Parmeshwar Devkota

NEPALI people are sovereign and source of legitimacy for the political parties to govern the nation as stipulated in the constitution which is the outcome of the people’s struggles and movements spanning over seven decades. Nepali Congress, Nepali communist parties and other various groups had launched armed struggles in different phases for liberation and democracy. Thousands of people had sacrificed their lives on the altar of revolutions that finally resulted in the promulgation of inclusive charter.
Forgetting the atrocities perpetrated by the then kings and their men, some groups of people have now started organising demonstrations demanding restoration the Constitution of Nepal, 2047. But that statute was not fully democratic. That was the reason why the historic people's movement replaced it that granted more legal rights to the king.
Clause 30 (1) of the constitution, 2047, reads: The income and personal property of His Majesty shall be exempted from all kinds of tax, fee or other similar charges’. Sub-clause (2) of the same Clause states: No question shall be raised in any court about any act performed by His Majesty’. This shows that kingship was above the law. We are the people of the 21st century. We believe in rule of law and democratic system of elections and governance. So, there are no such clauses in the present constitution. The present federal democratic dispensation treats all citizens equally.
If the demands of the royalists and ex-Panchas are to be considered, we should also start recalling some forgotten phrases such as ‘to get the approval of the king’ and ‘the royal command’. We should start considering ourselves as ‘subjects’ rather than ‘the free citizens of the democratic country’. If a king sits on the throne in the capital, many subordinate kings may emerge in every nook and corner of the country.
We had experienced this in the past. The royalists consider themselves as ‘special people.’ So, we must be ready to accept a title of ‘ordinary people’. The ‘special people’ are akin to ‘masters’. If they are masters, we, the ordinary people, should be ready to accept as ‘slaves’.
Another problem is that if you happen to meet a king, you have to bow him slavishly by throwing a silver coin on his feet as one of the popular leaders of the present day had done in the past. Even high-ranking army and police officials were seen kneeling not only at the feet of the then kings, but their toddlers. It looked humiliating to the security persons.
Therefore, if royalist demonstrators are able to restore the monarchy, it will be too impractical for the people of new generations to meet such formalities. The people of new generation should also learn to use a suffix- ‘Royal’ on each and every name as- Nepal Army, National Park, Nepal Airlines, Nepal Academy, etc. Going through all these complications, Mark Twin used a harsh sentence on kings: ‘All kings are mostly rapscallion."
If the demonstrators are ready to compromise with the hard earned status of ‘free man’ and go for a king, you are literally returning back to 15 March 44 BC. On that very day, great warrior Julius Caesar was assassinated by Brutus for the cause of democracy. The choice is yours.