Democracy is Not a Festival: The Vital Role of Public Debate and Accountability in Nepali Politics
Summary
Democracy in Nepal is not just about voting once in five years but requires continuous public debate, questioning, and accountability to sustain its vitality.
Key Points
- Democracy should be understood as a continuous process involving debate, criticism, transparency, and dialogue rather than a one-day event of voting.
- Public debate is essential for legitimizing power, holding leadership accountable, and refining policies in a democracy.
- Nepali politics currently struggles with viewing debate as obstruction, unlike democratic cultures in countries like the USA and Britain where debate is institutional strength.
- Leaders like Balen Shah and political parties such as the Rastriya Swatantra Party must embrace public questioning and transparency to sustain democratic governance.
