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Kathmandu Thursday June 21, 2001 Ashadh 07, 2058.
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Unanswered
questions
His Majesty King Gyanendra in
his first Royal proclamation clearly underlined the need for continuity of multi-party
democracy as per the wishes of Nepali people and their beloved late King Birendra.
Democracy will be strengthened, only when the people and the ruler act according to its
spirit.
Freedom of opinion is the
most important feature of democracy. Democracy does not exist, if this freedom is
violated. But the act of the present government to arrest the editor, managing director
and the publisher of Kantipur daily in the charge of crime against the state, has raised
suspicion in the minds of the people that the country may not take the direction as
desired by the late King and the people. What is most ridiculous was the way the
government justified its stand. The reason of the arrest was the publication of a Babu Ram
Bhattarai’s article that analysed the political aspect of the tragic palace massacre.
There is now a consensus
amongst the people that each and every aspect of the palace incident and motives behind
the incident also should be made public. Unfortunately, the high level commission did not
answer to many questions:
a) How many people
participated in the dinner?
b) How many of them had ade
de camp?
c) How many cooks and waiters
were present at the time of shooting?
d) Did the crown prince
marriage issue really appear in the dinner?
e) Why King Dipendra’s
last rites performed so hurriedly?
Pradip Koirala
Kathmandu |
