I am unaware about the `new constitution’: Minister Thapa
Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Niranjan Thapa, has said he is unaware about the reports that the government is drafting a new constitution replacing the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990.
Addressing an interaction organised by `Sanchar Samuha' in the capital Tuesday, Minister Thapa said he did not have any idea and that he had never heard of any new constitution in the offing.
Minister Thapa was reacting to media reports saying that a team led by the minister himself had already drafted a new constitution that would empower the king with executive powers. Reports, quoting unnamed sources, said a former attorney general and some lawyers who identify themselves as royalists were involved in the exercise.
Senior opposition leader and UML general secretary, Madhav Kumar Nepal, claimed last week that the palace had already drafted its own version of the constitution and that the king could promulgate it during the Dashain holidays or on ‘Kartik 23’ (Nov. 9) this year.
The royal palace secretariat has not deemed it fit to refute such allegations.
During his address, Minister Thapa emphasized on the need for national consensus between the king and parties but criticized political parties for ‘pelting stones’ at security forces on the streets.
“These are the people who are braving terrorists and risking their lives to maintain law and order,” said Thapa. He also alleged that the opposition activists’ act of pelting stones at the police personnel could lower the morale of the security forces.
Interestingly, Thapa did not refer to use of batons, tear gas and water canons by the police to disperse opposition activists demanding restoration of peace and democracy in the country. Thapa, who had served as minister of state for home affairs during the last days of Panchayat, had been accused of misusing state power to suppress pro-democracy activists during the 1990 ‘jana andolan’ by the much-talked about Mallik Commission.
In a statement early this month, the UN Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) mission in Nepal accused the government of using excessive force against public demonstrations. The government has been violating the norms of international human rights, the UN mission said.
Nepali authorities haven’t commented as yet regarding the UN statement. nepalnews.com by Sep 28 05
