His Majesty could 'warn' Nepali leaders

Our attention has been drawn towards some reports in a section of the Nepali media that apparently intends to provoke the constitutional monarch to assert His role and intervene into the "deteriorating" scheme of things in the country. Albeit we agree that the namesake "sovereign" people have been very skillfully cheated by the men manning the system all along these past twelve democratic years. In the process, the corrupt leaders have definitely given a very bad name to the system, a system that is by all standards could be considered as the best system prevailing in the world. But is it due to the prevalence of this order or is it due to the corrupt practices of the Nepalese leaders that have been the prime source for the frustrations among the people of this nation? Certainly it is not the system that has deceived the "sovereign" people but instead it is the reckless and undemocratic behaviors of the namesake democratic Nepalese leaders that have forced the people to think just the otherwise about the system now in place. Poor System has been made the victim indeed!

More so, it is the Nepalese leaders' fault whose total neglect to the people's grievances that has forced the lay men to question the suitability and the very credibility of the system. Here again the system has done nothing wrong. The system has not cheated the common "sovereign- we the people".

Given the mess seen in the country and the demand coming as it does in the form of so-called popular opinion, the constitutional monarch must not jump into any major conclusion that eventually puts the latter in an totally unwarranted and an awkward situation.

The constitutional monarch should not intervene at this juncture for the aberrations, which have now crept into the system were not His creations and hence why should the monarch, take the pains to correct those? Let the leaders who brought in those clearly visible political wanderingd take the responsibility for the needed corrections. Secondly, what is the guarantee that the King's move would get wider support from the wider section of the national population, which is more or less divided on political lines? Thirdly, will not the present set of the leaders/rulers who have already become the major beneficiaries from the system well after the King's drastic step converge together and forge a sort of grand alliance against the King and His move? In effect the leaders will come together and create havoc in the country for the preservation of their privileges and facilities intact but will do so in the name of "safeguarding" the democratic system and the democratic rights of the people. Fourthly, what is the guarantee that the Maoists insurgency in that case will not join the said alliance and give a new twist to the movement aimed against the King's move?

In effect, if one were to analyze comrade Prachanda's fresh letter dispatched to all the Nepali leaders what comes to the fore is that the Maoists leaders could join nation's democratic forces should some efforts at minimizing the gains of the 1990 revolution take shape. This perhaps should explain so many things.

Fifthly, the constitutional monarch must not dismiss the current trend of democratization in the world. Prior to taking major decisions the constitutional monarch must take into account that any drastic action taken in Nepal by the monarch in the name of the people will invite only wrath from the developed Western democracies for it is these countries without whose support Nepal can't move an inch forward. What if the Western democracies and other powerful donors stop supporting Nepal in case the King intervened?

In our opinion, the developed west is supporting Nepal at this juncture only because they wish to see democratic system stabilized and functioning in Nepal. This conversely means that any set back to the system from any quarters might irritate them whose consequences could be unbearable for this country.

Why the constitutional monarch ask for troubles for himself? Let the leaders manage the crisis themselves because it is they who have brought these ugly situations in the country.

This notwithstanding, as the protector of the constitution and as the guardian of the nation, the constitutional monarch can assert His role what has been granted to the monarch in the 1990 constitution. The constitutional monarch can very easily warn the leaders and the incumbent government by ventilating his feelings. This the monarch can do by summoning an all party conference at the Palace and exchanges views with the national level leaders regarding the deteriorating political health of the nation. We think that if the King does so will work immensely.

Finally, we wish that the constitutional monarch asserted His role remaining well within the limits of the constitution. We firmly believe that His Majesty the King will stick to the expressions made in favor of the democratic system at time of talking to the Nepali media men in the recent weeks and months. This will send mixed signals in the nation: the people will think that finally the King has begun taking interest in their favor and the government will take it as an order from the Head of the State.

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