KATHMANDU: Nepal Communist Party (NCP) chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has claimed that an attempt was made again to reinstate the monarchy by dissolving the House of Representatives (HoR).
In his address to the second national gathering of the Press Organization Nepal, former Prime Minster Dahal asserted that an ill-effort was placed to push the country towards autocratic regime and abyss of uncertainty.
He also noted the need to avert such situation by all means as the dissolution of HoR was an unscrupulous attempt to ruin the federal democratic republic which was earned after a seven-decade-long assiduous struggle of the Nepali people and also the achievements including the promulgation of the Nepal Constitution through the representatives of the people.
“It is the responsibility of the people to check such efforts meant to bring the country to a whirlpool of uncertainty and a situation having no constitution and hand it to the autocrat “, NCP chair Dahal added.
Lauding the exemplary role of the media in the political transformation of the country, he claimed it was the consistent advocacy of the media in favour of federalism, Constituent Assembly and republic setups that made the change possible.
The media still has spectacular role in building public opinion in support of the change and against the repressive move, Dahal stressed.
Problems surfaced within the party when Prime Minster KP Sharma Oli did not easily accept the decision of majority, chairperson Dahal said, accusing Oli of betraying the Nepali people by dissolving the parliament.
“I have already informed the public that you have already lost the bet and the war. It was when you resorted to pick a sword against the constitutionalism, federal democratic republic and sovereign Nepali people. You are thus a loser and people the winner”, Dahal further asserted.
Another chair of the NCP Madhav Kuamr Nepal said that it was a tragedy in the political history of Nepal for the NCP leader to dissolve the people’s representative body, the House of Representatives (HoR).
Recalling the instrumental role played by media to advance the agenda of political change in the country, he called for media persons to create a storm of struggle by making people aware against the government move.
“The HoR dissolution has put the federalism and change agenda in crisis. This is the time to distinguish right and wrong. Leadership is tested based on where s/he stands in. A good leader always stands for the people and truth. It is the shared responsibility to safeguard the change”, he noted.
Party standing committee member and deputy coordinator of Central Struggle Committee Yogesh Bhattarai said that the party faced this critical hour as the leadership failed to follow collective decision. He added that the different political changes achieved from a long struggle of people were in danger due to parliament dissolution.
FNJ chair Govinda Acharya said that the government’s decision of dissolving the parliament was an attack on the constitution and federal republic system.
Senior journalist Narayan Wagle argued that the constitution and constitutionalism will collapse if the parliament was not reinstated.
Then Press Chautari chair Balkrishna Chapagain argued that the prime minister betrayed the people after dissolving the elected body.
Then Chauatari chair Shambhu Shrestha said that the whole media sector was against the move of parliament dissolution. Senior journalist Kishor Shrestha said that the internal intention behind the parliament dissolution was not logical.
Journalist Om Sharma said that a government which dissolves parliament without logical and valid ground cannot ensure the press freedom.
ACORAB chair Suvas Khatiwada, Progressive Journalist Association Nepal chair Narayan Sharma, FONIJ chair Danda Gurung and other speakers stressed on unity among the people to safeguard constitution, republicanism and press freedom.
On the occasion, Revolutionary Journalist Federation chair Indra Raut joined the Press Organization.
