Let Nepalis decide :

This refers to Aditya Man Shrestha’s article “Opportunity for Koirala” (THT, August 1). His

suggestion that PM Koirala declare Nepal a republic is, besides being frivolous, provocative. Our premier is indeed vulnerable to provocations without the commensurate ability to see that his commitments are carried out.

Take the issue of the Kamaiyas numbering 18,000 households. Since the NC’s arch rival, the CPN-UML, agitated on their behalf for lack of more serious issues, Koirala, in his bid to deny his rivals any political capital, simply declared them emancipated. But the issue continues to burn even in the seventh year of the declaration and has lately descended on the doorsteps of Singha Durbar.

Contrast this with the abolition of slavery by Rana PM Chandra Shumshere 76 years ago when 60,000 slaves were set free by compensating their masters and were rehabilitated in the new settlement of Amlekhganj, meaning “the land of liberation”. The decision to declare Nepal a republic or not rests with the people, who will possibly decide it through a

referendum, and not with the HoR whose legitimacy, given its expired tenure, will continue to remain suspect.

Bihari Krishna Shrestha, Lalitpur

Incorrect :

The caption published on page 4 (THT, August 3) was wrong. It read “Staff nurses, health assistants and pharmacy students protesting... demanding they be allowed to pursue MBBS.” Instead, the students were demanding that they be given opportunities to pursue further studies in their respective faculty.

Binod Khanal, HA Agitation Committee, Biratnagar Unit

Jana Andolan :

Jana Andolan II has given the political parties a clear road map for the establishment of the

constituent assembly. All Nepalis earnestly hope that their nation return to the path of peace. But doubts remain about the real intent of the leaders, who have been busy blaming each other of late. They should rather unite at this critical moment. This is their ultimate test. If they fail to heed the people’s demand this time too, a Jana Andolan III will have to be organised to wipe them out.

Narayan P Khanal, Arghakhanchi

Wrong names :

Apropos of the news “OTC drugs sans prescription bad for kidney” (THT, August 4), I agree that some antibiotics and OTC (over-the-counter) medications are harmful for the kidneys, but as far as Lasix is concerned, it is a diuretic given only in case of acute renal failure.

The other drug mentioned, Frufemide, does not even exist to the best of my knowledge. It should be either Frusemide or Furosemide, both of which are generic names of Lasix. This kind of wrong information can convey a wrong impression about medicine.

Tashi Sherpa, via e-mail

Baseless :

It is outrageous on the part of the CPN-UML leader Bam Dev Gautam to accuse PM GP Koirala and Deputy PM KP Oli of provoking the Maoists to pull out of the talks.

Gautam should remember the baseless charges he made in the past and keep his views to himself.

Aniruddha, via e-mail