Commonsense should dictate that no place of historic importance like the Durbar Square is meant for political gatherings of any sort. But obviously all those political parties or organisations that arrange mass meetings in the Durbar Square are least concerned about the significance of the place. The Durbar Squares have been declared World Heritage Sites, which means things of archaeological importance have to be preserved by the state. By holding huge gatherings and organising political programmes in the area or its vicinity, the organisers have put the sites in danger of being vandalised or defiled during the meetings. Because of such gatherings, many tourists too cannot visit these places, which are major tourist attractions in Nepal.

Just the other day, the High Level Mission of UNESCO and international Council on Monuments

and Sites said they were ‘happy’ with government’s preservation work. The team will submit a report to the 31st meeting of the World Heritage Committee that will decide whether to take the Valley off the infamous ‘List of World Heritage in Danger’ on which these sites were put in 2003. But if the people at the behest of political activists continue to abuse the area, delisting the Valley may not be possible. The organisers as well as the public need to act more responsibly. The government, on its part, must intervene and issue strict orders prohibiting all mass gatherings in and around sites of historical and cultural significance.