Talk of Tashi’s appointment in Cabinet stirs debate – The Himalayan Times – Nepal’s No.1 English Daily Newspaper

KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 17

While the interim government led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki is struggling to complete her Cabinet, the induction of Gen Z faces has flared up a fresh debate of ‘Nepali Identity’ on social media. Several incidents of discrimination and Nepalisation ideologies have been reported by netizens and denizens throughout the history, including during the reign of monarch Mahendra Shah.

Many have claimed that the project of monarch Mahendra ‘Nepalisation’ has been successful, as it still remains ingrained in the subconscious head of a certain class of people living in fixed geographical locations – particularly highly hilly Khas Aryans.

“Congratulations to Mahendra! His ‘becoming Nepali’ project has been successful,” Anjali Sah wrote on Facebook. “Earlier, Dr Sangeeta Mishra, and now Tashi Lhazom, the way one person after another is being insulted in the media and social media did not start suddenly today. This is the result of that thinking, where ‘Nepali’ means only the hill people, and only Newars are known as indigenous.” She further said in her post: “Apart from that, all the Madhesi, Tharu, Limbu and Muslim indigenous peoples get citizenship, but they are only considered second-class in the name of nationality.” “It is not my concern to make someone a minister or not. But the style in which the media trial is being conducted has shown that the Gen Z generation also comes with the same narrow-minded thinking,” her post reads further. “We are just vote banks. Country, nationality and citizenship are all yours.”

“Shameful to question her identity. Ms Tashi Lhazom is Nepali, as you are. Our society’s ugliest face and biggest flaw is doubting our own. Real patriotism embraces diversity – fake nationalism must end. #SupportTashi #TashiLhazom #StopRacism,” wrote advocate Mohna Ansari.

“Sometimes I can’t help but laugh at how deeply insecure some people are about the idea of Nepal actually being diverse. Newsflash: Nepal isn’t some mythical, isolated land of ‘one pure identity’. People living here look like people in neighbouring countries and beyond, because that’s how geography and history work. It doesn’t make us ‘foreigners’. Tashi Lhazom is just as Nepali as you are,” reads Pallavi Payal post.

“And honestly, who’s trying to take over Nepal? No one is lining up to become Nepali. Most people are busy giving up their citizenship and moving abroad. Trace your own ancestry sometime; you might realise how many borders your roots have already crossed. Stop living in fear!”

The fresh debate about ‘Nepali Identity’ emerged particularly after Tashi Lhazom’s name came out in the media that she has been recommended for the ministry as a Gen Z representative and expertise in the climate change field.

Earlier, Sangeeta Mishra was recommended for the Health Ministry in the interim government led by Prime Minister Sushila Karki and was removed after the debate flared up about her citizenship issue and alleged cases of corruption. Additionally, the questions about Sudan Gurung, Gen Z leader, and identity were also raised initially as Indian, but it was clarified later that he is Nepali.

“When the Madhesis from the south of the country progress in politics or positions, they say, ‘Indian,’ and ask about their citizenship. When the indigenous of the north try to progress, they term them ‘Tibetan’ and ask for their citizenship. And even when they show their citizenship, they say, ‘It must have been made by bribing. Only those who live in this ‘in-between’ are truly patriotic and true citizens,” wrote Prince Shah. The recent debate over Tashi nationality and identity has turned several heads, prompting them to write and speak out against discrimination and disinformation about ‘Nepali Identity’.

He stated that he was annoyed to see a talented girl from his village, whom he knows closely, being called a foreigner. Mangal Rawal could not stop himself from writing on Facebook, saying, “Tashi Lhazom is a sister from my district whom I know very closely, and I have decided to write something about her after seeing the rumours that have come out in the Nepali media recently. She is a non-political and talented young woman representing an upper caste.”

He further has mentioned in his post, “Two years ago, she played a special role in the registration of some additional castes of the Lama caste. After obtaining higher education in political science from Delhi University, she has been continuously working for her community and environment. Seeing her ability, organisations like FAO have given her a ‘special mention’. Many Nepali youth are involved in developing their abilities in the Youth Council formed by the US Embassy, but this depends upon one wish.”

He has in his post stating, “Stop calling someone a foreign agent just because they work in international, multinational organisations. I would say shame on you. Not only the country but the world believes those who have the ability. Some people who do not have the ability lie in bed and call them the puppets of foreign powers.”

“Seeing those who are spreading 100 per cent about a capable daughter from Humla/Karnali and depriving her of an important opportunity in the state, I felt like asking, ‘Does it not bother you if Karnali shows its ability?’ Rather than becoming the leader of Karnali by carrying someone’s bag, Tashi is the daughter of Karnali who carries the bag of Kathmandu,” he asked in his post. “Please get rid of the ‘sick mentality’ of being an Indian agent just because she studied in Delhi and a Western agent just because she worked in multinational organisations.”

Giving best wishes to Tashi, he wrote, “In the past 30/40 years of politics, Karnali has experienced a central structure that gave only one provincial minister. Seeing her being minister, we will definitely welcome a young minister – best wishes, sister Tashi!” Dwarika Mangdhumbo Thebe wrote, “In this country, those who do not see the Madhesis living in Madhes as Nepali and those who see the Himalayan indigenous people living on the border of the Himalayas as Tibetans, but who see the Khas Aryans living in the same area as only Nepali, must throw away these glasses. #IamWithTashiLhazom Tashi Lhazom”.

Political analysts have labelled it a double standard behaviour which has been deeply rooted in Nepal. “The Gen Z youth who were shot dead were predominantly native speakers of the Nepali language. Non-Nepali speakers have been others in the grand narrative of Nepali nationality. That’s why you see the double standard in the common people of Pahade (people from hills) origin, including in the media,” political analyst and professor Binay Mishra told THT.

“In the cases of Sangeeta Mishra and Tashi, both of them are not representative of what is considered 24-carat Nepali.”

The Khas Aryan community’s dominance in Nepal has fuelled nationalist ideology, which has repeatedly pushed the indigenous Janajati, Madhesi and Dalit communities to prove their ‘Nepali’ identity. Tashi has even told the media that she wouldn’t have to deal with the current circumstance if she had come from Khas Aryan. Mishra further explained by citing the example of Rabi Lamichhane, president of the Rastriya Swatantrata Party (RSP), how he was reelected after relinquishing his US citizenship. But Dr Sangeeta Mishra was trialled by the media just because she was born in India despite having adopted naturalised citizenship after her marriage in Nepal, as per Mishra.

Stating another example, sympathy for the Gorkhaland statehood movement in West Bengal, he argued, “On what basis does a section of Nepali media have sympathy for them? Only on the grounds of the Nepali language. Nepali nationalism is nothing but something founded just on linguistic and ethnic parochialism,” he claimed. “It is not even fully anti-India since Nepali-speaking northeast Indians are regarded as Nepali.”