Kathmandu, May 6 :

CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal today said that the sovereign Nepali people would decide the fate of the monarchy through an election to a constituent assembly (CA).

“Election to the CA will decide the fate of the monarchy and the King should be prepared to accept the people’s verdict,” Nepal said, paying tribute to an Indian national, Mohammad Jahangir Khan, 28, who died undergoing treatment on may 1 at Kathmandu Model Hospital. Khan was shot by security personnel at Tripureshwor on April 22.

Nepal said the King must even be prepared to remain as an ordinary citizen if the people did not want monarchy. He said although the autocratic monarchy had bitten the dust, it was still hatching conspiracies against the people’s achievement. “We need to remain cautious and foil the conspiracies. Please give moral support to the government and the Parliament so that both can move fulfil people’s aspirations,” he said.

Accusing the monarchy of conspiring against the people and betraying them on the strength of the army and a royal coterie, Nepal added: “The army must be brought under the control of parliament and converted into a national force. The King must not be allowed to wear a military uniform.”

“The Armed Police Force used excessive force and all its commanders found to be guilty of using excessive force will be penalised, based on the recommendations of the judicial commission.” He urged the Parliament to announce its supremacy by replacing the phrase “His Majesty’s Government” with the “Government of Nepal”.