Former Prime Minister and senior leader of Nepali Congress, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, has urged His Majesty King Gyanendra to return what he called people’s power to people themselves.

Former Prime Minister and senior leader of Nepali Congress, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai

Former Prime Minister and senior leader of Nepali Congress, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai.
(File Photo)
Addressing an inaugural function organized by New Media Club Nepal (NMCN) in the capital, Kathmandu, on Saturday, Bhattarai said he had already urged the King in this regard.

“Unlike political parties, monarchy is a permanent institution. Parties can undergo changes in their name and form. But the monarchy will still be there,” he said.

Bhattarai said he had urged the King that it was the job of people like us for whom it didn’t matter even if people abused them. “(But) it would not be good if the King loses his prestige.” The King said I was right,” recalled Bhattarai.

He, however, did not divulge when the meeting had taken place.

“I wish I could see the return of democracy before I die,” he said emotionally.

Bhattarai– who remains out of active politics due to his ill-health for the last couple of years– got out of his car and boarded on a wheel-chair. The organizers helped him to take his seat on the dais.

Pointing towards Nepali Congress general secretary Ram Chandra Poudel who was sitting beside him, Bhattarai said he was not going to criticise the king today.

“The King must take political initiative. I am fully confident that he will consider it well,” he added.

Bhattarai, who led the interim government that drafted the constitution of the kingdom of 1990 and conducted first parliamentary elections in three decades, also urged the Maoists to give up arms.

“I had also raised arms against the then Rana regime. But, after that I haven’t touched it,” he said. “I would like to call upon (Baburam) Bhattarai, who is also from my same district (Gorkha) to give up the guns.

Bhattarai also thanked the Maoists for entering into 12-point understanding with the seven-party opposition alliance. “The conflict can’t be resolved by killing them,” he added.

Bhattarai said the country’s economy was in bad shape due to the political instability and conflict. He said the only way to improve things was to return to democracy.

Addressing the function, political thinker and ideologue, Nilamber Acharya, said the monarchy itself was to be blamed for inviting people’s wrath in the aftermath of royal moves of October 2002 and February 2005. “People have abided by the agreement with the king for the last 55 years but the monarchy has always violated it,” he added.

Acharya said the king must return to the constitutional process and agree to remain as ‘nominal head.’ “It is up to the people to assign space to the king, if they desire so, and the army should be under the control of the people,” he added.

Referring to the Nagarkot massacre in which a soldier killed one dozen civilians Wednesday night, Acharya said the event was not an isolated incident. “It was the outcome of the army’s mentality that it is the master, not part of people. There is a need to re-structure the army, otherwise the country may fall into even greater crisis,” he warned.