As Nepali farmers are busy in planting and tending paddy—a major crop in the country, a group of scientists and employees at the National Agricultural Research Council (NARC) are busy in power politics.

Employees of National Agriculture Research Council (NARC) staging a 24 hour long relay hunger strike demanding the resignation of their Executive Director at the head office in New Plaza, Wednesday, July 05 06. nepalnews.com/rh

Employees of National Agriculture Research Council (NARC) staging a 24 hour …
Employees of NARC have been organizing protest programme bringing the office work into complete halt for the last one month demanding immediate withdrawal of the officiating Executive Director of the NARC and some structural reform within the organization.

Giving due emphasis on the importance of agriculture in the national economy, Ashad 15 (June 29) is being observed as ‘national paddy day’ for the last three years but this year the day was celebrated amid protests at the NARC.

The main demands of the “Management Reform Joint Action Committee” include withdrawal of the decision of the cabinet to appoint Dularchan Sahu Pathik from the post of officiating Executive Director of the NARC, to empower the Executive Director to function independently putting an end to the system of political interference in the research institution and develop NARC in the model of Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Then Executive Director Ram Pratap Shah, who was appointed by the royal regime, was removed from his post following a policy decision of the new government to sack all the chiefs of state-owned corporations, committees and councils who were appointed since October 4, 2002. The government then appointed Pathik as officiating head of the Council. However, chairman of the action committee Dr. Madhusudan Upadhyay claimed that removal of Shah from his post was inappropriate since he was appointed through free competition. “Such decisions could hamper the activities of the organization,” he added.

Stating that 14 executive directors were changed over the last 15 years, Upadhyay urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives not to interfere in the research institution and leave it free.

Upadhyay, however, acknowledged that the strike was affecting research activities at a time it was expected to provide service to farmers in the peak agricultural season. “We were forced to go on strike since the concerned authorities did not listen to our demands,” he added.

He expressed sorrow over police intervention in their protest programme. “It is a matter of shame that the democratic government used police force to suppress our peaceful protest instead of listening our genuine demands,” he added.

Police on Monday intervened into the relay hunger strike being carried out by the employees of NARC and arrested more than one hundred scientists and employees. They were released later. The protest continues.

However, general secretary of NARC Employees Union, Basanta Pandey, told Nepalnews that the decision of the democratic government was appropriate and that majority of the NARC employees were against the strike. “It is ironic that employees affiliated to leftist unions are supporting the decision of the erstwhile royal government,” he said.

He alleged that Shah was appointed by a biased selection committee set up by the royal government. “Pathik is senior than Shah. So, the government’s decision on the basis of seniority sets good precedent and, hence, must be supported,” said Pandey. He further alleged that ‘vested interest groups’ within the Council were protesting his appointment.

According to Pandey, due to on-going strike, NARC employees were unable to draw their salaries and research activities had come to a complete halt. “The protest programme at the end of the fiscal year has affected the annual programme and policy of NARC and a number of programmes remain incomplete,” he added.

He also said that the government should form a committee to select Executive Director and end the political interference in the NARC.

Agriculture is the mainstay of Nepali economy as over 80 percent of the population depend on agriculture and this sector contributes well over 40 percent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). But experts say the practice of farming for sustenance, lack of timely improvement in farming methods, introduction of new technology and lack of access to nearby markets has hampered in the growth and modernization of the sector.

Talking to Nepalnews, senior scientist at the NARC, Dr. Binay Kumar Batsa, said as the employees were organizing protest at a time of plantation of major crop, it was likely to have negative impact in the agriculture sector of the country.

Instead of misusing resources of a poor country, the agitating employees can challenge the decision of the cabinet in the Court while continuing the research work and other day-to-day duties.
— Dr. Binay Kuamr Batsa, Senior Scientist, NARC
He further said that it was a time of producing improved seeds, new species of fruits and fishes. “Instead of misusing resources of a poor country, the agitating employees can challenge the decision of the cabinet in the Court while continuing the research work and other day-to-day duties,” he added.

When contacted by Nepalnews, spokesperson at the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Asishwore Jha, said that they were holding talks with the agitating employees to resolve the stand-off at the NARC at the earliest.

Jha further said that since the appointment of (officiating) executive director was made by the government on the basis of seniority, it was least likely to be changed immediately. “The ministry is positive about other issues related to institutional improvement of the NARC. We are working to resolve the problem immediately but it largely depends on to what extent the agitating employees agree for a compromise,” he added.

The on-going strike at NARC has proved, once again, that like other sectors Nepal’s scientific community too is not free of politics. Poor farmers in the country, however, would want the scientist and employees of the country to return to their work as early as possible by keeping the door for negotiations open.