Top Stories»
Ifs and buts virus infects students too
KATHMANDU, JAN 17 - Those who fear an end to monarchy, take heart. Student leaders ¾ much like their elder cousins in the five-party alliance ¾ could still settle for constitutional monarchy, notwithstanding the far-fetched call for a republican order.
Said conversely, leaders of the disparate student outfits could be taken for granted to hail and welcome the political developments thus calling off the demand concerning the republican order if and only if King Gyanendra would make amends and restore the constitutional process now standing derailed.
" Ideally, we are for a republican order.... We have lived with constitutional monarchy out of compulsion…. That could be our demand should the time come," said ANNFSU General Secretary Khim Lal Bhattarai, at the Reporters’ Club today.Inter alia, this meanwhile reminds one of the fact that the political parties and student outfits alike are still caught up in the "if" and "but" tangle, demonstrating once and for all that they are a confused lot.
Moreover, in what could be billed as an act of playing to the gallery much like the elder cousins, Bhattarai claimed that debate was underway on the "efficacy of the monarchy and that he (King Gyanendra) must stand by the people if he expects the people to stand by him." "If" and "but" was never so much in overuse. Never.
If this does not suffice to demonstrate the future of the current movement, consider what NSU President, Guru Ghimire, said albeit with apparent conviction.
"We will go ahead with our demand for a republican set up even if the five-party alliance forms the government," Ghimire said, conceding that the five-party alliance was certainly never on the lookout for any revolutionary changes through street demonstrations.
Much like Bhattarai, Ghimire, too, very much excitedly reinforced the claim that the demand for an end to even constitutional monarchy was not restricted to mere sloganeering. As if this were not enough, he went on to add in the same breath that they have very nearly concluded, "that we do not want monarchy."
Enter Bhuwan Pathak, who is associated with youth wing of the RPP. Predictably enough, he wished the debate for and against the republican order had not raged at all, claiming that the nation was in for "Sikkimisation" and/or "Afganisation" should the parties not fall in line with King Gyanendra at the helm. "The slogans could be bargaining chips for the parties," he quipped.
But the cake certainly goes to Yogesh Bhattarai, a student leader associated with the ANNFSU. Sounding strident to the degree possible, Bhattarai made the tough task of ushering in the republican order seem an easy one indeed.
"Parties (including the CPN-UML, of course) can raise army if the things come to fight out the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) to pave way for a republican system," Bhattarai said. The irony, however, lies in the fact that he did not refer at all to the ground reality whereby the CPN-UML has tended to nearly fall in line with King Gyanendra following the politics of audience.
Consider also what President of DNYF, Gokarna Bista, said by way adding to what Bhattarai and others said on the hottest issue. Evoking King Prithvinarayan Shah, he said, "It is the strong people who make the king strong. But the monarchy could now be expected to come to an end on its own if it does not make amend."
Meanwhile, Gagan Thapa, general secretary of NSU said, "We are out to satisfy ourselves." There was, however, more than the usual dose of exhortation and grandstanding in what student leaders said but it could hardly carry any meaning.Posted on: 2004-01-18 02:40
Headlines
Advertisements
