Parmanand Jha (Nepali: परमानन्द झा) is the Vice President of Nepal and a former Supreme Court judge. He hails from Mauwaha VDC-1, Saptari District.[1] Jha resigned as a judge in December 2007. He had not been proposed by the Judicial Council as a permanent judge at the apex court, following allegations of involvement in drug smuggling. Jha joined political life, becoming a member of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum.[2] On July 19, 2008, Jha was elected vice-president of Nepal by the Constituent Assembly.[3] Jha had been nominated by the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum.[4] After the election, Jha vowed that he would work in an independent manner, free from party interests.[2]
Chief Justice Kedar Prasad Giri administered oath of office and secrecy to the Ram Baran Yadav first president at the presidential palace, Shital Niwas, Rastrapati Bhawan, 3:45 pm. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, inter alia was present. Yadav also administered oath to the vice president Parmananda Jha.[5][6] His swearing in caused controversy in Nepal, as he took the oath of office in Hindi, rather than Nepali or Maithali, his native dialect.
- Excerpts from wikipedia
Dear friends,
Here, I want to ask a question to the self proclaimed 'nationalists'. What is nationalism? Is it being anti something or is it being loyal to a nation? In my view, it is simply a love and sincerity towards the nation. Now, where does the controversy come regarding the doubt of Mr. Jha being a true Nationalist? I dont know how he disproved his loyalty to the nation. Did he sell some territories, or did he signed a secret bill, or did he sell the intelligence information to other countries? However, there are so many 'Nepalese', who speak in Nepali and have signed the 'unequal' treaties. Is nepalese language a bail to a crime, and hindi a non-bailable crime?
I dont think that language can be any means of proving nationality. Many national figures of different countries speak in national languages of other countries. Does that simply mean that they are 'sold and bought' for the countries whose national language was spoken? In recent Indian Parliament, Rahul Gandhi was observed speaking in English. Does that mean he sold his nationality and country's pride?
I would also like to remind my friends that, Language can never ever belong to any country. Language is only associated with communication and between people.
Also, as none of us can deny the fact that Hindi is a Lingua Franca of madhes/tarai. Personally me, I speak Maithili. But if i am to speak to a person speaking awadhi, I would prefer Hindi than looking stupid by discovering my own version of awadhi which i have hardly spoken. And speaking with tharus would be more complex. Therefore, i would expect the awadhi speaking guy or a tharu to speak in Hindi, because there would be comparitively less error in speaking and understanding Hindi than one trying the language that is relatively more 'difficult' to comprehend.
The non-madhesi people just pretend not to understand hindi. If the TV cable programmes and movies can be watched and enjoyed in Hindi, I dont think the speech/oath of 4 mins cannot be. Hindi can be understood by other nepalese (non madhesis) too. Therefore, to promote equality and non-partisan with any language and to show the neutrality, Mr. Jha did the right thing to use the language that could be understood my all the nepalese. Had he spoken in Nepali, the madhesis could not have understood. Had he spoken in Maithilee, the Pahadis, Tharus, and others must not have understood. Therefore, it can be argued that not Nepali, but Hindi is the language to fill the gap that exists between a pahadi and a madhesi. Hindi is the lingua franca of whole Nepal. And the beauty is that Hindi belongs to none.
I must remind here again that before the rule of King Mahendra, Hindi was the language used in Education, Courts and general communication. It was the doctrine of King Mahendra to alienate the madhesis by dominating Hindi and pushing the Nepali language as only official language. Thus automatically, the madhesis not knowing Nepali was alienated from communication to the state organs. This should be rectified at least now.
Therefore, I conclude that lets all not get disturbed by the fact that Hindi is the language of India. Some interest groups try to provoke this issue for their benefit. But once, if thought with patience and without being biased, we will know the logic.
Comments are welcome.
