| nsshrestha |
Posted
on 16-Feb-04 10:39 AM
Kavita rai
http://www.kantipuronline.com/php/kolnews.php?&nid=7717
- The democratic movement in Nepal against absolute monarchy, going on for more than half a century, is now heading towards a climax. Whereas the eight-year long People’s War (PW) led by the CPN (Maoist) for a people’s republic has virtually wiped out the feudal socio-economic and cultural roots of monarchy from the vast rural areas, the students affiliated to the major parliamentary parties, so far committed to the constitutional monarchy, have now switched over to the slogan of a republic and are spearheading the movement in the urban areas. This historical confluence of the two currents of the democratic movement, i.e. revolutionary and parliamentary, for the abolition of the monarchy and institutionalisation of the republic has opened an excellent prospect for consummation of the anti-monarchy democratic movement.
On the other hand, the new King, Gyanendra, who ascended the throne after the June 1, 2001 royal massacre, is systematically centralising the limited democratic rights of the people conceded after the 1990 movement. After the direct royal take-over of October 4, 2002, Gyanendra has left no one in doubt about his regressive intentions of perpetuating an absolute monarchy. His recent interview to Time magazine (January 26, 2004) and public speech at a stage-managed ‘civic reception’ in Nepalgunj (February 8, 2004) are an open challenge to the people and the political parties for final confrontation with the monarchy.
In this context, a public debate on the relevance of monarchy has been currently sweeping across Nepal. Furthermore, India being home to a large emigrant Nepalese population and this southern neighbour being the most important international force to influence the political developments in Nepal, a public discourse on the issue among the political leaders, intellectuals and the general masses of the two countries would be highly desirable.
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