By Dinesh Wagle
Wagle Street Journal
Sketch by Dewen via the Kathmandu Post (Inside: Ameet Dhakal of the Post: The hometown syndrome)
“Some leaders are suggesting us to eat poison and jump from steep hill. We don’t want to see army giving guard of honor to the king by disrespecting martyrs.”
Krishna Pahadi, human rights activist
A few days ago, while returning home late night from office, one of my colleagues said: “King Gyanendra must be worshipping an idol of Girija Prasad Koirala these days.”
“Why?” someone in the vehicle asked.
“Koirala is the one who miraculously saved king Gyanendra’s job and, mark my words, he will soon start advocating the role of king in future Nepal.”
“That might be true,” second colleague replied. “But Girija’s politics came to life solely because of the foolish deeds of king Gyanendra. So these two persons are complementing each other.”
Within slightly more than a week after this conversation we heard Koirala advocating for the ceremonial role of monarchy in Nepal. Arguing that all forces should get appropriate space for a lasting peace to arrive in the country, according to eKantipur, PM Koirala said, “This is why I have been putting forward my view to keep a ceremonial king.”
Koirala knows what he has spoken about. He has that right to say what he said ( in his home town Biratnagar). But people are the ones who will decide the ultimate fate of monarchy in Nepal. Koirala and his party Nepali Congress are free to take the agenda of ceremonial monarchy in the election of constituent assembly but as the Prime Minister he has no right to make the election of CA conditional. The election should be unconditional and people must have that freedom to vote for the agendas they like. They shouldn’t be given the choices like voting between ceremonial monarchy and constitutional monarchy in the future state structure.
Some conspiracy theorist ague that Koirala spoke on the issue as per the secret understanding reached in New Delhi while he was in India recently. You can never predict what Maoists will decide given the examples of how they have changed their stands over the months. Even if Maoists are also part of this secret understanding, people should be given the full opportunity to decide the fate of monarchy.
If Koirala wants to advocate for the ceremonial role of monarchy, he should resign from the post of Prime Minister. No one will feel bad if Koirala, as the president of Nepali Congress party, advocates for the ceremonial or active role to the king. Even if I consider myself as a distant sympathizer of Nepali Congress party, I will happily vote for any party who goes to the people with the agenda of democratic republicanism in Nepal. Anyone assuming the Prime Ministerial responsibility should be neutral, the state must be neutral regarding the specific agendas of CA election. As a time when country is engaged in peace talks with the Maoists, such issues should be left for the people to decide, Koirala is no one to impose his decision on people.
Students have started protesting Koirala remarks and distinguished members of civil society have started voicing their concerns as well. “Some leaders are suggesting us to eat poison and jump from steep hill,” said Krishna Pahadi, a human rights activist. “We don’t want to see army giving guard of honor to the king by disrespecting martyrs. We warn leaders to correct themselves and don’t go to wrong path.”
Another distinguished member of the civil society Dr. Mathura Prasad Shrestha opined that it was a crime to keep remains of monarchy in Nepal. “People haven’t slept yet,” he said. “They are still awake.” (Both Pahadi and Shrestha were speaking in a discussion program organized in Kathmandu today.)
King should be given ceremonial role: PM Koirala
BIRATNAGAR, June 14 – Prime Minister and President of the Nepali Congress, Girija Prasad Koirala has said that the king should be given a ceremonial role. Arguing that all forces should get appropriate space for a lasting peace to arrive in the country, PM Koirala said, “This is why I have been putting forward my view to keep a ceremonial king.” Addressing a gathering of party activists at his residence here in his hometown Biratnagar Wednesday morning, PM Koirala said that the Nepali Congress was moving ahead on the agenda of making the king ceremonial and bringing the Maoists and the seven parties into the democratic stream.
Hinting at the monarchy, Koirala said if not provided with some room, any force could opt for an “unpleasant path” due to the resulting frustration. “That’s why we have been saying that the king should be made ceremonial,” he said. Saying that all (forces) needed to be given some space in the transition phase, Koirala said if all sides are not given some room in democracy, it leads to disappointment and unpleasant incidents may take place, adding, “Anything could be done once the transition period was over.”
All parties have been given some room in the transition phase and the Maoists, too, are carrying out their activities for the same reason, Koirala said. Expressing optimism over the peace talks with the Maoists, the prime minister, however, said that arms management was an issue of “concern”. “We asked the Maoists not to collect donations; they issued a statement,” PM Koirala said, “They (Maoists) said they are concerned about feeding their army.” (continue reading)
Students Protest Koirala Remarks
Source: ekantipur
Students of various campuses in and outside the capital have protested against Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala’s remarks about keeping ceremonial monarchy in the country. In protest of the PM’s remarks on Wednesday that the king should be given a ceremonial role, students of the Amrit Science Campus at Lainchaur and Ratna Rajya Campus at Pradarsanimarga burnt effegies of the PM and shouted slogans against his “irresponsible” comments. Traffic remained disrupted for over an hour in the protest areas this morning. Student protests over the PM’s remarks have also been reported in Siraha. No one was arrested during the protests.
The hometown syndrome
By AMEET DHAKAL
from the Kathmandu Post Op-EdEvery time Girija Prasad Koirala goes to his hometown, Biratnagar, he says something controversial, something unpleasant. Or to be more precise, every time Koirala wants to say something controversial he flies off to Biratnagar. This “hometown syndrome” is as interesting as it is idiosyncratic and puzzling.
Koirala’s remarks in hot and humid Biratnagar the other day, have sent ripples across the nation. He wants monarchy to stay in a ceremonial form.
His remarks have done injustice to the revolutionary image of his hometown to say the least. It is land from where his father, Krishna Prasad Koirala, about a century ago, fired a salvo against the Ranas. It’s also the land where he himself took the lead in the Workers Movement in 1948 and his two charismatic brothers masterminded the downfall of Rana Oligarchy. Biratnagar, therefore, deserved to hear something forward looking rather than a pledge to the status quo, from its veteran fighters.
However, to be fair to Koirala, he wasn’t flip-flopping on the issue. Before the success of the April Uprising and ever since October 4, 2002, he has consistently rooted for a ceremonial monarchy. Remember his famous life: “Ceremonial monarchy is a borderline between monarchy and a republic”?
But his position appears dispiriting in the light of the new consciousness spread to the nooks and corners of the country by the April Uprising. The Uprising began with people pouring on to the streets against the king. And it stopped when they were told that they had secured the right to decide whether the monarchy will be a part of Nepal’s future or of the past. That’s the essence of going for constituent assembly elections. But Koirala’s remarks hit at the very core of this consciousness, and will backfire on him and his party. Society’s collective consciousness does not have any back gear, so it moves only forward, leaving behind those who can’t move along.
Why Koirala is so anxious to save the monarchy, which has failed to prove its relevance, is puzzling? And that too in an age when monarchy in a state is seen like an appendix to the human body – a completely useless part which can nevertheless be fatally dangerous when it malfunctions. That’s why surgeons often remove the appendix when they get a chance.
So there has to be some thinking – if not compulsions- behind Koirala’s argument. One of the three theories or a mix of them could help us understand this. First is a theory of fear, which has two sides. On the one side is the king, which Koirala himself admitted in his remark. If pushed to the wall, like a cat, the king will hit back. This fear also shows Koirala’s lack of trust in the security forces, chiefly the army. In other words, the omission of the word “Royal” from the army’s name was just cosmetic, and deep down inside the army still remains loyal to the crown. On the other side of the fear are the Maoists themselves. Koirala still doesn’t trust the rebels and wants to use monarchy to counterbalance them.
Second is a theory of favor and forgiveness. At 81, Koirala wants to do a favor to the king and win the loyalty of the army and the Shah-Rana clan in return. Koirala, perhaps, has also become a little generous, a little forgiving. Who else would be a better person to forgive than the king, who once thought Koirala was his enemy number one?
Third theory says it’s a deal sealed long ago. Brokered by India, the Seven Party Alliance – possibly with a nod from the Maoists – had assured the king that the monarchy would have a place in a future Nepal.
All these theories neither address past injustice nor ensure safety in the future. The monarchists argue that the monarchy is the pillar of stability and unity in Nepal. History, however, begs to differ. No prime minister has served a full term under the Shaha dynasty’s 238-year reign. None of the five Mukhtiyars (prime ministers) who preceded the Rana rule – Damodar Pandey, Rana Jung Pandey, Bhimsen Thapa, Mathawar Singh Thapa and Ranga Nath Poudel – had a natural exit from power.
In between 1952 and 1960, after the end of Rana Oligarchy, we had 10 governments in just eight years. In between 1960 and 1990 – the Panchyat era under the leadership of absolute monarchy – government heads were changed 22 times. None of the prime ministers, except Marich Man Singh, survived for more than 3 years at a stretch during the Panchayat.
And whenever people’s movements turned strong, the king and his henchmen compromised only to grab power in back at an opportune time. The past six decades of the political history of Nepal are a history of the people’s struggle for democracy. They launched their struggles – in various forms – in 1950, 1958, 1968, 1979, 1985, 1990 and 2005. In how many countries have people fought for democracy so relentlessly? And in how many have monarchies subdued by the people, come back to suppress them again?
No one is a better witness to our checkered past than Girija Prasad Koirala himself. He was on the frontline of that protracted and painful struggle. Just before the April Uprising he said something profound: “Let’s fight for democracy for the last time so that our future generations will not have to fight again.” It immediately captured the nation’s imagination. Why does he want to relent now?
It is wise not to be carried away by trivial short term considerations and lose sight of the future. “The temporary good is enemy to the permanent best,” wrote Bill Wilson.
ameet (@) kantipur.com.np
United We Blog 
Comments
49 responses to “Koirala for Ceremonial Monarchy: People Will Decide”
I like the point you made that Koirala can advocate monarchy as a nepali congress leader not as a prime minister. Monarchy can not be considered as a party. It will be ok if Gyanendra also wants to be a leader of a particular party after abdicating the thrown. Then he will get space to breath as Koirala said everybody need to get space. “Why should we worship King?” Has he done something good for us, like Lord Ram, or Lord Krishna? Should we praise him as he has done a lot of worst for us so far? What a ironical idea it is! If we need ceremonial king than why not make ceremonial king to Pashupatinath(if it is aceptable to all religion) other temple. Let a pujari in pashupatinath put some red tika to as a stamp in the Bills.
Instead of bringing Gyane, the mass murderer into justice, the puppet number one (i.e., Girija) is talking about giving the mass murderer a role. Shame on our PM. According to Girija’s view point, even criminals of our country should be getting some role. Go into prisons, and take all the murderer related criminals and give them the roles – maybe they will take care of Girija’s beloved mass murderer.
Koirala is right about ceremonial King. In essence he is suggesting a conditional constituent assembly. Why not? What if the new constitution of Nepal abolishes multi-party democracy? What if it abolishes freedom of speech and the freedom to host blog sites such as these? What if it stops individual’s right to own property? And more importantly, what if it says that the politburo and not the people of Nepal are the sovereign? Therefore, all these must be conditions put forth PRIOR to the CA elections.
Also, regarding the monarchy, we shouldn’t act in haste and repent in leisure. We have realized in the 21 years of chaos that it was the dearth of honesty and sacrifice among the political leaders that made them give power to the King in a platter. It was Deuba who handed over power to the King. We must make sure that characters such as Deuba doesn’t come to power through ballots. The King isn’t a problem, our dishonesty, immodesty, corrupt practises and fragility are.
There should be constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy. And the Maoists must lay down their guns before the CA elections.
Each party and leader can take position about the King or the Monarchy. So in Nepal, it is much ado for nothing. Koirala is saying that if king does not have any power he can stay in the palace with stipend decided by the people.
But I do not think the new generation would agree to it. Because they think that King is blood thirsty, power hungry and greedy. So how he mobilised security forces to crush the peaceful demonstrations and how he lavishly spent money going to Africa to see Jiraffe.
And Paras is a killer and rapists as well as drunkard and drug addict. How the nepalese people can accept and finance such people as Royals with the poor people’s money whereas people many people sleep without food, shelter and water every night. These people do not have brains in their skull. The way they spent money
was disgusting. Kali Baba said that the King should not stay in the country when the planet Mars comes to the shortest distance to the Earth, he went to Africa for safari. He spent Rs 10 millions for his entertainment by going to Africa. Paras spent Rs. 6 million going to Europe. If these people had brains, they could have spent these monies in two villages in Rolpa or Rukum and people would have understood.The villagers would have been happy. He had to learn from Thai King.But it is too late now. Everybody has to die one day. The death will not spare the King. We had read the poem “Death the leveller”.
I am not Buddhist but someone said that you have to help others in this life. King was in better position to help the poor people.He could have announced some projects for the people from the palace budget of 76 Crore.He wanted more money besides the money and property of Birendra.
That is why he or Monarchy should be removed.It is a white elephant for the poor Nepalese.We do not want Paras as King.
sradha ji
Just because there are letters inscribed on the keys, doesn’t mean you start pounding and come up with a risible assertion like
‘The King isn’t a problem’
A perfect case of amnesia! Where were you all these days? Wakey, wakey, Jaga shretha ji, jaga!!
But you have got one thing right. All our politicians are spineless ‘chipli kira’. OUt of all these ‘chipli kiras’, girija is the senile shriveled up ‘chipli kira’, who should be smashed with a back of a boot, ‘pilayat parera’.
UWB: It seems that you are supporters of the King and want to go to Narayanhiti for the “darshan” of the King.Like Girija is doing secretly recently. Why you censored my earlier comment ?
Gyanendra must be worshipping many Idols not just girija.
Girija is a mere puppet.
Nepalese gods speak hindi and live in India.
Nepalese worshippers can pray but not change anything on thier own, gyanendra no different.
As long as you pray the Indian gods you are safe else……you see what is happennin to gyanendra?
rest all fine
have a consensus . Not just opinion of the unpopular political parties or garbage called Maoist.
Lets have a consensus about whether to retain the constitutional monarchy or not.
it is not for maoist to say whatever they feel like and decide the future of Nepal.
It is the people who will decide.
People should decide the fate of monarchy by the ballot. It must not be according to Girija who dictates his personal view.
Time To Consider Nepal’s Merger With India
Dipankar Biswas
Nepalese Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s four-day visit to New Delhi last week has triggered considerable enthusiasm among Indians over an upturn in bilateral ties. Indeed, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s decision to break with protocol and go to the airport to receive the guest underscored India’s willingness to take bilateral relations to new heights. Koirala, moreover, is among the rare Nepalese leaders who have remained a true friend of India regardless of whether his Nepali Congress party has been in power or in the opposition.
The Nepalese premier has returned home with pledges of Rs.1,000 crore in short- and long-term Indian assistance. After arriving in Kathmandu, Koirala stressed the “special” relations Nepal enjoys with India as well as the urgency of involving New Delhi in the resolution of the Maoist conflict and in the long-term reconstruction of Nepal.
What India must recognize is that such sentiments are far from universally shared by Nepalese politicians or people. Mainstream communist parties, which cautioned the premier against signing any controversial deals in Delhi, have expressed concern over the “concessions”
India must have extracted in exchange for its munificence.
Maoist Chairman Prachanda has described Koirala’s visit as part of a wider Indian conspiracy against the Nepalese people. No matter what India does, there are enough people in Nepal who see ulterior motives in New Delhi’s policies. Indian leaders must avoid the temptation to apologize for any real or perceived slight to Nepal. Bigger countries can be magnanimous, but such sentiments will amount to little as long as the smaller partner refuses to see it as such.
The Indian government must craft a policy on Nepal that places our national interests at the core. The massive rally the Maoists organized earlier this month in Kathmandu has proved that they can no longer be marginalized. The Nepalese rebels’ ideological and operational ties with Indian Naxals have been sufficiently established by events. The mainstreaming of the Nepalese rebels would be an important way of resolving the Naxal problem, which Prime Minister Singh and others have described as the most serious internal security challenge India has confronted since independence.
However, any attempt to bring the Nepalese Maoists into the political mainstream while the rebels still carry arms must be strenuously avoided. Through enough political carrots – such as participation in an interim government – and military pressure, the rebels can be brought into a broader and durable peace process.
The retention of a constitutional monarchy in Nepal would be in the overall interest of India. King Gyanendra may have grossly miscalculated by throwing in his lot with China after his seizure of full executive powers last year. Clearly, that policy could be ascribed more to his ill-intentioned advisers, many of whom have established a record of rabid anti-Indianism to fulfill their political ambitions.
King Gyanendra’s close family and social ties with former royal households of India, his contacts with Indian business leaders built during his years as prince-businessman, and the mixture of political, security, economic and commercial realities that define his overall outlook on Nepal’s place in South Asia make him a natural friend of India. Even in a secular Nepal, the king would retain enough influence among Hindus of all ages that would continue to predispose the Nepalese toward a healthy partnership with India.
Indeed, the ultimate decision on whether to retain the monarchy or establish are republic lies with the Nepalese people.
Considering that the monarchy is at the nadir of its popularity, India’s must brace itself for a vote in favor of a republic. Meanwhile, India must need to focus attention on one feature that has largely been ignored in contemporary discussions. In recent weeks, there has been a transformation in thinking among a small but potentially influential section of Nepalese society vis-à-vis India. With the monarchy rapidly losing its influence and the mainstream political parties having reverted to their propensity for infighting, the Maoists have made considerable inroads.
For the aforementioned group of Nepalese, the prospect of a life in a Maoist-led state is becoming menacingly close. While no one has come forth with a proposal for a formal association with India, this alternative is figuring high in private conversations and social engagements. Doubtless, India’s incorporation of the former kingdom of Sikkim continues to inflame passions among most Nepalese. At the same time, there is growing appreciation of how the Sikkimese people have benefited through the merger with India.
While encouraging a peaceful and stable transition to constituent assembly elections in Nepal, India must prepare for the possibility of a Maoist takeover should the Nepalese vote in favor of a republic. The Maoists have shrewdly used the mainstream opposition parties in their final assault against the royal regime. The Maoist rank and file considers the republican agenda its own and is against any association with the mainstream parties.
With the monarchy out of the way, the Maoists would certainly begin to marginalize the mainstream parties and eventually decimate them. A Maoist takeover of Nepal would pose an enormous security threat to India, where extreme leftist groups are waging war in at least 13 states.
India must vigorously oppose the intervention of any third country or the United Nations in Nepalese affairs. China would not oppose an exclusively Indian initiative in Nepal once Beijing is sufficiently assured of the diminution and eventual end of American influence in the country.
India’s rapid economic growth, emergence as a major regional power, prospect of gaining a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, among other things, has inspired respect among the aforesaid group of Nepalese. The globalization of Indian society and culture along with the internal harmonization of disparate groups into one nation is increasingly being appreciated in Nepal.
Ultimately, India should prepare itself and the Nepalese people to accept the country as one of its states in a federal setup. Defense, currency, communication, vital transport, federal court and external affairs shall be retained by New Delhi and all other jurisdictions shall be conferred on the state of Nepal. Let this forward-looking agenda compete with the Maoists’ ideology of death and destruction.
Its not time to merge Nepal into India but disintegrate India into at least 29 pieces so that South Asia can have peaceful days in future. A mammoth India is posing problem in the reigion and many countries from THE one means people and places living in perfect harmony. That also means no threat of neuclear war and trigger in economic growth.
Coke you [icd], stop posting [icd] articles on this site. We Nepalis can have our own independent state without any threat and bullying from your master India if that is divided into many smaller nations.
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In Indian press, some rediculous journalists are time again writing merger of Nepal with India. I do not think it is a possibilty because if India wants to merge Nepal with it, then India would be disintegrated. All the Nepalese living in India like Darjeeling, Assam, UP, Bihar,Jammu and Kashmir and the Indian Gorkha Brigade as well as Maoists of Nepal will start insurgency in North India for greater Nepal, a Nepal that will cover all the Nepali speaking areas in India. The people in other states also start their insurgency asking for the Republicc. And that is the end of United India.
Regarding GPK’s remarks, I think KG might have threatened Koirala particularly about choosing his succesor. That’s why Koirala spoke while in Biratnagar. But now it is not Koirala who decides it. In the Parliament proclamation of 18th May, it has been already made clear that the Parliament will decide about the successor of the King.But it seems that Koirala is trying to delay this process and trying to rectify it. King’s property and business will also be levied taxes as other enterprises.
But I am always worried about the chracater of all Nepalese. Their relations are governed by the NATAGOTA and FARIA. PM has become more powerful but can any PM in future maintain integrity and govern the country as per the law of the land without prejudice to any race, colour, sex, political party etc ?
It is very easy to kick things that have gone weak and attach to things that are going strong. This is pure opportunism and also “going with the CROWD or majority” to please it. Very few people stick to their own beliefs. So when you say something make sure it comes from the HONEST SELF.
Some things are true and one has to accept it. Like India is controlling much of the situation in Nepal. Shouting against giriza will not help much. He is at the TOP of the ladder and he knows the INTERNAL MATTERS.
Nepal part of India? Not “No” but “HELL NO!”
Girija has never uttered the word “Republic” from the begining,in public. This old man needs to change. He should accept the outcome of CA. Let him have his view openly. He has guts to speak what he thinks. We need more people with open mind than wolves with royal “Handi”. Come CA election Girija’s congress will muster
less than 10% of vote. Girija is digging NC’s grave.
Coke me[icd]
I agree that i belong to the category of [icd], but let’s read what men in dhoti have to say about us.
All brothers Coke, Fanta and Sprite
If Monarchy is gone from Nepal then be prepared to be ruled by Mafias, warlords, and double agents of foreign countries. Nakedness of Nepali will be quite evident then. Got nothing to show for except hallowed sense of patriotism, defunct economy, political impasse that borders on insanity but loads and loads illogical hot air comments and views which is off the mark and is non consequential. Its a pity.
Senility, thats what Girija suffers from.
Time for him to go and Nepali Congress to be leaded by progressives like Gagan Thapa or Narahari Acharya.
Now it is time for Nepali people to think again seriously what Mr Girija told. Girija should think seriously who make him PM? It was his mistake if he thinks Mr Gyanendra made him the PM. The struggle of Nepali people made him PM. If Girija wants king in the next phase Nepali people will thrown out not only to Mr Gyanedra but also to Mr Girija. Aage Nepali janata ko bhalai……….
The best option is let people decide on the role of Monarch through CA elections. This is main reason we need unconditional CA. Girije can have his party stands on ceremonial King, but he must remain nutral as the head of the government. If Girije -the most culprit of democracy who declared two midterm polls and ruined the country with curruptions- advocates too strongly in favour of Gayne, people will soon not only punish him but also his party. At least one chance has come for him to reflect on his misdids and go down as a leader in history. Girije is PM not because he is a good leader but because the Western powers and India don’t want to see the Communist in power. So he should not think he is the ligetimate person to make remarks in favour of king. It is shame on Girije to make remarks like this when dozones sacrifice their lives, hundreds are still in hospitical and thousands injured in the movement. I sincerely wish Girije soon becomes physically and metally dead and younger generation takes over the leadership role. Long live democratice Nepal
I see lots of comments that contradict themselves- girija is bad, corrupt SPA not trust worthy, murderers Maoist etc., so where do we stand after all. No wonder Indian writers like Biswas can write “merger of Nepal with India.”
Cannot have it both ways- if you cannot place your trust in one then just shut up rather than just comment as a lunatic.
Nilu Rimal
Mind your language about Gyane and dont lose balance in your posts about Girija..
Sradha Shrestha you are right when u say—-
“Koirala is right about Ceremonial King. In essence he is suggesting a conditional constituent assembly. Why not? What if the new constitution of Nepal abolishes multi-party democracy? What if it abolishes freedom of speech and the freedom to host blog sites such as these? What if it stops individual’s right to own property? And more importantly, what if it says that the politburo and not the people of Nepal are the sovereign? Therefore, all these must be conditions put forth PRIOR to the CA elections.”
.
It is time our students get down to studies and out of politics…arrest the Maoist Agent Provocateurs on the Campuses…
Looking at this King’s recent record and that of the Crown Prince, monarchy does not seem viable in Nepal. I am sorry for you royalists-like shanti-but the king and the crown prince only have themselves to blame. They don’t think it necessary to gain the trust and respect of the people so why should we suffer such idiots?
Reply to Biswas: Who told you that Sikkim has made significant strides under the Indian rule? Sikkim is the only state which does not have a university, only state which does not have an airport, only state where there is no railways. We are far ahead of Sikkim. We take pride in the fact that we were always sovereign and as Prachanda has said that Indians are hoping to disunite the Nepalese but they will be unsuccessful, a Maoist rule will resolve all our outstanding issues between India and Nepal. We will have to start with the Sugauli Treaty of 1816 where most of our territory was taken away by the British. India’s hope was a monarchy. Now that will be gone. Their hope is Girija, he too is counting his last days. Others like Madhav and Oli are like dead oaks that just need a kick to fall.
Maoists will take revenge against the bloody Indians first by kicking out all Indians that illegally live in Nepal and suck the blood of innicent Nepalese. Then they will cut short the staff of the Indian Embassy like they will to the Royal Nepal Army. Then will come the final discussion on the Nepalese territories illegally occupied by India.
Mr. Biswas: Forget about Nepal merging with India. Start imagining-Darjelling, Assam, Siliguri, Sikkim and parts of Dehradun all re-merged with a Great Nepal. Hail Prachanda!
Sikkim has 500,000 people. Kathmandu valley has four times as many people. You can’t expect someplace so miniscule to make ‘great strides’ in 30 years especially a place so remote as Sikkim.
And you’re either lying or misinformed when you say Sikkim has no university.
http://www.manipal.edu/smu/
There are also quite a few colleges.
Cartoon is spledid to reflect Mohan Sumsher and Gyanendra’s 2004 History
Although I born after 2007 BS I feel lucky that I have an opportunity to see the reincarnation of the then Prime Minster Mohan Sumsher Jung Bhadur Rana to giv ethe kingship role to prince Gyannedra shahaa s a King of Nepal
why girija babu wants to carry the rotten gurkha king? whats there for him?
People:
Girija Babu can say whatever he wants. Like someone mentioned before the CA will decied the future about the monarchy. People like Krishna Pahadi need to take a chill pill. If the people decied to keep the Monarchy in the CA elections than we all have to accept that.
And Shanti please don’t insult yourself by telling people to watch their mouths when critisizing the King. The Monarchy has lost its relavence, reverence long ago. When King Birendra was alive I had some respect for the Monarchy although I thought Queen Ashwariya was a terrible person. For God’s sake she stole money from the Pashupathi trust – maybe that explains the way she ended up. So please don’t come here and give us this 500 year old custom.
Those, who are lambasting Girija now without any logic, were always pro-King and never pro-democracy in the time of Guras Revolution and 85-year old Girija did far more work for democracy than those bragging bloggers within last one year. It is better to try to convince people by the benefits of republic over that of ceremonial monarchy rather than spit at Girija or someone else. If Indo-phobia is the reason, go to live somewhere else as Nepalese in Nepal have that neighbour and we have to live amicably with them without any fear.
Manan: I think you’re lying that’s why perhaps you get paid by the Indian embassy to boast about Sikkim’s economic development. The person who says that there is no university in Sikkim is Pawan Kumar Chamling in an interview to The Times of India. Please ask him about its authenticity.
Almost all Sikkimize that I have met are sad that they’re not citizens of a sovereign country like Nepal but a slave in a huge ocean of poverty, misrule and corruption where Nepalese are bullied, and victimized for not being native Indians. Prachanda is the only hope for them to re-unite with the great Nepali nation once again after 1816.
I see no reason to hype what Girija has told, he has the right to say he is still for constitutional monarchy or whatever else. Maybe its time we learnt sth from Prachanda atleast,everyone is entitled to give their view, and when we are yelling abt Contituent Assembly why not wait to see wht the people want, not some GP or Bamdev who is so fast to comment on it that he says such a opinion is a threat to the SPA unity itself!
Does anyone have profile of Mr. Pahadi (Yellow dress)- just curious.
Prime Minister Koirala is right in predicting Nepal’s future with the republic. If you want Maoists be successful to impose their authoritarian ideology, then admire the rupublican set up. Nepal must have any kind of monarchy whether it si ceremonial or constitutional.
I strongly support this agenda of PM Koirala.
Wait, I will be on the fore front of activism favoring ceremonial monarchy.
I think it is better to go in ballot just asking the question to the people whether they want cermonial-king or not? That is the most authentic and powerfull tool than CA. Because in CA, the parties influences will be there but this concept will satisfy the whole people and even the GPK and KG themselves.
I am getting confused with the current discussion-Let people decide through CA the future of Nepal and fate of King.
Is it so simple? CA means just electing members to draft new constution. See the members we are about to choose for drafting our future. King is bad, that’s fine , let’s not expect anything from palace; but are our leaders good? Not only Girija, see Madav Kumar nepal, Ser Bahadur and of course the gaints like
* Chrinjibi Wagley
* kum Bahadur
* Bhim Rawal
* Many more
I think these names are even worst than Paras. Paras is a flop character, but these people are still giving speech in public. What a shame, we are clapping not at them but at their speech.
nice cartoon of girija carrying king as his baby. ya really he loves king from the begining of his political career.
he finished NC, he betrayed nepali people in 12 years democratic time. it was mistake of SPA to recommend girija prasad as prime minister. he is free to tell anything according to his party policy but he needs to resign from the post of prime minister. prime minister need to consider the people’s mandate before speaking about any issue. who had chanted the slogan of ceremonial king in the 19 days movement. even knowing that nepali people dont like king,he spoke out. he want to cut the feet of other NC leaders and cadres. he will die in few years or even months time but he spoiled nepali congress. he is tring to spoil whole country.
Don’t Girija, other SPA leaders and even Maoists represent Nepalese people? I mean we guys are economically so deprived that we have become morally bankrupt as well. Put Ram Bahadur and Hari Bahadur in the place of Madhav Kumar or Girija or Prachanda, they would do the same. However, as the longest serving democratic PM of Nepal, I do think that he deserves some respect and pity for his senility.
Greater Nepal is a cinematic exploration of the identity of a nation and its people through the eyes of an insider.
The setting is of the film is the Anglo-Nepal war that occurred in 1814-15 A. D. and which resulted in the humiliating Treaty of Sugauli. As a result, Nepal had to lose more than one-third of its territory to the East India Company, who was ruling India during the time.
The protagonist of the film has not forgotten this bitter history, and he has a deep urge to explore the great Nepal that once was. Moreover, inspired by the glorious stories of bravery and heroism exhibited by his ancestors in he war against the British, he sets out on a journey to the places where they had actually taken place, (though they are no longer within his country’s territory) and to those territories that had been inalienable part of his country.
But, in the process, he comes across a surprisingly new truth: Humiliating past that his nation already had, he discovers that the present too is not very different. It is then that he comes to realize that something more profound is at stake: the way in which his people perceive themselves as a nation. Thus, by the end, a film about the lost territories of a country, turns out to be a statement about the identity of a nation and its people.
The film is shot in digital format. It is 100 minutes long and is subtitled in English
With Maobadi Goondas going about with guns who can expect a free and fair CA? They are now openly intimidating and extorting ….
We will certainly need a ceremonial monarchy..If some people do not like Paras then some other successor can be chosen…We have to strengthen the hand of Girija and the SPA..
Right on, Wagle! I think if anyone is too ill or medically not fit to carry on the duties of any public offices, he/she ought to step down and let someone else take care of business – that’s the right thing to do!
king is obstacle of the country so if anyone want to bright future of the country they must oppose the momarchy and favour to republican ok.
any type of monarcy is not mandet of popular movement except republican.
Kamal,
What popular movement?
If the institution of Nepali monarchy has failed miserably and it should go what do we do with the anarchic democracy that has been killing and torturing us for the past 15 years. THere are people who say, in democracy we choose our leaders and if we do not like one we can get rid of him or her. But look, girija is still there, is he not. How are we going to kick any one out? How are the corrupt leaders going to be punished? How the hell can any one say, what we have in Nepal is in fact a democracy? Except for general elections (which has not taken place for the last 9 years), what evidence of democracy exists in Nepal?
Article writing is also a fun, if you be familiar with then you can write or else it is complicated
to write.