To keep silent is the best for palace: Rana

August 11, 2006
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President of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana

President of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana (File Photo)
President of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana, has said that it would be in the best interest of the royal palace to keep silent.

Talking to Budhabar weekly on Wednesday, Rana, however, said he had not an opportunity to meet the king but that he would advise the same if asked. When asked if his party was responsible for supporting the king during the royal rule, Rana said though his party did not take part in the ‘jana andolan,’ it had indeed contributed in the pro-democracy movement.

“Nobody had anticipated that our party would protest the February 1 move of the king. I was detained immediately after the royal takeover. We boycotted the municipal level elections and strongly protested suppression of the popular movement. I even said that the April 21 announcement of the king was not adequate. All these developments show that we were in favour of the change,” he added.

Narayanhiti royal palace (File Photo)

Narayanhiti royal palace (File Photo)
Responding to a query, Rana protested against what he called the tendency of the ruling Seven Party Alliance to deny RPP its position of the ‘main opposition party’ in the reinstated House of Representatives. He further alleged that the SPA was ‘mad’ with the absolute majority in the House and had failed to honor the opposition.

When asked why former premier and president of Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP), Surya Bahadur Thapa, was able to garner more thumping within the parliament compared to him, Rana said it is because he came down heavily against the rebels. “Our criticism of rebels is not that prominent,” he admitted.

Responding to a query if his party was a monarchist or republican, Rana said it was a big question and that the central committee of the party alone would not be able to decide on it. We will convene a meeting of an appropriate body of the party to decide on the issue once the date for Constituent Assembly elections is announced, he added.

Rana said the main plan of his party in the CA elections would be forward looking agenda in the social sector. we are in favour of a federal structure, restructuring of the state and reservation for dalit, madhesi, janajati and women in the government and education sector, he said. Rana said though he belonged to an elite, aristocratic family, agenda being pursued by his party was more progressive compared to the Nepali Congress or the UML.

When asked about former general secretary of his party. Kamal Thapa, who broke away the party and joined the royal government as Home Minister, Rana said please don’t ask anything about him. “He is a bad man. I don’t see or talk to him,” he added.