Gyanendra takeover
Amit V. Sengupta, Rajbari, Kolkata, India
Apropos the editorial "A year after Gyanendra takeover" (February 2). Nepal is going through a social and political revolution to oust the anti-democratic King Gyanendra, who captured the royal throne on February 1, last year. People are locked up during curfews, peaceful rallies are suppressed brutally, political leaders are arrested and Maoists are knocked down. The media men are threatened. The situation has gone out of control in the Himalayan kingdom.It all started last year, when the Maoists ended their unilateral truce and started forging alliances with the political parties to come to the fore of mainstream polity. People have come out to the streets, shouting slogans (Gyanendra, leave the country...). Amidst this revolutionary turmoil, the King decided to hold municipal polls on February 7, 2006. This decision met with stiff opposition from all quarters. Observers saw this decision as a ploy by the King to give him a constitutional legitimacy, by installing a puppet government. Maoists revolted by killing a few candidates, and threatening to boycott the polls. Meanwhile, media reports suggests that even the pro-monarchy party Rashtriya Prajatantra Party wants to have talks with the Maoists. But, at least as of now, the King has ignored all appeals of the international community and the UN, to restore democracy. Since the people of Nepal want to establish democracy; since political parties represent ninety five percent of the parliament; it is expedient that the King realises the gravity of the situation and lays the foundation of democracy.
|
|
