Nepal PM: Abolishing Trade Unions Will Bolster Professional Freedoms

Prime Minister Balendra Shah of Nepal has articulated a clear vision for reform, asserting that the recent move to abolish trade unions and ban party flags in bureaucratic and academic institutions is designed to foster a cleaner, more professional environment. In a social media post, Shah clarified that these measures are not intended to curtail rights but rather to bolster professional freedoms, which he believes have been undermined by pervasive party politics.

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Banning party flags in schools and bureaucracy will not seize rights of students and employees, but strengthens professional freedoms.

Shah's administration contends that the deep-rooted influence of party politics has long been detrimental to Nepal's educational and administrative sectors. By removing party symbols and affiliations from these spheres, the government aims to refocus institutions on their core functions: education and public service. This initiative, according to the Prime Minister, is a necessary step to combat "partyocracy" and restore public trust in the system, which has suffered due to sycophancy over competence.

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Many journalists, leaders, activists, businessmen and the general public have been arguing for years that partyocracy ruined university study and bureaucracy.

From the perspective of Nepal's current leadership, particularly within the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), this is not an attack on political opposition but a strategic move towards institutional reform. Shah emphasizes that the RSP could easily establish its own organizations but chooses not to, prioritizing quality enhancement and the dignity of civil servants over partisan gains. The focus, he insists, is on creating an environment where students learn from educators, not politicians, and where employees serve citizens, not political parties. This approach reflects a nationalist sentiment aimed at strengthening Nepal's internal systems for the benefit of its people and its future.

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Our effort is entirely for creating opportunity for students to learn from teachers rather than from politics, and not from a mob of political leaders.