp), Support pledged for justice process: OHCHR ready to offer technical advice to Nepal in its transition phase (ht), The trinity trap: A presidential government is, perhaps, the best option for Nepal, by Ram C. Acharya (kp), Us and them: How to play dirty politics and call it an identity struggle, by Damakant Jayshi (nt)

05/03/2015: Dahal meets Koirala, Nepal to resume statute talks (kp), Dahal seeks consensus assurance from PM, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Word of caution: Restarting the voting process could have detrimental, unpredictable consequences (kp), Years of writing: When I look back, I find my columns polemic, especially after the failure of the first Constituent Assembly, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Lull before a storm: The silence that greeted the missed constitution deadline could be a sign of turmoil to come, by Gopal Thapa (kp), Where Has Constitution Making Gone Amiss?, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), NHRC wants report discussed in Parliament (ht)

04/03/2015: Resume CA meeting: NC, UML to Nembang, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), NC, UML for holding ‘decisive’talks: Urge Nembang to resume stalled Constituent Assembly process at the earliest, by Prakash Acharya (ht), CA Chair urges chief whips to help get parties to negotiate (ht), Indian FM for constitution in accord: BRB, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), Churning the ocean: Until parties understand the aspirations for federalism, constitution drafting will remain tedious, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), No Alternative To Meaningful Talks, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn)

03/03/2015: Will quit govt unless NC takes up CA vote: UML (kp), ‘India’s role vital till transition ends’, by Devendra Bhattarai (kp), We won’t leave ongoing political process: Dahal, by Lila Baral and Parbat Portel (kp), New unity: One can disagree with the Maoists’ violent past but still agree with the legitimate issues they have raised, by Shreya Paudel (kp), Past and present: Ensuring inclusion of the marginalised communities in the new states will respect the mandate of both the revolution and elections, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp)

02/03/2015: UCPN (Maoist) divided over dialogue conditions (kp), Talks from Jan 19 deal: Pun (kp), Rallies and rhetorics: Ruling and opposition parties should now return to the negotiation table (kp), Means and ends: Critical engagement with the transitional justice commissions will permit victims to tell their stories, by Simon Robins (kp), Deadlock And Demonstrations, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

01/03/2015: Oppn puts up massive show: Speakers hit out at ruling coalition; Agitating party leaders say they won’t leave the CA process (kp), Dahal warns of revolt: To wait for ruling parties’response for two more days; Says he’s ready to die but will not surrender (ht), City traffic thrown out of gear (ht), Over 40 hurt in Baneshwor clash (kp), Demonstrators clash with riot police (kp), NC, UML urge unconditional statute talks (kp), Solution through dialogue: PM Koirala (kp), Split Bamboos & Maoist Broken Fate, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), TRC office bearers call on Koirala (ht)

28/02/2015: Victims, HR activists hail SC verdict on TRC (rep), Transitional justice: Implement SC decision: ICJ (kp), Implement SC decision against impunity: ICJ (htz), Nembang urges Dahal, Koirala to end deadlock: Talks likely to resume after oppn’s show of strength today (ht), Oppn parties ferry people from districts: Maoists’ mass mobilisation of YCL cadres leaves public in a tizzy (kp), Security up at major checkpoints (kp), NHRC asks opposition parties to keep protest peaceful, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), House obstruction hits passage of Bills, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), 5 new names picked for CIAA commissioners (kp)

27/02/2015: Transitional justice act: Court rescinds amnesty clause (kp) [!!!!!], SC annuls discretionary powers of TRC, CIED, by Nabin Khatiwada (rep), SC rules out general amnesty for serious rights violation, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Masculinist logic: The proposed ‘and’ provision in granting citizenship insults autonomy of adult subjects who are rightful residents of Nepal, by Archana Thapa (kp), Boiling point: It is only through talks that the current constitution deadlock can be resolved (kp), ‘Attempts on to repeal CPA’ (kp), BRB: dialogue will resume after protest in Capital (kp), In an agitated state: The opposition may have to go through with its show of force on Saturday, but should try to get it over with minimum fuss to resume negotiations on the constitution (nt), Oppn alliance out to show strength in street: Security to be tightened from Friday evening (rep), Tables turned: Outnumbered in the CA and lacking numbers on the streets, the opposition is waiting for a face-saving way to return to the table, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Tomorrow’s protest not final show of strength: Bhattarai (ht), Serious confrontation if no talks next week: Bhattarai (rep), Ready for dialogue, but it must be meaningful: UCPN-M’s Shrestha (ht), Head, six members for PSC recommended, by Santosh Ghimire (rep), Mainali to head public service commission (kp) [May this multiethnic state be controlled by male Bahuns until eternity!!], Waiting for a Nepali Kejriwal: Nepal’s grassroot communities also have anti-corruption crusaders waiting to come out and clean things up, by Bihari K. Shrestha (nt), Not yet boiling point: The people of the Tarai are angry, but not angry enough to join another protest movement led by Madhesi politicians, by Navin Jha (nt)

26/02/2015: Disqualified PLA fighters chart out struggle plan: They demand relief, welfare fund, treatment for the injured and monuments in memory of those killed during the conflict (kp), Congress urges opposition to sit for negotiation (ht), NC leaders for referendum to settle state dispute (kp), Prez displeased with ruling coalition’s role (ht), Consensus possible only through dialogue: India (kp), India for statute that honours past agreements, poll mandate (ht), Amnesty report: Transitional justice law entrenches impunity (kp) [see AI Nepal report], Impunity deepening roots in Nepal: AI (ht), Impunity has further entrenched in Nepal: AI (rep), Politics Of Threat And Intimidation Does Not Yield Results, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Governing Elite And Democracy In Nepal, by Mukti Rijal (rn), Divide and rue: Separation of Kailali and Kanchanpur from the Far-West region is a conspiracy against people and is not in keeping with the spirit of change, by Dinesh Prasad Joshi Ratala (rep)

25/02/2015: What people want: Political agendas espoused by the parties do not necessarily reflect the people’s priorities, by Bhanu Bhakta Acharya (kp), Informal talks on to end political deadlock (ht), Parties upbeat about consensus: Both sides wait and watch Saturday’s rally in Capital, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), House of cards: PM Sushil Koirala must continue to reach out to opposition, undeterred (kp), AJRA to parade 20,000 in Capital on Saturday (kp), YCL holds rally, says prelude to Feb 28 demo, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), YCL rally takes sinister tone (kp), UML to launch awareness drive (kp), Mallik wants clarity on CIEDP jurisdiction, by Ram Kumar Kamat (ht), Ruckus in CA: Probe panel fails to identify culprits (ht) [?????], PSC chair appointment: CC fails to recommend name (ht), Stability and development: Consensus is necessary, by Umesh K. Bhattarai (ht)

24/02/2015: Writing it wrong: Representation and inclusion, agendas of Janaandolan II, have been seriously undermined by the NC-UML coalition, by Sanjay Sharma (kp), Political avatars: The current political imbroglio can be attributed to rivalries within parties as much as between parties, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Informal dialogue offers rapproachment hopes, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), PM, Dahal talk on PSC, CIAA (kp), More positives, some negatives: Nepal's peace process, especially the integration and rehabilitation of former combatants, has conveyed positive messages to other conflict-ridden countries, by Geja Sharma Wagle (kp), UNESCO: Promoting Mother Tongue For Peace And Progress, by Prem Khatry (rn), A consensus constitution: Mission impossible?, by Subarna Chhetri (ht)

23/02/2015: NC brass urged to seek ‘maximum consensus’ (kp), CA recess not beyond Saturday: DPM Gautam (kp), CPN M to become militant party: Central Committee leaders of the party say they expect to develop an army of around 10,000 to 15,000 cadres, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), Will ensure adequate security for Dahal: Govt (kp), Political pandering: Presence of senior leaders at a Hindu ceremony is in extremely poor taste (kp), Four briefly held for protesting police move (kp), Trouble in Nepali paradise, by Shashi Tharoor (kp) [an Indian view of Nepal's most recent history], Weighing The Moves, Feeling Each Other's Pulses, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn)

22/02/2015: Talks: Oppn seeks more concession from Koirala (kp), Can’t wait too long: Ruling parties (kp), Misplaced priority: Leaders warm chair in religious meet, by Ishwori Neupane (kp) [The Hindu state keeps greeting when inclusion and secularism is the need of the hour!!], Conflict victim family seeks govt assistance, by Janak Nepal (kp)

21/02/2015: Koirala renews call to opposition for dialogue (kp), ‘Nepal concerned about spread of fundamentalism’ (kp), Mother of All Revolutions, by Guffadi (kp)

20/02/2015: Youth leaders press for consensus (kp), Oppn alliance unveils plan for protest (kp),  Democracy day marked (kp) [Which democracy? Nepal is a single ethnic identity based non-inclusive oligarchic central state!!], Marching marginalisation: Marchwar in Rupandehi provides a telling example of the disconnect between state and society, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Youth of the nation: Nepal and Estonia re-established democracy around the same time, but while Estonia took a digital route, Nepal remains stuck in the past, by Bimal Pratap Shah (kp), Are Parties Prepared To Make Sacrifices?, by Yuba Nath Lamsal (rn)

19/02/2015: CA deadlock: UCPN (M) plans on informal talks (kp), The public sphere: Civil society leaders must continue to stand publicly in favour of consensus (kp), Trust the voter: Instead of cadre-based politics, parties must find genuine agendas that reflect the people’s every day concerns, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Language of the local: The marginalised vernacular can no longer be pushed around by the pronouncements of the elite, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Back To Consensus Talks, by Uttam Maharjan (rn)

18/02/2015: Talks in peril as no side gives in: Ruling parties fear consensus cannot deliver statute (kp) [Party leaders simply don't have any understanding of the meaning of consensus! They must be barred from influencing the constitution writing process!!], Statute as per past deals, says Dahal (kp), Seeing like the oligarchy: The tunnel vision of KP Oli and Sushil Koirala seeks to impose order and definitiveness on a fluid reality, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Gurung wants TRC Act amended: Seeks full say on conflict-era cases (ht)

17/02/2015: Under pressure: Both ruling and opposition blocs are unwilling to sit for substantial talks, but it would be in their own interest to pursue consensus, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), ‘CA resumption if no headway in talks’: Nembang meets two chief whips (kp), Single ethnic identity based federalism: AJRA resumes struggle (kp), Restoring justice: TRC, CED must ensure active participation of victims in transitional justice process (kp), Nepal stares at UN grilling in Geneva meet, by Anil Giri (kp), Why things fail: Failure to understand the importance of institutional stability has impacted proper governmental regulation, by Sujeev Shakya (kp)

16/02/2015: Meaningful dialogue unlikely any time soon, by Prakash Acharya (ht), 30 parties stage sit-in (ht), Dahal seeks big protest turnout (kp), February 28 demo will be decisive,says Dahal (ht), Back from the brink Parties must avoid another round of public posturing and sincerely pursue consensus (kp), Ganga Maya gets Rs 2m in relief (kp) [She wants justice, not money!!], A federal seat: In the churning over federalism, discussions over a federal capital have been resigned to the sidelines, by Semanta Dahal (kp), TRC has been formed to restore justice system, reconcile society, interview with Surya Kiran Gurung, newly appointed TRC Chairman (kp), Radical Expressions Amid Bid For Consensus, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), The IC connection: The realization doesn't seem to have sunk in Dahal that the interests of the Nepal Army constitute the main concern of the IC in Nepal, by C.K. Lal (rep)

15/02/2015: Koirala, Dahal talk deadlock, vacancies (kp), PM, Dahal hold one-on-one talks: Both call it a positive step for starting a formal dialogue (ht), Dahal pooh poohs PM’s overture (ht), Distrust prevails: Oppn: PM should pledge consenus; Ruling parties: Can’t wait long, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Bhattarai warns of launching another revolt (ht), Opposition front ready for talks: Shrestha (ht), Refusing a referendum: Amidst some parties’ refusal to honour the people’s mandate, a referendum cannot be a solution, by Khagendra N. Sharma (kp), Enlarging the pie: Parties must pursue negotiations on a win-win framework as bottom-line negotiations tend to create winners and losers, by Yogendra Paneru (kp)

14/02/2015: Nembang wants tangible progress in talks, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Dahal fails to keep date with Koirala (kp), Koirala-Dahal meet scheduled, cancelled (ht), Maoist revolt will continue: Dahal (kp), Opposition needs to suspend protests for meaningful talks, by Prakash Rimal (ht), Opposition bloc to address cadres (kp), UN urges constitution in consensus (kp), CIAA, PSC vacancies: Constitutional Council fails to recommend candidates (kp), PSC, CIAA commissioners to be picked simultaneously (rep), CC likely to fill vacant posts on February 24 (ht), TRC forms committees (ht)

13/02/2015: Questions endorsed; CA process on hold (kp), Questionnaire panel report endorsed: CA meeting put off indefinitely for parties to give consensus another shot (ht), CA meeting adjourned for now at oppn request, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), Door opens for ‘meaningful talks’ (kp), Opposition bargains for more leverage (kp), ‘Parallel bodies if NC, UML take numerical advantage’, by Gaurav Thapa (kp), Dahal warns of parallel government formation (ht), Dahal threatens to form parallel govt (rep), We’ll join CA, says Shrestha (ht), ‘Nembang’s move can bring political forces together’, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Verdict on TRC cases on Feb 26 (kp), SC verdict on petitions against TRC Act on Feb 26 (rep), SC: Ensure independence of judiciary in new statute (kp), CC to moot names for vacant posts (ht), Signs of Thaw: Top leaders from the two sides have been holding informal negotiations, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Bullet and/or ballot: Despite taking to the streets, Nepal’s Maoists will stick to democracy to institutionalise the gains for which they took up arms, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Lengthening the fuse Nepal’s leaders need to settle their disputes across the table and not on the streets (nt), Failure Beyond Excuses, by Dipak Gyawali (sp), Chaotic Nepal, by Tilak Rawal (sp)

12/02/2015: Nembang may halt CA process: Likely to give parties 10 more days for consensus (kp), Voting process to be halted till February 22, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Parties in informal consensus talks, formal parleys likely soon (rep), Oppn bloc hints at resuming talks (kp), Nip it in the bud: Substantive moves towards dialogue will go long way in assuaging oppn (kp), RPP-N to snub CA meet (kp), Seven Janajati parties form youth squad, by Roshan Sedhai (kp), TRC, CED office bearers sworn in (kp), TRC, CIPD chairmen, members sworn in (ht), By all, for all: NC-UML’s rhetoric sends the message that the constitution is being written only for the ruling parties, by Prakash Bom (kp), Middle class mindset: If the constitution can't, under any circumstances, be drafted without consensus, why did all parties agree to two-third rule to start with?, by Biswas Baral (rep)

11/02/2015: CA to allow political parties some more days for consensus: Questionnaire to be put to vote if consensus eludes, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Ready for maximum flexibility, says Koirala (kp), PM believes opposition will return for talks (ht), Conflict if PM fails to restart talks: Gachhadar (kp), Parleys possible today,says Gachhadar: ‘All depends on how much flexibility prime minister shows’ (ht), Gachchhadar says ruling, oppn talks likely in a day or two (rep), Formal talks yet to resume (kp), Govt sets up TRC, inquiry panel on disappearances (ht), Bitter medicine: Transitional justice bodies (rep), Victims question TRC, CED credibility: Cabinet appoints committee chiefs, members recommended by panel, by Dewan Rai (kp), Commissions and credibility: Transitional justice mechanisms must incorporate obligations to truth, justice, reparations, accountability, by Suman Adhikari (kp), CPN Maoist turning into military force: Chand (kp), Conflict theories and Nepal: No rational thinking, by Umesh K. Bhattarai (ht), In favor of ballots: Both the ruling and opposition party leaders must sit together to narrow down their differences without further delay, by Bimal Gautam (rep)

10/02/2015: Panel submits questionnaire to CA chair (kp), Panel submits questionnaire to Nembang: 232 questions framed to settle 103 disputed issues, by Prakash Acharya (ht), CA will take its course if no consensus by Feb 12: Nembang (rep), Oppn alliance asks govt to make position clear (kp), Alliance urges prime minister to create environment for talks, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Informal talks until formal dialogue starts (kp), ‘Parties still have time for accord’ (kp), Madhes, hills inseparable: Oli; The UML chairman says his party will never accept anything that disturbs the social fabric (kp), Single identity demand: AJRA prepares for more protests (kp), Transitional justice: Gurung, Mallik named to head panels; Cabinet endorsement will pave way for formation of two commissions, by Dewan Rai (kp), Commissioners, members named, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), FNCCI launches campaign against strikes, bandas (kp), Power of perception: Nepal cannot afford to squander the few positive signs of economic growth we have started to witness, by Sophia K. Tamot (kp), Conjunction conundrum: Now that the opposition has agreed to the ‘or’ provision on citizenship, it is up to the ruling parties to follow through, by Subin Mulmi (kp), Time Of Hopelessness And Shame, by Prem Khatry (rn)

09/02/2015: Agitating bloc gets PM invite for dialogue: Koirala issues statement asking parties to join statute writing ‘in the best interest of the nation’ (kp), PM invites oppn for talks: Says companions of peace process and people’s movement should join hands for the statute (ht), PM calls on oppn parties for talks to bring statute together (rep), First overture: PM’s statement calling on oppn for talks is welcome but could have been clearer (kp), Agitating parties not impressed: Say prime minister’s invitation silent on key concerns, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Statute thru majority unacceptable: BRB (ht), Questions on eight disputed issues ready (kp), Questionnaire panel completes its task (ht), Subcommittee submits 242 questions for voting in CA (rep), 'And' provision in citizenship: Not a ‘dispute’, clause out of question, by Weena Pun (kp), Students want parties to return to talks (ht), Treasure of Tarai: By not adopting north-south provinces, the country is further postponing an inclusive agenda, by Ram C. Acharya (kp), PM committed to constitution but unable to lead process, interview with Sarvendra Nath Shukla, Tarai-Madhes Loktantrik Party (kp), Ominous Political Course, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Gods and Gomas: Our politics is no different from god's politics; our self-centered "gods" only think of themselves, not of the 27 million Gomas, by Neelam Adhikari (rep), Federalize the parties: Restructuring of our political parties is crucial for successful state restructuring, by Khimlal Devkota (rep)

08/02/2015: Questions on disputes ready save federalism (kp), Questionnaire will have options for consensus on tentatively agreed issues (ht), Parties gear up for dialogue, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), UML asks oppn to return to talks (kp), UML urges oppn parties to return to negotiating table (ht), Talks possible if questionnaire panel dissolved, says Dahal (ht), Struggle to avert CA dissolution: Sharma (ht), Oli asks Gachhadar to play mediator’s role (kp), ‘Accord soon if NC, UML accept multiple identities’ (kp), Regmi urges parties for broad consensus (kp), Resume talks: PAPAD to parties (ht), The rights of all: Government needs to bring policies that protect the rights of the protesters without hampering the mobility of people during protests, by Ashish Gajurel (kp), Treading A Fine Line, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)

07/02/2015: Panel tables questions as oppn boycotts process (kp), Panel working on questionnaire (ht), President takes lead to end political impasse (kp), Dahal urges prez to step in for consensus (rep), PM may renew call to opposition for talks, by Bhadra Sharma (kp), NC, UML to show maximum flexibility (ht) [???], Oppn should first halt protest program: NC, UML (rep), Tone it down: Growing polarization (rep), No talks until questionnaire committee is dissolved: Dahal, by Ajit Tiwari (rep), Bhattarai lashes out at NC, UML (ht), We are in bid to build an army of 10 lakh people, says Dahal (ht), ‘Parties need to forge consensus’ (kp), Nepal urged to accede to Rome Statute (kp), Bridging The Gap: Find A Middle Way, by Pranav Bhattarai (kp)

06/02/2015: Questionnaire committee gets five more days (kp), CA extends Questionnaire Committee deadline: 19-party alliance in Constituent Assembly boycotts meeting; RPP-Nepal protests proceedings (ht), NC, UML to make fresh bid for talks (kp), Prez urges Oli to seek accord (kp), President tells Oli ruling parties should be flexible (ht), ‘Sick Oli remark’erroneous: Shrestha; Flays UML chair’s Rs 10 billion statement as irresponsible (ht), Shrestha says Oppn demand regarding Oli unpolitical (rep), Shrestha urges for swift talks (kp), Oppn declares phase-wise protest (kp), Opposition to collect Rs 20,000 from each lawmaker to fund mass meeting (ht), Cracks in the Madhesi front: Marred by deep distrust, Madhesi parties look incapable of serving the Maoist interest, by Om Astha Rai (nt), ‘And’ provision on citizenship out of the CA questionnaire, by Weena Pun (kp), Draft of educational setup under federalism ready, by Nirjana Sharma (rep), A game of chicken: Both coalitions, ruling and opposition, are locked head-to-head; who will flinch first?, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), There is hope: Parties could allow the Questionnaire Committee to do its work but hold off on a majority vote to buy time for consensus, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Polarized politics: Where will it lead?, by Birendra P. Mishra (ht), Devolution without federalism: There are many other ways to ensure proper representation without the need for federalism per se, by David Seddon (nt), The ‘F’ word: If federalism is a fait accompli let’s try to minimise the damage that it will cause (nt), Rulers and the ruled: It is as if the political party leadership is living on a different planet from the people, by Damakant Jayshi (nt), Nepalese Leaders Need Psychotherapy, by Siddhi B. Ranjitkar (km)

05/02/2015: Taskforce seeks more time: CA Chair Nembang, ruling parties under pressure to resume talks with opposition forces (kp), Questionnaire panel seeks five more days (ht), An end to hubris: Nembang can do a lot more to lower tensions between political parties (kp), More than just content: If ruling coalition’s ‘process’ continues, there is danger of sections of opposition being pushed out of CA, by Ajaya Bhadra Khanal (kp), Gachhadar for ending Parliament boycott (ht), Gachhadar moots three Tarai provinces (ht), ‘Three states in Madhes will ensure accord’ (kp), Dahal preparing party cadres for a violent movement? Tells them to gear up to take to the street (ht), UML-opposition relations hit new low (ht), War victim’s skull still left in party office, by Arjun Shah (kp), Land seized during time of insurgency not returned (ht), Dalits demand ‘or’ provision on citizenship (kp), Political appointees hit governance, by Rajan Pokhrel (ht), Protests Won’t Lead To Constitution-making, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Identity and ideology: Striving for identity in Nepal is not just about recognition; it is a deeper and more material need, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Federated Nepal: Will It Weaken Or Strengthen Nationhood?, by Birendra P Mishra (rn)

04/02/2015: Question drafting gains momentum: Questionnaire on disputes to be ready in ‘couple of days’ (kp), Sub-panel prepares questions on five issues, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Vote on whether federalism should be immutable: Sub-committee may get five-day extension, by Ashok Dahal (rep), ‘Questionnaire panel not a censor board’: The RPP-N leader says that a committee formed by the Constituent Assembly does not have the right to obstruct the agendas raised by other parties (kp), RPP-N submits memo to Nembang (ht), Leaders mull reviving Political Committee (kp), UML second-rung leaders press for talks with oppn (kp), Oli, be a statesman, by Subhash Ghimire (rep), Demand for women-friendly Statute (kp), UCPN-M revives YCL to give life to stir, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Forced hand: If parties are serious about ending the deadlock, they need to talk on both constitution and power sharing, by Dipendra Jha (kp), Stands of political parties: Historic moves or blunders?, by Dilli Raj Khanal (ht), The mandate of revolution bigger than election mandate, interview with Baburam Bhattarai (rep)

03/02/2015: Taskforce to prepare questions on disputes: Assembly to meet on Thursday to receive proposal from subcommittee (kp), Sub-panel on questionnaire formed (ht), CA meet to convene on Thursday: Dahal-led alliance yet to decide on taking part in next meeting, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Respect opposition views, legal eagles advise PM (kp), Top UCPN (M) leaders to lead protest against majority statute (kp), AJRA announces no to joint protest (kp), RPP-Nepal threatens to quit drafting process (kp), RPP-Nepal threatens to quit assembly (ht), Foreign hand: Ineffectiveness of ruling elites seems to have provided legitimacy to outsiders to micro-manage our affairs openly, by Suryanath Upadhyay (rep) [???], Majority rules: The constitution passed by two-third majority in the Constituent Assembly would be as legitimate as any constitution in the world, by Sukhdev Shah (rep)

02/02/2015: Don’t press us too hard, Dahal warns ruling bloc: Maoist leaders say extreme circumstances could force them to quit CA (kp), Voting on agreed upon fundamental issues ruled out, by Prakash Acharya (ht) [The issue of inclusion is missed even in the constitution writing process!!], CA questionnaire panel okays work procedure, RPP-N boycotts (rep), Questionnaire panel meeting endorses ToR: RPP-Nepal boycotts as its demand was turned down (kp), RPP-N members walk out (ht), Tarai parties against talks in status quo (kp), UDMF decides to go ahead with protests (rep), Oppn alliance may quit CA en masse: Dahal, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), With no hope of consensus, UCPN (Maoist) opts to 'go to people': Top three leaders to command protests (rep), CPN-Maoist to form alliance with other parties for protest (kp), Will facilitate talks: Civil society (kp), Opinion divided between citizens, political parties: A survey finds that the public stopped worrying about statute after the dissolution of the first CA  (kp), Salvage work: The future course of the constitution drafting process remains uncertain (kp), Constitution must address both NC-UML and Maoist agendas, interview with Daman Nath Dhungana (kp), Unilateral Move Vs Consensus, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), The amber polity: In functional democracy, commandos in precincts of parliament would have been bigger scandal than brawl between ruling and opposition benches, by C.K. Lal (rep)

01/02/2015: Questionnaire Committee meets as oppn stays out: Subcommittee formed to prepare ToR, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Questionnaire Committee begins task (ht), NC, UML hope agitating parties will join panel (kp), Opposition miffed at panel meeting (ht), CPN-M politburo sets agenda for further protest: The party led by Mohan Baidya has decided to launch street protest against the planned promulgation of statute (kp), Broken chairs and missed deadlines: To argue that ruling parties are attempting to bully the opposition through numbers is to defy the people’s sovereignty, by Khagendra Nath Sharma (kp), Meaningless Movement, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), Modernising democracy: Nepal requires a strong, stable federal government with a directly-elected PM or President, by Yogendra P. Paneru (kp), Int’l community has different stakes in Nepal’s constitution, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Consensus, reconciliation a must: Thapa; Says parties must apologise to people for failure to deliver statute (ht), Signature campaign against VAW launched (ht)

31/01/2015: Prez asks parties to tread consensus path (kp), Prez urges ruling, oppn parties to work for consensus (ht), Ruling, oppn blocs fight over questionnaire panel: Will go ahead even without agitating parties: NC, UML (kp), Questionnaire Committee to meet today: Bid to woo leaders of protesting alliance to join the panel meeting to continue till afternoon, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Questionnaire panel meets today (rep), PM Koirala reaches out to Dahal with talks offer (ht), Scrap committee first, Dahal urges prime minister (kp), Dissolving question panel ‘impossible’ (kp), Questionnaire Committee can’t be scrapped: Deuba Calls on opposition front to return to negotiating table (ht), Oppn parties have five more days to come to consensus: Paudel (kp) [For consensus you must meet anywhere in the middle, not wait for the other side to accept your own position!!!], Khanal happy with China’s neutral position (kp), Families of martyrs, disappeared persons say they are disappointed (ht)

30/01/2015: Ruling parties should be flexible: President; Tells CA chairman to accommodate former rebels in the constitution-drafting process (ht), Chances slim of statute in accord: UCPN (Maoist) (kp), ‘Talks with same status-quo means surrender’: Bhattarai says meaningful dialogue impossible without withdrawing  decision of January 25 (ht), Prepare for movement, UCPN-M tells cadres: Dahal calls Koirala, Oli and Sitaula obstacles to consensus (ht), Front for common stance on boycott of House committees (ht), Ruling parties trying to sideline us: Dahal (rep), Return to talks, UML asks oppn (kp), UML invites opposition for talks (ht), UML for talks without halting CA procedures (rep), Singha Durbar sees decrease in political hustle and bustle: Ruling and opposition lawmakers have headed for their home districts as per party orders (ht), Delay in prosecution of war crimes worries HRW (kp), Nepal failed to deliver on promises: HRW; Says it’s deeply disappointing that country has stuck in the same place for years (ht) [see HRW World Report 2015 chapter on Nepal], By Nepalis, for Nepalis: The international community must pull back and let the political players arrive at a dignified conclusion, by Kanak Mani Dixit (kp) [Dignified for whom: the male Tagadhari leaders or the excluded masses??], Solutions from within: A new constitution still looks iffy, but in Nepal the unexpected is also to be expected (nt), The statute of liberty: The Indian experience with constitution drafting post-independence holds valuable lessons for Nepal, by Anurag Acharya (nt), Politics: Controlled Chaos, by Keshab Poudel (sp), So Be It! The high commands issue edicts, and the rank and file follow; No question asked, by K. Uprety (sp)

29/01/2015: Crisis of faith: Those who believe secularism arrived out of the blue forget history of activism to separate temple and state, by Deepak Thapa (kp), Nepal asked to redress teen’s murder case (kp), Conflict era cases: Govt disregards NHRC’s request (kp), Continue to talk: Current deadlock requires PM Koirala to play a bigger role in negotiations (kp), Parties explore ways to hold consensus talks: PDC meet may be deferred; Third-party facilitation likely, by Prakash Acharya (ht), UCPN(M) to boycott all House panel meetings (kp), MJF-L leaders tell Gachhadar to remain firm on party’s position (kp), Court orders Banke CDO to grant citizenship through mother’s name: CDOs in many districts refuse to grant citizenship through mother’s name on grounds that the father could be a foreign national (kp) [What about not granting citizenship through father's name because the mother could be a foreign national????], Constitution-making Process Begins, by Uttam Maharjan (rn) [????], Nepal ‘partly free’ in political rights and civil liberties: Situation improved with stable govt, progress in constitution drafting process, says report (ht) [?????], Democratising Democracy: A Critical Challenge, by Mukti Rijal (rn), ‘Identity, a valid issue in debate onfederalism’ (ht)

28/01/2015: Ruling bloc invites Maoist, Madhesi parties for talks (kp), Ruling parties urge opposition to join PDC (ht), Govt urges oppn to join proposal committee (rep), PM starts dialogue with oppn (kp), PM to begin talks with opposition (ht), Oppn panel to coordinate stir (kp), With limited options at hand, Dahal in dilemma, by Ashok Dhakal (rep), Tuladhar’s AJRA prepares to rally other Janajati groups (kp), RPP-N divided on supporting ruling parties (kp), Widening the consensus circle: Integrating hills and Tarai while carving states will help them gain comparative advantage of both regions, by Jagannath Adhikari (kp), Long wait: We have failed to manage recent changes and people are suffering for it, by Shambhu Ram Simkhada (rep), Road to constitution: Political parties adopted a random negatiation model and thus failed to deliver timely constitution, by Prakash Bhattarai (rep)

27/01/2015: False narrative: It would be unwise to leave the task of writing the consitution completely to the NC and UML, by Bhoj Raj Poudel (kp) [Not even half of the electorate voted for these parties in November 2013!!!], Poles apart: Amid continuing political polarisation, the only way out of the current impasse is for both ruling and opposition parties to sit for negotiations, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Nembang convenes proposal committee for January 31 (rep), Take agitating parties on board: Prez to Oli (kp), NC blames opposition for CA deadline miss (kp), 9-point joint proposal a mistake: Nepal (kp), Don’t push Maoists into a corner: Nepal (ht), Questionnaire panel meets Saturday (kp), 30-party front announces three-phase protest, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), 30-party alliance announces protest (rep), Chand to oppn: Walk out of CA (kp), Chand ready to join hands if UCPN-M quits CA (ht), PM reaches out to Dahal for accord (kp), PM takes initiative to woo oppn: Tells Nepali Congress lawmakers to exercise restraint, calls Dahal (ht), Flawed rhetoric of Madhes politics: Over and above the problems, by Durga Gautam (ht), We met Raut on human rights grounds: Envoys, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), Certain death: It is not surprising how inconsequential the anti-climax of the hullabaloo over the deadline for the constitution became in the end, by Dinkar Nepal (rep), Our own constitution: Since elected representatives failed to carry out their duties, BibekSheel Nepalis published a new constitution on Jan 22, 2015, by Ujwal Thapa (rep)

26/01/2015: Panel formed amid oppn noise: Questionnaire Committee to start work in 5 days; Opposition refuses to be on panel formed ‘unilaterally’, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Process to put disputed issues to vote begins: 73-member Proposal Drafting Committee to prepare questionnaire; To start work on Jan 31, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Door open at last for majority process: Nembang announces proposal preparation committee, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), ‘Past agreements violated’: 19-party alliance to boycott CA, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Maoists: No talks with govt, ruling parties, CA chair (kp), Opposition not to sit in talks with ruling side, CA chair (rep), NC, UML: Talks, voting go together; Welcome opposition alliance’s decision to stay in the CA process (kp), Constitution at any cost, says KP Oli (ht), Keep talking: Road to constitution (rep), Show flexibility (ht), Not too far gone: Regardless of process initiated, onus still lies on ruling parties to seek consensus (kp), Nembang’s move divides Janajatis (kp), Federalism a political issue, to be decided by political actors, interview with Lok Raj Baral (kp), No Alternative To Dialogue, Consensus, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Time to ban Nepal banda: However hard some people might try to justify bandas, I think that they are organised primarily to fulfil the vested interests of a few politicians, by Suju Bhattarai (kp), Nationality card through mother: Apex court verdict helps siblings get citizenship (kp), The new Right: On every single issue from federalism to inclusion, Maoist left has raced far from the center only to meet Kamal Thapa on the right, by Tika P. Dhakal (rep) [??? Kamal Thapa neither wants federalism nor inclusion but a return to the royal Hindu state belonging to male Tagadharis!!!], Black day: Maoist CA members' unruly behavior does not match the image of prople's representatives, by Chandra Mohan Yadav, Nepali Congress (rep)

25/01/2015: Ball is in CA chair’s court: What Nembang does next can either give renewed hopes for the statute or can polarise the nation, by Akhilesh Upadhyay (kp), Growing rift puts CA chairman at centre stage (kp), NC, UML say there is no alternative to CA process (kp), Ruling parties want panel thru voice vote (ht), Opposition front tells CA chair to defer formation of committee (ht), Oppn seeks 10-day CA recess for statute talks (kp), Oppn front claims ruling parties not keen to hold talks (ht), Govt tightens security in and outside CA (kp), Democratic, federal, inclusive statute will be true tribute to Gajju Babu: Mahato (ht), Khadka for Hindu state (ht), CA Fiasco And Sinister Design, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn), The UN as witness: An account of how the Seven-Party Alliance and Maoists agreed to involve the UN in monitoring Nepal’s peace process, by Suresh Chalise (kp)

24/01/2015: Five days of CA pandemonium, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Oppn to ‘quit CA’ if process forced: UCPN (Maoist)-led bloc warns of leaving CA if chairman presses with questionnaire committee formation, by Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Ruling parties lash out at opposition: KP Oli says making Baburam Bhattarai chairman of CPDCC a mistake (ht), NC, UML upbeat by Nembang’s ‘decisive’ stance: Constituent Assembly chairman says the meeting on Sunday will be decisive for the statute process (kp), CA process may proceed tomorrow: Nembang to cancel ruling parties’ proposal and table a new one himself, by Prakash Acharya and Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Nembang vows decisive step Sunday, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Oppn to continue CA obstruction (kp), UCPN-Maoist-led 30-party front terms protests successful (ht), Six injured in Rajbiraj clash (kp), Prohibited zones declared in Rajbiraj (ht), CPN-M political calls for conference (ht), Stay out: Role of int’l community (rep) [??? Donor countries have the duty towards their own citizens to speak up as long as the irresponsible Nepali politicians continue to burn the money Nepal has received for peace and reconstruction!!!], Hearing of transitional justice writ postponed: Conflict victims say they are losing hope of the case being heard as it is being postponed intentionally (kp), Unbecoming Behaviour: Stop Hooliganism In Constituent Assembly, by Pranav Bhattarai (rn), Paradigm shift: Anything Maoists do will be perceived as a design to push their petty interests or even madnes, by Mahabir Paudyal (rep)

23/01/2015: Misplaced priorities: The present turmoil is all about power-sharing rather than a real fight for an all-inclusive constitution, by Narayan Manandhar (kp), Languages and federalism: An important connection, by Krishna Kumar Sah (ht), Zero-sum game: CA disappoints again; One more year down the drain as leaders do not keep Jan 22 constitution date; Nembang laments sharp polarisation among major forces, by Pranab Kharel and Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Self-imposed deadline ends in fiasco, by Ram Kumar Kamat and Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Parties fail to deliver statute, by Thira L. Bhusal and Ashok Dahal (rep), No statute on designated date leaves people dejected (rep), CA chair finds himself on the hot seat: Opposition sees him assiding with the ruling parties (ht), CA urges parties not to disrupt CA meet on Friday (rep), Govt briefs int’l community (kp), Statute-drafting process to continue, govt tells envoys, by Lekhanath Pandey (ht), Leaders happy to pass the buck (kp), Bhattarai apologises for failure (kp), Citizens blame ‘incorrigible’ leaders (kp), Conduct unbecoming: Nembang must rise above party interests and be mindful of his place in history (kp), CA building, periphery heavily guarded (kp), Oppn alliance, Janajatis to continue their protests (kp), 18 protesters injured in Jhapa clash (kp), 12 UCPN-M cadres hurt in clash with police (ht), CPN-UML condemn arson at its office (ht), Demonstrations throw city traffic out of gear (ht), Inability to draft constitution set to affect economic activities, by Rupak D. Sharma (ht), Constitution deadlock will hit economy hard: Experts (rep), Pass the preamble: Sign on what you have agreed to and move on, by Damakant Jayshi (nt), Better later than never: The failure to meet the deadline is not a dead-end, by Om Astha Rai (nt), When today's newborn turns 18, will Nepal be a better place or worse?, by Nirjana Sharma (rep)

22/01/2015: Past the deadline: A durable constitution will still require the consent of at least the four major political forces and address at least the fundamental aspirations of Madhesis, Dalits, Janajatis, and women (kp), NC, UML request CA chair to move ahead with process (kp), Madhes leaders urge ruling parties to respect past deals (rep), Statute needs widest public support, says int’l community (kp) [The ruling parties think that the support by 49 percent of the population, which they got in the elections, justifies their procedure!!], Envoys want parties back to negotiating table (ht), Govt to brief int’l community (kp), Govt to brief international community today (ht), Oli: UML is in support of political consensus (kp) [?? Consensus among Nepali politicians always means that the others have to accept one's own position!!], Dahal blames PM for deadlock; Oli urges opposition to sit for negotiation (ht), UCPN (M) shifts blame on PM Koirala, his party (kp), CA set to miss yet another deadline, by Prakash Acharya (ht), January 22 deadline missed at last, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), Parties 'betray' people over statute-making, by Kosh Raj Koirala (rep), Collective failure: One year of second CA (rep), Billions spent but still no constitution (ht), Panel to probe vandalism (ht), CA secretariat starts probe into vandalism in CA, by Kamal Pariyar (rep), Oppn, UML cadres clash in Rajbiraj, by Jitendra Kumar Jha (rep), One hurt as UML cadres clash with alliance activists (ht), Securing CA building: 3-layer security ring to stave off unrest (kp), Janajatis demo for identity-based states (kp), RPP-N roots for refrendum on disputed issues (rep), Extremism breeds extremism: Willingness to compromise, no matter how painful, can pave the way for a constitution that will endure, by Pramod Mishra (kp), Collective failure: The process can only work if there is consensus to respect the sanctity of democratic process and people's mandate expressed through CA elections, by Dinesh Bhattarai, advisor of PM Sushil Koirala (rep) [The ruling parties may have won almost two thirds of the seats, but they were only supported by 49 percent of the voters, i.e. the mandate of the voters was consensus, not majority voting!!], No Constitution Today, by Uttam Maharjan (rn), Nepal at crossroads: Nepal can prosper and remain a model of democratic governance through hard work and compromise, not bandas and disruption, by Peter W. Bodde, US ambassador to Nepal (rep), Only Independent Mediation Will Help Resolve the crisis, interview with Devendra Raj Panday (rep), Four countries issue travel alerts: Advise their respective citizens to exercise high degree of caution when in Nepal, by Kriti Bhuju (rep)

21/01/2015: 8 parties firm on questionnaire panel (kp), Ruling alliance asks oppn to join constitution drafting process (rep), CA obstruction by Maoist, Madhesi parties remains (kp), Oppn to continue obstruction in CA (rep), Maoist-led alliance disrupts CA, by Prakash Acharya (ht), Statute-making in confrontation mode after opposition turns unruly (rep), CA vandalism draws criticisms on social media (kp), Who resorted to brawl in CA? (kp), Ruling and opposition parties engage in blame-game: 19-party alliance ready to probe fracas inside CA Hall, by Tika R. Pradhan (ht), CA secretariat to probe into CA scuffle (rep), Nembang seeks report on damage caused (ht), Bringing down the house: We take a dim view of violence inside and outside CA to extract concessions (kp), Nationwide strike runs into stiff resistance: Dozens injured in clashes between enforcers and defiers (rep), Bandh enforcers target media persons (ht), Attacks on media condemned (kp), Bandh enforcers attack Dahal’s security: Janardan Sharma hit on head, rushed to hospital; APF sub-inspector injured in scuffle (kp), 15 vehicles vandalised‚ 25 held (ht), Banda enforcers attack Banda protestors (rep), Banda brings nation to a halt (kp), Whose commissions? The politically-controlled transitional justice commissions offer little hope for victims of the conflict, by Ram Bhandari (kp), Democracy and the oligarchs: Despite the country inching towards a full democracy, the structure of Nepali politics remains oligarchic, by Janak Raj Joshi (kp), House Bedlam, Opposition Falls To New Low, by Narayan Upadhyay (rn), Stop tomfoolery: Leaders fooled voters during election campaign; The betrayed people by failing to deliver timely constitution, by Bimal Gautam (rep), Perpetuating status quo: Those with privileges have hijacked constitutional deliberations, sidelining the marginalized voices, by Chaitanya Subba (rep)

20/01/2015: CA members clash during session: Nembang defers meeting till 1pm after Maoist and Madhesi representatives protest call to propose motion violently, by Pranab Kharel and Kamal Dev Bhattarai (kp), Oppn throws chairs as ruling parties sit by, by Prakash Acharya and Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Dahal warns against vote (kp), Voting last resort: Oli; ‘No new govt before statute promulgation’ (kp), UML’s Rai, Sunuwar against identity-based federalism (ht), NEFIN ‘flexible’ on nos, name of states (kp), No agreement on forms of governance: Dahal says CA process can begin if parties agree on federalism (ht), Youth groups campaign for citizenship through mother (kp), Playing with fire: Govt must be cautious, but restrained, about ensuring security before Jan 22 (kp), Beyond constitution. Issues related to the constitution have been seen from lenses that suit individuals rather than the nation, by Sujeev Shakya (kp), Magh 8: A Deadline Or Deadly-line?, by Nahendra Khadka (rn), Agitations pose threat to capital’s greenery (ht), Political infiltration marring traditional practices (ht), Pie in the sky: The country is likely to remain in limbo for foreseeable future; The problem, it seems, will be resolved only with emergence of a strongman, by Sukhdev Shah (rep), Disappointing drama: Consensus call of the opposition and ruling parties' demand for voting process have embittered the common public, by Bhagirath Basnet (rep), Bring the draft: Constitution that doesn not address contentious issues and lacks consent of parties to CA will raise the question of legitimacy, by Alok Pokharel (rep)

19/01/2015: CA deliberation on CPDCC report ends (ht), Parties ‘closing gap’ on statute disputes: Mull over compromise for five disputed districtsn: Once federalism issue is resolved, others ‘manageable’, by Pranab Kharel and Bhadra Sharma (kp), Parties inching towards consensus, say leaders, by Prakash Acharya and Tika R. Pradhan (ht), Parties defer 'decisive course' for today: leaders claim they are close to consensus, by Thira L. Bhusal (rep), High expectations, big preparations all in vain, by Ashok Dahal (rep), Constitution capers (rep) [photo feature], Point of some return: Best course of action is still to attempt to reach consensus by January 22 (kp), Leaders’ love for 5 districts at heart of federal row (kp), Five disputed districts could be governed by Centre, interview with Shekhar Koirala, Nepai Congress (kp), Oppn holds firm against voting (kp), Make tomorrow’s bandh successful: UCPN-M (ht), Plea to call off bandh (ht), FNCCI urges parties to withdraw strike (ht), Folks rally against strike in Pokhara (ht), NEFIN asks UML to abide by past deals (kp), Ensure Janajatis’ rights, NEFIN tells UML chief (ht), RPP-N pickets Assembly demanding referendum (kp), Cops, RPP-N cadres clash (ht), Police charge batons at RPP-N cadres (rep), TRC process ‘unilateral’ (kp), Paradigm shift: Without a fundamental shift in the way politics is approached, it is difficult to see a new constitution, by Akhilesh Upadhyay (kp), Parties' Flawed Stances And Failures, by Nandalal Tiwari (rn), Youth Parliament unveils dummy constitution, by Sangeet Sangroula (rep), Road to uncertainty: If this CA also fails to promulgate the statute, Nepal's constitution will never be written by an elected assembly, by Ramesh Nath Pandey (rep) [The author is a staunch monarchist and served Gyanendra at times of his royal putsch!], Prithvi's legacy: There has been conspicuous lack of objective evaluation and informed debate about the builder of modern Nepal, by Deependra Adhikari (rep) [Prithvi Narayan's forceful unification laid the foundation for Nepal's independence, but part of his legacy is also the current state non-inclusion, social stratification and injustice!!], The Madhesh Question: Eight years after Madhesh uprising, Madheshis are still waiting; The long silence doesn't imply the externalized population of the country has been silenced, by C.K. Lal (rep)

18/01/2015: Prez urges statute in consensus (kp), Prez urges parties to moderate stances (ht), On defaulting Jan 22, parties to issue vow paper (kp) [They should better implement their vows of 2005 and 2006!!], Voting process could start if bid to forge consensus fails: NC, UML for commission to decide boundaries of provinces (ht), Rift widens as lawmakers trade barbs (kp), Confrontation looming large at CA, says Dahal (ht), Dahal prods civil society (kp), Explosives, pistol recovered after blast (kp), Constituent Assembly, To Write Statute Or Spill Blood?, by Ritu Raj Subedi (rn)