In yet another case of intra-party political discord leaking into its sister organisations, rival factions of the youth wing of the Rastriya Prajantra Party (RPP) clashed on Wednesday, forcing an abrupt postponement of the wing’s Kathmandu district convention. In the process, a sister wing of a political party again showed itself to be no more than a puppet of the leaders of the mother party. The ugly truth is that their use as a political weapon has greatly corrupted these organisations over the years.

In the partyless Panchayat era, political parties operating underground needed these organisations to raise political awareness and strengthen support for their movements. While former King Mahendra’s iron-fist rule barred political parties from carrying out their activities openly, groups such as students, teachers and lawyers were not restricted from organising. As a result, the parties used such groups to fuel the democratic movement. They thus played a pivotal role in the restoration of democracy.

However, the sister wings of political parties are becoming obsolete, as they have been reduced to the role of displaying muscle for their mother parties. Such organisations have failed to represent their representative groups. Farmers’ organisations affiliated with the ruling parties do not amplify the concerns of the farmers so long as their mother party is in power. Student unions care about their affiliated party’s political line rather than the hardships faced by students. Instead of providing a platform for young leaders to develop into solid politicians, youth wings are being reduced to rudimentary roles such as taking to the streets in ‘show of strength’ rallies.

In addition, such organisations have now become battlegrounds for the leaders of the political parties. Candidates are fielded in the general conventions of sister organisations only with the blessings of certain leaders in the mother parties. As a result, when they win internal elections and occupy office, these organisational leaders amplify the political line and preferences of the leaders who backed them during the election. These leaders of sister wings often lack even basic manners and decency as their power comes not from work but from the protection of powerful politicians. In a recent case, Kamal Raj Joshi, a student leader affiliated with the ruling CPN-UML, was caught on camera beating up a police officer.

What is the use of a student organisation that does not seek to help students? How can a youth wing represent the youth while being led by elderly figures? And what value does a teachers’ organisation have when it worries more about political ideologies rather than the classroom environment? We have come a long way since the restoration of democracy in 1990 and today, the sister wings of political parties have stopped working for the groups they supposedly represent.

Ruffian student and youth leaders from these sister wings tarnish the reputation of the mother party, not just the sister wing. Sometimes, it makes more sense to amputate a limb if it stops functioning, let alone function in a way that is detrimental to the body. Sister wings of political parties either need to be disbanded or revamped to serve their intended purpose.