Kathmandu, April 8:

Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala today appealed to the people to “rest” only after taking the movement to its desired goal of restoring democracy.

Issuing a press statement today, which also coincides with the lifting of 30-year ban on political parties in 1990, NC president Koirala said the goal of the peaceful movement is to end the King’s autocracy and restore democracy in the country.

“But the King has led the nation to the edge of precipice snatching away all the rights of the people,” Koirala said, adding that the King has imposed autocratic rule forgetting the people.

Accusing the government of suppressing the peaceful agitation of the people for democracy, he said, “Suppression will not prevent the people from restoring democratic rights.”

Koirala said the country was reeling under violence and counter-violence and Nepali people, be it ordinary people, party cadres, Maoists, security personnel or government employees, have been shedding blood daily. He also made it clear that the ongoing movement was not party-specific but was the movement of all the people aspiring for peace and democracy. “It is the time for the Nepali people to decide whether they want to be respected citizens of the country or the King’s subjects. I, therefore, call upon the people to rest only after achieving the goal of total democracy,” Koirala said in his statement.

Nobody can remain a mute spectator when the country is burning and passing through an unprecedented crisis just for the sake of “personal interest of the King and his family,” said the statement.

“Realising this duty and responsibility to the country, I would like to appeal to conscious people to move ahead and take part in the peaceful movement to achieve its goal,” said Koirala. Commenting on the imposition of curfew in the daytime, NC leader Arjun Narsingh KC said, “Right to peaceful assembly has been undermined. The government has panicked.” He debunked claims that the rebels had infiltrated the seven party alliance.

“They should not have imposed curfew. This movement will go to the grassroots now,” Nepal Workers’ and Peasants’ Party (NWPP) supremo Narayan Man Bijukche said.