Kathmandu, February 20:

Civil society leaders today denounced the “unauthorized” message by King Gyanendra by staging a sit-in programme in front of Singha Durbar today.

The king surprised the political parties, civil society and other professional by issuing a message.

Coordinator of the Civil Movement for Democracy and Peace Dr Devendra Raj Panday said that the government now should think about declaring Nepal a republican state before the constituent assembly.

Bishnu Nisthuri, the chairman of Nepalese Federation of Journalists, said: “We are not waiting for the king to take action. We want the government to take action against the king”.

Meanwhile, a report from Pokhara said Speaker of legislative parliament Subas Nembang said the recent message of the king is unauthorised, unconstitutional and inappropriate. He said this while inaugurating the first national conference of Nepal Books and Stationery Entrepreneurs’ Federation in Pokhara.

He said there is no provision in the interim constitution for the king to address the nation.