Popular Movement II

Popular Movement II

          Even after the restoration of democracy made in BS 2046 political instability prevailed in Nepal. To some parties Popular Movement I had not achieved a true success. According to them, the tripartite agreement between the King, the Nepali Congress and the United Leftist Front was a mere deception to the true spirit of democrats and nationalists. The constitution of BS 2047 vested important powers to the ‘constitutional’ monarch. This would make the king’s role more active. Even majority governments did not function to the full terms due to intra-party conflicts. Deep-rooted poverty, corruption, lawlessness, unemployment and exclusions gave rise to violent Maoist revolt in BS 2052.

          In BS 2058 the reigning king Birendra was killed along with his queen, children including the crown prince Dipendra and several other family members in a palace massacre. Then Gyanendra, the dead king’s second brother, was crowned amidst the countrywide grief and hesitations. Growing unrest, intra-party conflicts and failures of the cabinet led to the dismissal of the elected Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in mid BS 2059. After many tests, eventually the King took over the absolute power in BS 2061.

          Following the dismissal of Sher Bahadur Deuba, most political parties rose against the kingship. But their protest could not be substantial due to lack of mutual trust and unity among them. After the king’s takeover, the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) and the Maoists came together for fighting for democracy. Both the parties were convinced that the executive power could not be regained without their combined efforts. Thus they signed 12-point Agreement in New Delhi on 7 Mangsir 2062 as a document of their historic consensus.

          Together they launched the People’s Movement on Chaitra 2062. Maoist involvement in the peaceful movement astonishing as well as pivotal. The movement was get popular and widespread despite brutal response of the army police. Streets of Kathmandu and other major cities of country were flooded with processions and meetings. P’ participation was even the more in the history of Nepal. People from all walks of life expressed solidarity to the movement took to the streets. About 20 demonstrators got martyrdom. Baishakh 8, 2063 the king gave speech through radio and television and declared that he had ‘handed over the property of  people to the people themselves’. This still could not pacify demonstrators. They further intensified the agitation. Finally the nineteenth day of the movement, the King fully yielded to agitators. Through another address to the nation, he re the dissolved Hous of Representatives and gave up his execu power formerly taken highhandedly. Following it, there victory celebrations throughout the nation. Immediately Maoists declared a 3-month unilateral ceasefire. commander of the movement Girija Prasad Koirala appointed the Prime Minister on Baishakh 14. The following the reinstated House held its first session and passed resolution for holding constituent assembly elections andta necessary steps for the same. Later on Jyeshtha 4, the 1 adopted a historic declaration with decisions such as curt the King’s power and declaring Nepal a secular state.