BIRGUNJ: Contrary to public condemnation, Vice President Parmananda Jha saw positives in the controversial statements made by former king Gyanendra Shah and former prime minister KP Bhattarai.

Speaking to the media at the Simara Airport, while en route to Rautahat on Sunday, Jha thanked the former monarch Shah and former prime minister Bhattarai for their controversial statements as they would serve as a wakeup call to political leaders.

Earlier Gyanendra Shah, now leading a civilian life, termed the idea of abolition of the monarchy to be hypothetical.

Following the ex monarch’s statement, a few days later, former prime minister Bhattarai, now retired from active politics, had voiced the need for the revival of the 1990 Constitution that provides for constitutional monarchy.

Jha, himself a controversial figure, had earlier been rendered inactive in his post by the Supreme Court for taking his oath of office in Hindi.

He was finally restored to the post, retaking his oath of office and secrecy in Nepali and Maithili in February 7 early this year.