Nepal Welcomes Democracy

By Tanveer Jafri

At last a 240 year old monarchy has met its end in Nepal, a neighbor country of India. This year, in the month of April there were general elections for constituent assembly in Nepal and the Maoist organization won power with a great majority. The first resolution that this new organized Nepal constituent assembly passed was to end the monarchy and to set up democracy.

On April 28, with the passing of a resolution to end the monarchy, by the new constituent assembly of Nepal, the flag that represented the monarch's rule in Nepal was removed and in its place the national flag of Nepal was hoisted on the Narayanhiti palace.

With the great political change in Nepal there was an atmosphere of joy among the common people of Nepal. There were no traces of sorrow on the faces of the people of Nepal because of the end of monarchy. Instead of it, there was an atmosphere of festival in Nepal. Nepal media, local newspapers and even the common people not only welcomed the end of monarchy but all of these heavily criticized the 240 year long monarchial reign.

Some newspapers told this change as a welfare measure in Nepal. The monarchy was held as an event of the past that will be history. A newspaper, published from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, accused the hereditary succession that gave eleven monarchs to Nepal, of exploiting and misusing Nepal's resources. One of the newspapers went to the extent of writing that the poverty of Nepal is because of the monarchy.

Apparently, the narayanhiti palace in Katmandu that represents the monarchy is going to be changed into a museum. A happy change that is coming in this event is a change in the nature of the Maoists. The Maoists, that have captured power in Nepal, ran a violent agitation against the monarchy for about a decade. After that, because of international pressure and interference of the United Nations, the Maoists joined with the mainstream politicical parties in 2006.

The Maoists had differences with the monarchy since the beginning. They had always been in favour of abolishing the monarchy. That is why, the Maoists passed the resolution abolishing the monarchy as their first task after coming to the power.

Along with the news of the Maoists coming to power, there were guesses that the last king of Nepal, was to be arrested. But when the Maoists leader Pushpa kamal Dahal parchand felt himself in power, he showed a great responsibility and said about king Gianendera that we expect the king to renounce the crown and the royal palace and go to some other place.

Parchand also said that history shows that kings were killed or they ran away from the country. But it should not be so in Nepal. The reasoning and political will power of the Maoists can be easily guessed by the change of the attitude of the Maoists towards the monarchy.

Undoubtedly the hereditary succession of the Nepal has deep relations with India. Being a neighbour country there have been many wedlocks between the royal family of Nepal and former royal families of India. There have been emotional relations between India and Nepal because Nepal has the biggest Hindu population and it is now the only Hindu nation in the world. Even today the free movement of people between India and Nepal is a proof of sweet attachment from the centuries between India and Nepal. But there are some truths that cannot be denied. For example during the 240 years of Monarchy, there has been no development of Nepal.

Poverty increased day by day. There was great increment in unemployment. There has been an increase in the arrival of Nepali workmen to India day by day. Even the tourism that has many possibilities could not develop properly. Obviously, the public of Nepal hold the monarchy responsible for it and how can it be said they are wrong? People of Nepal say that if there had been any progress in Nepal that is only in its capital Kathmandu. Nepali people agree that the only reason for the development of Kathmandu is that the royal family has permanent residence there, and with it the foreign guests.

The presidents of the foreign countries and the centre of international movement remained in Kathmandu. The monarchy is accused of not bothering to look out of Kathmandu for development and neither was it seriously attempted. Nepal did not even prepare a plan for its all-round development. That is why the world is unaware of any other city in Nepal but Kathmandu.

Other than this event of abolishment of monarchy, there is one more incident that hints the end of monarchy in Nepal and dittoes the present occurrence. It is being told that Gorkha king Prithvi narayan shah, who ended the Rana reign in 18th the century and united the scattered people of Nepal under one order, was blessed by Baba Gorkhnath that this family will rule over Nepal for eleven generations.

In fact, 60year old king Gyanendra was the 11th and last king of this generation to rule over Nepal. On June 1, 2001, in a great mysterious massacre in the Nepal palace, king Virendra vikram shah, Maharani Ashwarya, princes and princess were killed. After that the infamous son of Gyanendra, Paras was declared as the heir prince of Nepal. Although the death of king Virendra along with his family was held to be the work of his son and the case was tried to be left, the people of Nepal could not forget this dreadful massacre of the royal family. They were unable to give respect to Gyanendra equal to that of king Virendra.

Now there is neither king Virendra nor king Gyanendra, that took his throne, nor the 240 year old monarchy. Nepal has now changed from a Hindu Nation to a secular state. Now there is great challenge for the Maoists in the present government to take Nepal on the path of development and progress. The entire world is looking at this political change in Nepal and wishing for the bright future of Nepal. Now it is to be seen if the Maoists that took the path of violence, can set the direction of progress for Nepal.

Author Tanveer Jafri is a columnist based in India. He is related with hundreds of most popular daily news papers/portals in India and abroad. Jafri, Almost writes in the field of communal harmony, world peace, anti communalism, anti terrorism, national integration, national & international politics etc. He is a devoted social activist for world peace, unity, integrity & global brotherhood. Tanveer Jafri is also a member of Haryana Sahitya Academy & Haryana Urdu Academy (state govt. bodies in India). Thousands articles of the author have been published in different newspapers, websites & newsportals throughout the world. He is also a recipient of so many awards in the field of Communal Harmony & other social activities.
(Email : tanveerjafriamb@gmail.com )

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