Former CPN (UML) Vice Chairman Dr. Bhim Rawal, who has been involved in politics for five decades, has been expelled from the party.
A UML Secretariat meeting held on Wednesday dismissed Rawal from the party, revoking his party membership, citing reasons including non-compliance with the party discipline.
The dismissal of Rawal, who had been raising his voice to maintain rules and systems in the party, created huge ripples not only within the UML but also across the political spectrum.
Against this backdrop, Nepalkhabar talked to former UML Vice Chairman Dr. Bhim Rawal for his reaction on his expulsion from the party. Excerpts:
UML expelled you from the party, what is your next move?
Primarily, I assert that Chairman KP Oli's decision to expel me is arbitrary, high-handed, and highly despotic. He has long been creating groups and factions in the party. He has been suppressing voices raised by honest leaders like me against corruptions, irregularities, unconstitutional and undemocratic activities. My expulsion from the party is the continuation of Oli's same high-handedness.
I believe that anyone in favor of justice and those who uphold democratic values and human rights detest this decision.
As far as the question regarding my next move is concerned, I have been raising voices in favor of people, sovereignty, integrity, prosperity and good governance for the past five decades. I will be continuously raining my voice for these causes.
UML has closed its door to you. Are you planning to form a new party or join an existing one?
Given my expulsion, I will, of course, not remain in the UML. It's early to say regarding my next move, immediately. One thing, I can say, is that I will not refrain from advocating for the rights and interest of the citizens and the country.
I will carefully consider the viewpoints of honest people, UML cadres and members, and most importantly, the current needs of our nation before deciding on my next course of action.
You have been actively involved in UML politics for the past five decades. What led to your expulsion from the party?
The party sent me a letter seeking a clarification on October 21. It was itself a mockery of the citizens' democratic rights and the people's multiparty democracy upheld by the UML. The questions in the clarification letter involved why I contested elections for the post of chairman in the general convention, why I refused to be an advisor, why I met with the cadres? Which were ridiculous. That is why, I haven't answered these questions so far.
I never sighed away from raising my voice whenever Oli attacked the nationality, democracy and breached the Constitution. Driven by the arrogance of believing he could do anything, he took this action against me.
Your relation with the party was getting worse, of late. Have you ever thought that you would be expelled from the party?
During the tenure of Madhav Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal as general secretaries of the party, Oli had formed a shadow central committee, too. However, the party did not take any action against him. Everybody knows about Oli's habit of expressing his views for an hour in the committee and leaving the meeting. The party had not taken action against him.
I had never thought that the party would take action against me to the extent that I would be dismissed from the party simply for raising my voice against undemocratic and unconstitutional activities in the party.
You were close to Madhav Nepal when he defected to form a new party. You were criticizing Oli's activities even during that period. Don't you regret not to join the CPN (Unified Socialist) formed by Nepal?
When the party was on the verge of split, top leaders including Oli and Nepal agreed to form a task-force and reached a 10-point agreement for the sake of party unity. I signed the deal but Nepal did not comply with it and defected to form new party. I thought it would be unwise to quit the party in such a situation. I stood in favor of the party unity. That was why I did not join Nepal's party believing that there were still some good people committed to bringing about a socialist society.
The other two leaders have also been suspended from the party. Does this indicate that the leaders who speak against the wrong decisions of the party will face the similar consequences in the future?
From the outset, I have been a vocal advocate for national independence, the preservation of our nationality, and a staunch opponent of corruption, immoral conduct, and irregularities. When Chairman Oli could no longer tolerate my outspoken criticism, he retaliated by revoking my party membership.
Binda Pandey and Usha Timsena have also been suspended after they criticized the party's decision to receive land donation from Bhatbhateni Supermarket owner Min Bahadur Gurung. If truth, justice, moral ethics, good governance, patriotism, independence, multiparty democracy, and the right to vote and be voted are lost, the UML's downfall will begin.
I am confident that honest individuals will be drawn to our cause if we launch a patriotic campaign in the future.
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