Republic Nepal: A day’s timeline of celebrations

http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/detail.php?article_id=1001&cat_id=4
Kathmandu, May 28

The 28th of May, Wednesday will be written with golden letters in the political history of Nepal with the Constituent Assembly deciding to abolish the 240 year monarchial rule and the heralding of a new era of federal republican democracy.

The Rising Nepal recorded the day long celebrations that took place in different parts of the capital city. The events have been presented as observed from early morning till late evening. Gongabu at 10 AM: This is a spot known for the mightiest mass movement in the 2006 April movement. Despite the call of different parties for people to come to the street to welcome the glorious day, few had gathered there for a rally.

Moreover, the big board in which photos of all 22 martyrs were kept for display for the last two years was removed. How long has it been removed, few days back the board was there. Later on at 12 it was reported that CPN-Maoist took out a big rally from the place.New Baneshower at 11 AM: This scribe reached the spot through Maharajgunj and Chabahil where people were gathering for a rally. They were carrying flags of the communist party.

New Baneshwore is the place where the international Convention Centre is located and it is the centre for the meetings of the CA. The first meeting of the CA was taking place there today to declare the country a republic. The time for the meet was set for 11 but reaching there the time was postponed by 4 hours to settle differences of the major parties. The place was fill of people carrying the flags of different political parties and craving for a political change for decades.

Most of them had written ‘long live republic Nepal’ on their forehead and cheeks. Ratnapark at 2:00 PM: A big rally of CPN-Maoist was moving. They had come to the spot from ten different spots of the Ring Road of the Valley. A group of national and international journalists had gathered near the main gate of the Royal palace. A TV journalist said that he had covered live three times. Some people were taking photographs keeping the palace at the background. A motorbike moved towards east from the south road furling the communist flag while three Royal policemen were parading inside the palace and the TV cameramen caught the rare scene.Baluwatar at 3:00 PM: Journalists were waiting for the leaders to emerge with a concrete decision from the meeting inside the official residence of Prime Minister. Most of them were tired. They had been waiting since 9:30 from the time when the leaders had been in the meeting.

At 5:15 the news about use of teargas at Baneshore was reported. Journalists were heard saying, ‘now the leaders will decide soon as the people are turning violent to pressure them.’ At 5:40 famous singers JB Tuhure and Nanda Krishna Joshi reached the spot and talk with the journalists, “After a rally from Martyrs stage, we went to Baneshwore, sang for republic, addressed the mass but they were fed up with the unnecessary postponement of declaration. We also got fed up staying there and came here to know what was going on.

See our leaders who work at the eleventh hour and make the situation tense. People can go violent if they delay any longer.”At six, vehicles of the leaders of the Maoist party were driven out and we understood that the meeting had ended. After 15 minutes CPN-UML general secretary Jhala Nath Khanal came out and talked with the media persons waiting for almost nine hours. He said the country would be declared republic today, constitutional president will be elected later on. A journalist asked about the new decision after meeting for tedious and long hours!New Baneshwore at 8:00 PM: People were chanting slogans against monarchy.

During the day they were singing and dancing. Compared to their number in the afternoon, they were fewer. Suddenly, a big noise of explosion was heard. The noise had come from the north, this scribe was at the west side, little further away from the main gate. All the journalists moved to the place of the noise, so did I. It was under a small tree near the big Peepal Chautari, almost opposite the main gate. It’s not a big one, of course improvised, a policeman said. They also got a pamphlet of Ranavir Sena at the explosion spot. Within 5 to 6 minutes, another explosion was heard and this time it was at south-west of the Convention Centre, on the road that leads to Maitighar. All moved to that side hurriedly. People were frantically moving here and there. In both explosions nobody was hurt. The police had started cordoning the prohibited area. Throughout the day, people were allowed to pass through the side of the road. What a security!

And, activists of YCL were seen deployed with the police in each corner of the midtown for additional security.Naraynhiti Royal Palace at 9:30 PM: A few journalists were staying some yards away from the main gate of the palace. The Royal flag was fluttering inside. People had expected that the flag would be pulled down during the day and the national flag would be hoisted to mark the republic day. But the king’s flag was still there. Meanwhile, at 11:30 PM the country was declared a republic. The major thoroughfares of the capital city had virtually no movement of vehicles. The market places too wore a deserted look as almost all shops, departmental stores and eateries had downed their shutters.