Where Does He Stand?
Prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala's statements raise the questions on where does he stand
By KESHAB POUDEL
Following a series of controversial statements on the institution of monarchy and the King, prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala issued a statement on Monday that the first meeting of Constituent Assembly will decide the fate of monarchy.
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Koirala : Wavering stance |
"I suggested King Gyanendra and Crown Prince Paras to abdicate Kingship to pave the way for his grandson eight months ago. Now, the interim constitution has already made a provision that the fate of monarchy will be decided by the first meeting of Constituent Assembly, so people will decide it," said Koirala reacting to his widely-reported comment on June 17 that if King Gyanendra and his son, crown prince Paras abdicated, the ruling establishment could think of a minor King.
"I don't have any love with monarchy. My remarks were misreported by the media due to low English comprehension level," told prime minister Koirala to the reporters at prime minister's residence on June 18.
In the last eight months, prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has made many headlines through his statements on the issue of monarchy. In his first few months, he agreed to give space for monarchy. Then, he proposed abdication for King and crown prince. After this, Koirala suggested media persons just say Gyanendra not King Gyanendra. Last time he invented the logic that monarchy has lost 80 percent of its utility.
Although article 159 of the Interim Constitution drafted by them says the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly will decide the fate of monarchy, nobody understands rationale behind Koirala's controversial statements on monarchy.
"Prime minister Koirala's statements reflect the acute political instability going on within the country. This instability has made Koirala's outlook very much inconsistent and incoherent. After becoming the prime minister, Koirala was talking in favor of monarchy with an elusive adjective as ceremonial monarchy. One fine morning from his home town, he found 80 percent of people are against the monarchy and this reflected his anti-monarchical outlook," said the analyst.
During his visit to New Delhi last time, he suggested to the press to say Gyanendra not King Gyanendra. That also was his indication of his anti-monarchical bias.
"Now again he has come out with a headline in the press with a suggestion that the King and crown prince should abdicate and make grand son of the King as the King. Whether this is his republican conviction or vengeance against King Gyanendra only," said an analyst.
The interim constitution does not permit the PM to make a personal deal on his wavering convictions to have or not to have monarchy. According to the mandatory provision of the constitution, the right of the people is to decide the fate of the monarchy through their elected representatives of Constituent Assembly.
"It may be Girijababu's personal view. The fate of the monarchy will be decided by the people through the elections of Constituent Assembly," said former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba responding to the recent controversy.
The statements of prime minister observed neither the discipline of the interim constitution nor his own previous commitments. The constitution binds all including the prime minister even though he has a very powerful support even to trample it down under his foot.
Prime minister Koirala has a very saleable image which has been built up by his hardened tests and trials under the guardianship of a person like B.P. Koirala. He has suffered much in detention as well as in exile but Koirala is always known as a relentless activist who is daring and defiant.
Koirala carried a great hope of the liberal democratic opinion holders of this country as he had a noble legacy behind him. Koirala remained in the forefront of the leadership and now has reached to a pinnacle of power but the way he is expressing his inconsistent and incoherent opinions having no political justification is damaging not only his reputation but the liberal political trend in the country. By his negative roles, as there is no right wing democratic alternative, the only gainer will be the leftists and extreme leftists, if not separatists.
"Within the last three months more than half of his influential members of central committee have expressed their views in favor of the constitutional monarchy with very much limited powers of ceremonial nature. These leaders had participated in popular uprising which concluded with an agreement to have the Constituent Assembly to make an agreeable constitution to all. They agreed, too, that CA will decide the fate of King. Though they don't challenge the leadership of Koirala but they have come out with their differences with his inconsistent and incoherent views on institution of monarchy," said the analyst.
Nepali Congress as a party has not yet declared its views against this institution. They had opposed, as always, the arbitrary and absolute power of the King. People need to know where prime minister Koirala stands - with his colleagues in the central committee or with the leftist extremists.
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