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Celebrating Democracy Day In Nepal
By KTM Metro Reporter in Kathmandu
Every year the government celebrates the Nepal Democracy Day on February 18. This year, too, the government celebrated the 59th democracy day.
The first democracy day was celebrated in 1951 welcoming the revolutionary leaders such as Ganesh Man Singh and B.P. Koirala, and King Tribhuvan returning from New Delhi, India after the tripartite talks held among the revolutionary leaders, King Tribhuvan and the members of the then-Rana family rulers in New Delhi. They agreed to promulgate an Interim Constitution declaring Nepal democratic country, and calling the Government of Nepal, and holding an election for a Constituent Assembly for crafting a constitution.
At that time, Kathmanduites went to the airport to welcome the leaders such as Ganesh Man Singh and B.P. Koirala that had sacrificed not only their comfortable lives but also staked their lives in fighting against the autocratic family rule. However, King Tribhuvan stole the whole show and it became the return of King Tribhuvan from New Delhi.
Then, King Mahendra killed democracy on December 15, 1960 and put Ganesh Man Singh and B.P. Koirala and numerous political leaders and cadres in jail; made democracy illegal and changed the Government of Nepal into His Majesty’s Government snatching the power from the people’s hands. However, the government continued to celebrate the democracy day garlanding the life-size image of Tribhuvan cut in a cardboard, ad the king flattering King Tribhuvan for his contribution to democracy. This went on for 30 years.
Then in 1990, the people’s movement successfully put back the democracy in place but the government remained His Majesty’s Government not of the people. So, the elected government headed by the Nepali Congress leader simply followed the tradition set by the killer of Democracy King Mahendra letting the then-king Birendra to address the Democracy Day and garlanding the life-size image of King Tribhuvan.
Nepal has become federal democratic republic; the rebel leader became the Prime Minister; the Government became the people’s government called the Government of Nepal celebrated the democracy day quite differently this year.
Addressing the special event held by the Nepal Army on the occasion of the 59th Democracy Day, Prime Minister Prachanda repeated his commitment to human rights, absolute press freedom, periodic elections, rule of law, proportional representation and inclusion in all aspects of the state administration. However, the opposition leaders particularly leaders of the Nepali Congress have been charging the Chairman of the UCPN-Maoist and Prime Minister Prachanda of attempting to introduce a totalitarian regime.
Despite Nepal becoming the federal democratic republic, the statue of the killer of democracy King Mahedra has been still majestically standing at the crossroads near the Sanskrit School in Kathmandu.
