Nepal was established as an inclusive federal democratic republic on Sunday. A great number of people celebrated the occasion as a historic achievement. The country got the new document after a long time. The Post talked to renowned personalities from the Nepali theatre, film, music and academic sectors to get their opinions about the constitution.

Hari Bansha Acharya (actor/comedian)

We have to appreciate this feat. The majority of the people have taken this very positively. I am not the student of law to analyse this on a better level, so I’d like to throw out this analogy: having a brand new car is not sufficient in itself; the skill of the driver and how he handles it has a direct impact on how the car functions. Yesterday, even as we lit candles in Kathmandu, in some parts of the Tarai, people set the Constitution on fire. In the last few months, more than four dozen people have been killed.  The government must address the genuine grievances raised by the people in the Tarai, and if they do not want to entertain their issue, it should do so on the basis of clear and convincing reasoning.

Dr Sanjeev Upreti (Professor)

We welcomed the new constitution at Theatre Village by lighting candles.

This is certainly a happy moment for all of us because after nearly seven decades of struggle, the country has finally got the Constitution. However, there we must revise the document if need be to include the agendas of the Dalits, marginalised, janajatis and women, and make the Constitution more inclusive.  This constitution is a liberal one, as these voices are already being addressed to some extent, but many provisions may still need to be revised.

Dayahang Rai (Actor)

The new constitution is a product of long-drawn-out and rigorous effort carried out by our Constituent Assembly Members. In one sense, the dream of Nepali people has come true, but some leaders in the Tarai have boycotted it; there is still in a rift in our country, and we have been hearing news of clashes in the Tarai. The political parties must invite the disaffected factions for talks, and they should address their demands as soon as possible.  We can then welcome this achievement wholeheartedly.    

Rajan Khatiwada (theatre artist)

We theatre artist welcomed the new constitution in a simple way. We continued with our work in Mandala Theatre to show that we were on board with the promulgation. After staging our regular drama shows, the artists and our audiences lit candles, which were arranged as a map of Nepal, we all placed candles in the segments that represented our respective districts. We prayed for peace and a prosperous Nepal.  Personally, as a Nepali, this is a historic moment, but when I try to come to grips with how we went about the promulgation process, I do feel saddened—because we could not bring the disgruntled people from the Tarai on board. However, this is a progressive constitution, and there is a lot of space to include the genuine agendas of the dissatisfied people in the Madhesh. 

 Aavaas (musician and singer)

Having a new constitution was the need of the country at this hour. I am happy with this promulgation. It may not be able to address everyone’s demand, but with time it can be amended to include the genuine demands of people from every walk of life. I am optimistic this document will bring positive changes in the country and make everyone equal despite the variations in caste, creed, ethnicity and gender. I am looking forward to a prosperous Nepal.