‘I didn't feel like going back to SRC’


-Prof Dr Ganeshman Gurung
Why didn't you accept the post of Chairman of the State Restructuring Commission (SRC)?


Earlier, I was appointed SRC Chairman by the Maoist-UML coalition government. But the parties did not bother to give a complete shape to the SRC. The SRC formation was limited to mere announcement; I was not allowed to work for nearly a year. I felt like being humiliated and therefore resigned. This time, I didn't feel like going back to the recently-formed SRC.


Is that the only reason?


State restructuring is not a child's play. I don't think it can be done in two months. So, the time given to the SRC is not enough. Also, the members were handpicked by the political parties. I don't think this was right. Fourteen states, as proposed by the Committee for Restructuring the State and Sharing of State


Power of the Constituent Assembly, will be too many for Nepal. And again, I am with the University Grants Commission (UGC). It wouldn't be right to leave UGC just like that.


Even some UML lawmakers representing the indigenous nationalities protested against you, saying you are against the idea of ethnicity-based federalism. Is that also a reason why you were not interested in the SRC this time?


I am a free person. I don't know who protested or supported me.


How independent do you think is the recently formed SRC?


Intellectuals appointed to the SRC have agreed to represent different political parties. So, I doubt if the Commission will be truly independent.