Question

Short note on Nepal struggle through redemocracy

Answer 1

Nepal won democracy in the year 1990 though the king remained the head of the State. The real power was exercised by popularly elected representatives. King Birendra accepted this transition from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy.  King Birendra was killed in a mysterious massacre of the royal family in 2001. King Gyanendra, the new king of Nepal was not prepared to accept democratic rule. As a result, in February 2005, the king dismissed the then Prime Minister and dissolved the popularly elected Parliament. The movement of 2006 was aimed at regaining popular control over the government from the king. All the major political parties in Parliament (Seven Party Alliance of Nepal) called for a 4 day strike and this protest soon turned into indefinite strike in which many other organisations joined hands. People defied curfews and took to the streets. Even the security forces could not subdue them as more than 1 lakh people gathered almost every day to demand the restoration of democracy.They stuck to their demands of restoring the parliament, power to an all–party government and a new constituent assembly. On the last day of this protest movement, the king was forced to meet all the demands of the people. As a result, SPA chose Girija Prasad Koirala as the Prime Minister and the restored parliament passed various laws taking away most of the powers from the king.Thus, democracy was restored in Nepal.