Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s statement that the King should not be made totally powerless in the present ‘sensitive period’ for fear of fuelling another insurgency can in no way be dismissed as his personal opinion, nor can it be treated as the official stance of his party, the Nepali Congress (NC), which is expected to officially make its position clear on the issue of ceremonial monarchy in a day or two. While addressing NC activists in Biratnagar on Wednesday, PM Koirala said that the ‘democratic umbrella’ has enough space for all the political actors — King, Maoists and political parties — and iterated that they should receive equal treatment and forge ahead in the present difficult transition phase. Since the revived parliament has already stripped the King of most of his traditional powers, Koirala feels it unnecessary to completely isolate the King as that would only add to the present turmoil. The PM also stated that total democracy would be meaningful only when all the political forces are provided equal rights and opportunities to voice their concerns. He insisted that all the three forces should openly discuss their views or else it will create ‘disappointment’ or may lead to ‘dangerous results.’ Maintaining that the on-going talks are ‘challenging and tough,’ the PM opined that the government should act more responsibly and discuss the management of Maoist weaponry before the summit between him and Maoist supremo Prachanda. In an emotional tone, the octogenarian leader told the gathering that as he had not much time left on this earth, he would very much like to fulfil the people’s expectation for peace and see the return of the Nepali Congress (D) to the parent party, the Nepali Congress.

PM Koirala’s judgement, however, has not been taken very kindly by some sections of the society. Student activists burnt the PM’s effigy at various colleges in Kathmandu on Thursday and demanded his resignation. Likewise, the Maoist-affiliated United Front Saptari also organised a protest rally in Rajbiraj on Wednesday. If the ANNIFSU (R) said that the PM’s remarks have badly hurt the people’s sentiments, other groups dubbed the ‘Koirala doctrine’ as inopportune. But no matter how drastically divergent the views may be, that precisely is the hallmark of a true democracy where multiplicity of opinions always have enough room for deliberation as well as accommodation. Now that the Nepalis have come thus far, two moot questions: Whether the King should be given a ceremonial role or the nation should become a republic had better be left for the sovereign people to decide eventually. For this, everybody will have to wait till the elections to the constituent assembly are completed and a new statute emerges out of it. As democratic participation at the people’s level is the only route to reconciliation, it is hoped that the ensuing talks, at whatever level, by at least lending a sympathetic ear to all the three visible forces, will go on to rewrite Nepal’s destiny.