Kathmandu, May 16, 2006

Home Minister Krishna Sitaula today said that the government will present the historical declaration curbing the powers of the King in the House of Representative on Thursday.

He said the declaration has been delayed because the Cabinet is yet to be expanded. “As there are lots of decisions to be taken within a short period of time, the declaration was delayed.

The Cabinet will endorse the declaration on Thursday,” said Sitaula at a press conference at his office today. Stating that the seven-parties, government and the House are active for bringing the declaration, the minister said that the protest on the street has to be immediately stopped.

“Otherwise those against the achievements of people’s movement will become active again,” said the minister. He said the government is busy institutionalising the results of the people’s movement.

“The government is trying to convince and stop the ongoing protests, and if such incidents do not stop, it is also committed to protect the people and their property,” he said.

He also clarified that the decree was not delayed by any proposal from Nepali Congress-Democratic’s president Sher Bahadur Deuba.

The minister also assured that there will soon be a conducive environment to hold dialogue between the government and the Maoists.

NC will go for Assembly, says Paudel

Nepali Congress will soon go for a republican set-up because this is the demand of the people and “we honour it,” NC leader Ram Chandra Paudel said today.

He was addressing a mass meeting at Kirtipur. Paudel also warned people to be aware of the reactionary forces who are busy conspiring “to foil” the achievements of the people’s movement.

“As long as UML is a part of the seven-party alliance, it will not let monarchy be active,” CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said, adding, when UML realises it would be difficult to go for a democratic republic by being a part of the seven-party alliance, we will be on the streets to support your voice.

He said amendment of the present constitution could be counter-productive so an interim constitution should be drafted to go for a constituent assembly. He also requested the Maoists to come for talks at the earliest .

“We are aware that some element could be active to retain the king’s post of Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Nepalese Army,” he added. Vice-chairman of Janamorcha Nepal Lila Mani Pokhrel said that his party is on the way to uproot the monarchy, as it is the mandate of the people.

Clarifying what Nepali Congress-Democratic president Sher Bahadur Deuba said during the seven-party alliance meeting, he said, “We came to conclusion that the post of Supreme Commander-in- Chief of Royal Nepalese Army should go only to an elected head of the government.