I would like to think of myself as a realist/pragmatist who believes in fairness and I wouldn’t really shed a tear (might just sulk a bit) if monarchy were to be abolished which I think is pretty inevitable given the circumstances we are in; but what I quite can’t get my head around to for the life of me is the notion that a lot of folks on here seem to harbour that the docile and benevolent king is more dangerous to peace and progress of Nepal than the Maoists. Is it any wonder then Nepal is another Afganistan in the making?

How can the benign king be juxtaposed with the Maoists who put even the talibans to shame? Maoists created the culture of violence, murder and impunity. They are culpable of having killed 15000 innocent people. To say that the country today has turned into killing fields is an understatement. The whole country is caught in a vortex of violence, terror and ethnic cleansing and more depressing is the fact that it is getting worse by the day. Numerous terrorist groups have sprung up in different parts of the country emboldened and encouraged by success that violence can bring. There is not a single day you don’t hear of a carnage and communal violence.

We also have unbelievely high tolerance towards Maoists bullying but its an unpardonable sin if the king so much as visits a temple which all of us do all the time. The maoists have publicly vowed to disrupt the CA polls and threatened to take stern actions against the people who defy them, yet there is a deafening silence from the government and public alike with regards to this threat. Imagine if the king had said this. All hell would break loose. They actually have a provision in the iterim constitution to remove the king if he is found to be conspiring against CA polls, why is there nothing of the sorts for other culprits? This is sheer hypocrisy. The king was even not allowed to visit Krishna Mandir in Patan recently.

Maoists cultivated and fostered the division of country based on ethnicity in order to make small gains but this has fractured the social fabric of the whole nation. Some terai groups have said that they will settle for nothing less than a complete cessation from Nepal. The country is on the verge of total disintegration and I will not be surprised if the country cease to exist a few years from now as you can already see the pattern developing. Nothing is right in the country today. You find nothing in Nepal that gives you solace. No petrol, no water, 11 hour load shedding, stikes, julus, chakkajams, vandalism, arson, armed robberies, shabby roads that have never been repaired since Ranas buit them.

The last 17 years of “democratic” rule led by political parties has been an absolute nightmare to say the least. The peace and harmony that once prevailed in the country is just a hazy memory now. I have even heard some people say “but that was forced peace”, which implies that the “real” peace is when people kill each other.

We had a multi-party democracy in Nepal when the Maoists decided to unleash their wave of violence and terror. These radicals believe that power really comes from the barrel of gun and unfortunately for us they have been proven right. Where does the king fit in this picture? Why is the king blamed for the incompetence of the parties? I don’t get it. He was just a ceremonial head. The king has become a perfect whipping boy for the corrupt netas. The politicians have always used the king to hide their own failures and purge their sins. More regrettably, the gullible people actually believe what the corrupt politicians tell them. This is precisely the reason why I support the monarchy in a constitutional form and not in a ceremonial form. I would rather support the abolition of the monarchy altogether than keep it in a ceremonial form. What’s the use of a ceremonial monarchy that is nothing but just symbolic ? The only purpose that a ceremonial monarchy is going to serve is for the politicians to blame the monarchy again for all the problems in the country which will of course conveniently save them from the ire of the people.

This is what happens when we cannot discern the right from the wrong. The events in my own country have made me a very cynical man. I don’t easily trust what comes out of media these days whether the matter pertains to domestic or international. I have realized that the media can never be fair and objective. They are always biased and have their own agendas. If we are to completely go by what Nepali media feed us - Maoists are the “good guys” and our king is the biggest tyrant. It wasn’t the king who killed 15000 innocent people; abducted, tortured and brutalized millions; extorted businessmen and common man alike; destroyed infrastructure worth billions; yet he is a tyrant and not the Maoists. A lie told thousand times eventually becomes a truth apparently!

The biggest tyrants and killers I know are Stalin, Hitler, Mao tse tung, Idi Amin, Kim jong Ill, Fidel Castro, Saddam Hussein, Pol pot etc - the maoist leader of Cambodia who killed a third of his country’s population. Incidentally, none of them are monarchs but “common men”.

To claim that monarchy is feudalistic, anti-peace and regressive is just a manifestation of communist mentality. Infact, the most peaceful and thriving countries have been monarchies like Denmark, Norway, Spain, Belgium, Sweden, Australia, Canada, UK, Japan, New Zealand etc. Infact, the monarch of Australia, Canada and New Zealand is not even one of their own national. Indeed a referendum was held in 1999 in Australia (a highly multi-cultural country) to decide whether or not to sever ties with the monarch who lives thousands of miles away, yet they decided keep to it.

Most people assume (brainwashed by the media of couse) that removing the king and declaring the country republic will solve all the problems of Nepal. I find that highly ludicrous. It will only open a can of worms. Nepal will plunge into a disaster of calamitous proportions. As morning shows the day, look at how things are with the king being virtually incapacitated. Do you truly believe that the political parties and Maoists will save Nepal? They will just tear the country into pieces as a pack of savage hyenas tear a carcass. Mark my words. The biggest genocides in the history of mankind have occurred in Republics not in monarchies. Congo, Sudan, Rwanda, Liberia etc are all republics. These countries have been mired in ethnic violence and civil war for years and millions of innocent people have been killed and rendered homeless.

Look at what happened to Afganistan, Iran and of course who can forget Sikkim when monarchy was removed. The people in those countries say that the biggest mistake they ever made was to abolish monarchy. Look at mayhem and chaos in Pakistan and Bangladesh which are also Republics. Thousands of innocent people are being murdered in those countries every day and now they have the military running the country to try and control the situation.

Conclusion of every thread in SAJHA is

"MAIOST PRACHANDE CHOR" should be hanged.........naked...............and burned......

Lokman, truly said!! Monarchy has and always will be the LESSER of the 2 EVILS (probably the least among 3 EVILS as democracy in Nepal under the current leaders is a damn joke). Maoism/Communism works when implemented forcefully upon the poor, uneducated and opressed only who have no other means of stability in their lives other than some kind of a divine intervention. In contrast, for the educated ones willing to work smart and benefit the nation through their entrepreneurship and learning, communism is a damn fiasco. we know that its waiting to suck the entire nation dry leaving only the ones in power with a billion dollars under some Swiss-Miss account. Damn, this ain't how it should be at all!!

You wrote: "... a lot of folks on here seem to harbour that the docile and benevolent king is more dangerous to peace and progress of Nepal ...."

I would agree with you, brother, if what you said was true. But it ain't. We don't have docile and benevolent king. Therefore, he must go.

Now, that does not mean the bloody Maoists and corrupt Netas are any less malignant. Joon jogi aaye pani kaan chireko, bhanchan ni.

But be that as is may, I feel at least in the atmosphere of republic the reins of the nation are in people's hand, however hard it may be to believe given the current condition.

Monarchy is way better than Maiost!

..panchayat days were way better than present days. at least people were living with peace.

Wow Samsara - you've opened my eyes, please keep dropping such pearls of wisdom for lesser mortals like us

I did not open your eyes, you yourself did when you decided to read my post. And IMHO, lesser mortals = commies only. Pls don't degrade yaself!!

if you own something and you dear it than - Monarchy
If you have nothing to loose and poor - Maoist.

lokman, no matter how nicely you put your words, why do you think people aren't convinced?
Is it because most of us are less educated, unenlightened than you guys who have a soft corner towards monarchy?
I don't think so. People have witnessed the exploitations of monarchy since centuries. They have seen our country going nowhere under their hundreds of years of rule. They have witnessed the feuds in the palace. They have witnessed the conspiracies between the courtiers. They have witnessed the Narayanhiti massacre. They have seen favouritism, nepotism, cronyism, dishonesty, immorality, corruption, embezzlement spread from the palace to the rest of the entities over the centuries. Were the congress or the UML or the Maoists responsible for the disreputed history that the later generations of the Shah dynasty earned for themselves?

How on earth can we compare the present monarchies of Commonwealth and Scandinavia with that of Nepal? There was a time in the history of Britain that can be compared, and that was after the middle of the seventeenth century when Britain was declared a republic for a brief period. After that, the Kings and Queens never messed up with the parliament and hence they are surviving till today.

Our royals have too many times undermined the people, their freedom, their sovereign rights. Mahendra did it, Birendra did it and Gyanendra did it. It is not people's fault that they don't have any sympathy for monarchy today. Gyanendra himself paved the way for his downfall more than any others. Or am I wrong?

Oh he can go to any temples, can do anything a civilian is entitled to do even after the republic. I am sure he can stand in elections too. People have just stripped him off the extra powers and privileges he had been enjoying undeservedly, that's it.

Today the nation is in transition, in the biggest phase of transformation in our history. Hence so many upheavals. Britain, France, America, India all have already gone through this process. Unfortunately we have just arrived at this fork in the road. Like the way people have tamed the Monarchy, they will tame the Maoists too. I am sure it won't take that long to tame these Maoists. And the crooks in other political parties too. In due time they will get the dividends of their deeds.

btw did you read about the trial of Nuon Chea in Cambodia? I don't think he had foreseen 2007 when the Khmer Rouge was in power. Right now, our country is in turmoil. But I think there will be light in the end of the tunnel.

Neither Monarchy nor Maoist.
Both were working together to distablize frigile democracy before King Birendra was assassinated.(see the article of Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai on Kantipur and TKP of June 6, 2001) and now again have common agenda to disrupt the CA election. The bomb blast in Kathamandu and communal voilences in Kapilvastu and sorroudings are the few examples of their cooperation and joint works.

Rohitgrg, you say: "Today the nation is in transition..."

This is friggin Bull shit. When was the last time the King had direct authoritaive powers? As per anyone's knowledge, it was 17 years ago (as the brief year and a half stint 2 years ago was marred with opposition and protests for any kind of action Gyane could even dream of undertaking). For you to say that the nation is in a transition today is a misnomer to the higest degree. We have been in a transition for the past 17 years and the situation has gotten worse than when it first started. At this negative trend (anyone in finance/trading would say that the trend is your friend), it is only plausible that our nation would be in the nadirs within the next decade or so at the very least!! Monarchy is a better option than a failed system of communism anyday.

Samsara that is your point of view, which I disagree. And I find it no worth discussing with you when you start with 'this is frigging bullshit'.
Why do you think people were against Gyane before and are against Monarchy now? Why did millions poured into the streets against him? Were they bullshitting? The problem with dictators is that they think everyone else are bullshits. And in these terms, there is not much difference between you and the commies. Don't take it hard mate :)

If the people think Monarchy is worth keeping, they will save it. So don't worry for Gyane.

rohitgrg, you said:

"Why did millions poured into the streets against him? Were they bullshitting?"

hey man i hate to sound like a smart a$$ but do we really want to judge the intelligence of nepali riot crowd and take it for any kind of face value?? as sad as it may sound the pouring into the streets and the strikes have become part of their daily lives. so it really makes me question the true essence of these street protests.

aren't these the same crowd that chanted slogan against king birendra and then later shave their heads in mourning upon his death?? weren't these the same crowd that continued their pourning into the streets regardless of who was in the government. and i believe these are the same group of people that destroyed millions worth of public and private property for some bollywood actor allegedly saying something offensive about nepali people.

so let's take the millions pourining into the street for what it is worth...as it has become part of their lives and they will continue to do this for any and every reason / cause unless there is a solution to may be unemployment??

grg's and other minorities are usualy anti monarch. I am against monarchy but i don't mind keeping it ceremonial just as a symbolic play against communism and retaining the historical hindu culture.

I wouldn't say monarchy is the best option but can you delete that one line offensive. mr. rohit is running away from answering.

There has never been a true integration in nepal. ...far less 10 years back. Nepal has never seen a true communal harmony.We have always experienced hidden communal hatred for centuries ....so much that it has only now got its form to errupt.
Only now people are seeking for answers on so much of hidden communal feelings and insecurity for their own community.Why...? everyone knows the answer....so no need to fake that there has always been a communal integration in Nepal....far less in the old system. If there was ....maoists would have never been able to make their ways into areas where the old system had always overlooked.

Be it monarchism or be it maoism unlesss there is a true representation of all the communities in the country .... there is never going to be a true integration of Nepal.

And unless there is true integration of nepal....some form of maoism or whatsoever would always crop in.

Be it monarchism or be it maoism or be it koiralism ...it's just the name. We should look at the 'Cause' and the need of the present nepal.

Whoever can bring the true representation of the masses....that would eventually suceed.
Monarchy....who do they represent...shahs and ranas?
Koirala....Bahuns and Pandit??
Maoists....yet to see??

Proportional representation would only bring true integration in Nepal.
Whoever supports this agenda the most...i would support them...be it Monarch , be it maoist or be it koirala.

Once we make a stong infrastructure, the system will be effective. Once the system is effective,we do not need to fear whether it be maoist or the king. They will be filtered out from the system once the infrastucture is effective.

After going through all the comments, I agree with DREAMZ, the question is not which one is better than other the question is
1) WHERE DO WE STAND RIGHT NOW?
2) Are we aware of our rights?

First of all people should be well educated to reach to this point and to know what is their rights, they should be capable to know what can they do. Once they are more civilized I guess Nepalese people will easily know how to move ahead. Unnecessary elements will be filtered out easily if it is against the unity of the country no matter if it is a king or Maoist.
Thanks all.. it is a nice brain storming...

Maoists target=_blank>http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/Editorials/Maoists_and_the_monarch/articleshow/2387974.cms


Maoists and the monarch
21 Sep, 2007, 0000 hrs IST, TNN

The decision of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to quit the interim Cabinet — after Prime Minister Koirala refused to give in to its demand that the monarchy be abolished by the interim legislature — is disappointing.

More disturbing is its resolve to obstruct the November 22 constituent assembly polls. To have an interim legislature abolish the monarchy would lead to a crisis of legitimacy for the nascent constitutional-democratic process. The reasonable course of action for the Maoists now would be to go back to the Cabinet and leave it to the constituent assembly to decide the future of the monarchy.

It’s unlikely that a representative constituent assembly would confer anything more than a ceremonial status on the monarchy. The CPN(M) knows that all too well. Why else would a committed republican force like it have dared to pledge its unqualified acceptance of a future constituent assembly’s verdict on the monarchy?

Clearly, its change of tack is a response to concerted attempts by pro-monarchy elements to subvert the democratic process in Nepal. The latter have, among other things, been abetting the Madhesis in their violent conflict with the Maoists in the terai region.

And a sharpening ideological struggle between the pro-republican and ‘pro-revolution’ sections within the CPN(M) has only served to further reinforce its hard line. The Nepali Congress-led seven party alliance needs to do its bit to inspire trust in the constitutional-democratic process. The interim government should, without any dither, crack down on anti-democracy mischief mongers.

Any attempt by Maoists to short-circuit the constitutional process would severely erode the political capital they accumulated by joining the democratic mainstream. Worse, their recalcitrance would only help the pro-monarchy forces reclaim lost ground by delegitimising the republican cause. The BJP and its sangh parivar siblings should, meanwhile, desist from aiding the Madhesis against the Maoists. Their agenda of conserving the world’s last ‘Hindu’ kingdom is turning out to be a dangerous zero sum game.