Janakpur, February 21, 2007

Chairman of CPN-Maoist Prachanda said today the nation could face great trouble if a republic was not declared at the earliest.

He added that his party would register a proposal in the legislative parliament to declare the country a republic. Speaking in press meet organised by CPN-Maoist Dhanusha district organisation in Janakpur today, Prachanda said the legislative parliament must declare the nation a republic with agreement of eight parties as soon as possible.

“The royalists and feudal regressive forces are active to foil the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections. That is why, we should opt to go for CA polls after declaring a republic first,” Prachanda said, adding: “Our party is preparing to register the proposal to declare the nation a republic in legislative parliament by Wednesday evening.”

He claimed that a republic would be declared through the parliament and the streets if royalists start hatching conspiracies. He added that efforts were on to convince eight parties’ leaders to reach an agreement for declaration of republic through parliament.

“The royalists can devise a new way to thwart CA elections”, Prachanda said. Stating that it would not be necessary for the Maoists to join interim government if a republic was announced, Prachanda clarified that the Maoists, have agreed to join the government as per the advice of seven parties and “foreign allies.”

House directs govt to act against king

The Parliament today unanimously declared that the king’s message on Democracy Day was against the spirit of the interim constitution, the May 18 historic declaration of the House and Jana Andolan II, and directed the government to take action.

The House passed a motion tabled by leaders of nine political parties. Those who moved the motion are Ram Chandra Paudel, of NC, Bharat Mohan Adhikary of the UML, Tek Bahadur Chokhyal of the NC(D), Bharat Bimal Yadav of The NSP (A) Nanda Kumar Prasain of Bam Morcha, Kaman Singh Lama of Jana Morcha (S) Sunil Prajapati of the NWPP and Hari Achrya of Jana Morcha.

The motion stated that the king’s message was unauthorised, unconstitutional and undemocratic and with the intent to impose autocracy and to foil the peace process. “This House rejects the messege with strong objection and directs the government to take necessary action on it and to inform it of the action taken,” the motion stated.

Paudel said that the king is creating hurdles to peace and the democratic process which cannot be accepted at any cost. “The monarchy always suppressed the people’s rights. It shows the king and democracy cannot go together” Paudel said.