Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: NEPAL’S ruling party, the Nepali Congress, and opposition Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Centre) demanded action against the former King Gyanendra Shah, holding him responsible for the violent protests that engulfed Nepal, reported IANS.
The Rajendra Lingden-led Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), which backed the demonstration, warned the Government not to drag the former king into the controversy. Two people died, and hundreds were injured in violent clashes between security personnel and promonarchy protesters. The protesters were calling for the restoration of the abolished monarchy in Nepal.
The Nepali Congress, the largest party in the House of Representatives, alleged that the former king orchestrated the incident on March 28. “Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak briefed us on what happened. We have concluded that several targeted attacks launched against media houses and public and private properties were intended to create anarchy,” Nepal’s leading daily, The Kathmandu Post, reported, quoting Prakash Sharan Mahat, the Congress spokesperson. “Some are trying to set up a tyrannical political system. There were targeted attacks in which two people were killed. We hold the ex-king responsible for the way the rally was organised and the targeted attacks,” he added. Meanwhile, the CPN (Maoist Centre) took a more aggressive stand towards the former king.
“We should not spare him. Former King Gyanendra Shah no longer has the privilege of freedom. Nepali people are not ready to accept this. He is behind all the activities of pro-monarchy and pro-Hindu campaigners around the country,” Maoist Centre chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal said on March 30. Meanwhile, the RPP, whose two leaders were earlier arrested for being involved in the protest, also demanded a probe to ascertain what happened.
