Despite strong criticism from within the seven-party alliance (SPA), Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has defended his statement that the King should be given a ceremonial role.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala
(File photo)

Talking to reporters in his hometown, Biratnagar, on Thursday, PM Koirala said, “While the parliament has also accepted the existence of monarchy, we should not make it a matter of contention.” He said his party, the Nepali Congress (NC), would go to the constituent assembly elections with the “agenda of ceremonial monarchy”.

“However, if people’s mandate in the constituent assembly goes in favour of republicanism, it will be acceptable to me,” reports quoted the Prime Minister as saying.

Koirala’s statement on Wednesday in Biratnagar that the King should not be pushed to the corner as it might breed frustration in one section of the national politics and that the monarch should be given a ceremonial role invited sharp criticism from the allies of the SPA while student organisations organised protest in Kathmandu against his statement.

Speaking at a program organised by the Reporters Club in Kathmandu Thursday, CPN (UML) leader Bamdev Gautam said, “The seven parties appointed Koirala to the post of Prime Minister, not the King. This statement in favour of ceremonial monarchy without any discussion with other parties is objectionable.”

Similarly, Nepali Congress (Democratic) general secretary Bimalendra Nidhi blamed PM Koirala of engaging in a ‘campaign’ to save the monarchy. “Koirala who became Prime Minister with the mandate of the people is engaged in a campaign to save the monarchy. At a time when the privileges of the King are being slashed one after another, this sort of statement could hamper the constituent assembly elections,” Nidhi argued.

Speaking at the same program, NC leader Dr Ram Baran Yadav defended Koirala’s remarks, saying that the NC had no problem with a monarchy that is ready to stay in its own place. He also said the SPA and the Maoists had earlier agreed to keep ceremonial monarchy in the country. nepalnews.com mk June 15 06

Meanwhile, the local residents have protested the killing of the student. During his funeral procession in the afternoon, they chanted slogans against the Maoists and demanded punishment to the guilty, reports added.