Kathmandu, September 6:

Speakers today expressed divergent views on issues ranging from the latest Maoist peace initiative to the king’s decision to scrap his visit to the UN. “Those who do not want peace are looking for excuses. The government must take all concerned behind it,” said Shailendra Kumar Upadhayay, a human rights campaigner. He rubbished claims that the king dropped the idea of going to the UN just because he did not want to. Human rights activist Krishna Pahadi said the constitutional monarch was an obstacle in the peace process. He said the king came to power on a nationalist plank and was trying to continue on the terrorist plank.

He further said the solution to the crisis is a constituent assembly with the monarch agreeing to it. CPN-UML leader Shankar Pokharel said the monarch was apparently rattled by the latest peace initiative from the Maoits “and this appears to be the reason why he dropped the idea of going to the UN.” He, however, said talks between the seven party-alliance and the Maoists could set the agenda for a solution.

Keshar Bahadur Bista, another Panchayat-era politician, did not react on the demands for an interim government and a constituent assembly. NC (D) leader Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat said the constitutional monarch had been privately telling erstwhile Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba not to take elections seriously, while officially holding election as the prime agenda.