Birgunj, February 9:

Giving an interview to any newspaper is king Gyanendra’s fundamental right, Nepali Congress senior leader and former Prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today told journalists.

On February 4, king Gyanendra’s interview had appeared in a Japanese newspaper. The king had said that it was the people alone who held the right to decide whether or not to retain monarchy. He had also said that the interim parliament had no right to declare the country a republic.

Replying to journalists’ queries here, Deuba said, “I believe in freedom of expression. Like me or anyone else, the king too, has the right to freedom of expression.” Although the security situation in some districts in the Tarai region is fragile, the government has no alternative but to hold the election to constituent assembly, he said. Large turnout of Madhesis, despite threats and fears of blast and killings, in a mass meeting organised by the NC Parsa district unit is a proof that the people in the region are keen on the CA polls, he said.

He also informed that the parties in the government had agreed to deploy the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force to maintain security during the CA election and that the Nepal Army would be deployed only under unavoidable circumstances. He said the government would have to take stern steps if the armed groups in the Tarai did not lay down arms and come for dialogue.