END OF AN ERA (1925-2010) ,GIRIJA PRASAD KOIRALA PASSES AWAY

Last rites with state honor; Govt declares Sunday public holiday; National flag at half mast for three days
KATHMANDU, Nepali Congress President and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala passed away at his daughter’s home in Mandikhatar, Kathmandu at 12:10 p.m. on Saturday.Minister for Irrigation Bal Krishna Khand confirmed the passing away the 86-year-old leader after a NC CWC meeting.His body will be kept at the Dasharath Stadium, Tripureshwor between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday, NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba said. His body will be covered by the national flag.Until then, the body will be kept at his daughter and Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala´s residence at Mandikhatar where people can pay their last homage on Saturday.The last rites would be performed on Sunday with state honors as he was the former head of states, an emergency meeting of the cabinet decided on Saturday afternoon.The government also declared Sunday a public holiday and decided to keep the national flag at half mast for three days. Condolence books will be kept open in Nepali diplomatic missions and consulate throughout the world for two days.Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal reached Mandikhatar to pay last homage to Koirala, who was appointed Prime Minister four times and acting head of the state after monarch was abolishedKoirala, born in 1925 in India when his father was on exile for showing dissent to the-then autocratic Rana regime, rose to the iconic politician in his political career. The highest point of his career was the inking of the peace accord with the Maoists, who left 10-year-long bloody conflict to join the mainstream politics.He led the 2006 April Uprising that led to the re-establishment the democracy, end the Maoist conflict and abolishment of the monarchy. Koirala and Maoist rebels signed the historic peace accord in November 2006.Koirala was a fighter throughout his life - his leadership in 2006 was only the iceberg of his life full of leading movements. In 1947, he began his political career as a trade union leader in a jute mill in Biratnagar.In the shadow of elder brother B P Koirala, who was the first people-elected PM of Nepal, he took time to rise high in politics. In 1960, the then King Mahendra ended democracy and established partyless Panchayat system imprisoning the-then PM B P Koirala along with many others including Girija Prasad Koirala. He spent seven years in prison and after release, he masterminded the 1973 hijacking of a Royal Nepal Airlines plane on domestic flight with money to fund party activities.He led four of 18 governments since the establishment of democracy in 1990 through a popular movement. He was one of the leading forces during the movement.When he became the prime minister for the first time in 1991, he continued a family legacy which saw two of his brothers led the nation. He dissolved the parliament after three years. The general election that followed failed to give any party the majority.He led the minority government in 1998 and again Nepali Congress government in 2000 after ´forcing´ party’s own PM Krishna Prasad Bhattarai to resign. During his third tenure, the Royal Massacre in which 10 of the Royal family members including the King, Queen and Crown Prince were killed happened.Following the April Uprising in 2006, he sworn in for the fourth term and sign one of the most important documents in Nepal’s political history – the peace accord with the Maoists. After abolishment of monarchy and establishment of republic Nepal, he became the acting head of the state until the election of Dr Ram Baran Yadav as the first president.The grand old man of Nepali politics was dogged by illnesses in the eve of his life but continued to be the axis of politics playing crucial role in times of political impasses. He was the co-ordinator of much-hyped High Level Political Mechanism (HLPM) when he passed away.

HIS DEATH IS LOSS TO SOUTH ASIA; DR MANMOHAN SINGH
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has condoled the death of Girija Prasad Koirala saying his death has come as a big blow to the Nepalese peace process.
The statement has said that he was a South Asian figure whose demises has come as a shock. ? I convey the condolence of the Indian people.?
He has in his statement appreciated the role played by Koirala in democratizing Nepal starting his career from a trade union activist.
Condolences have also poured in from other parts of the region and still more coming in.

CABINET MEETING NOW TO AWARD STATE FUNERAL TO GPK
Meanwhile political leaders are flocking Sujata residene in Mandikhatar following his death in what is a private affair yet.
The mortal reamins of Koirala will be moved to Dasrath stadium tomorrow from 8 am onwards in what is a public opportunity to pay homage.

CONGRESS TO SHUT DOWN OFFICES FOR 7
Nepali Congress has decided to condole the death of party President G P Koirala who passed away today. The party has announced thirteen days of mourning while shutting the offices down for seven days.
The party will be holding a mass meeting to mark the death of its president on the thirteenth day in the capital. This was announced earlier today following a meeting
The party will be flying the flags at party office at half mast for the next thirteen days as a mark of respect to the departed leader.
Meanwhile the party has announced the path through which last remains of Koirala will be driven through tomorrow.
The funeral will start at 2 pm from Dasrath stadium and will go through the city center before arriving at Pashupatinath cremation ground.

Nepali Congress's Presidet Koirala under 24-hour oxygen

Doctors have put Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala under oxygen around the clock at his residence at Maharajgunj after his illness worsened in recent days.Until recently, he used to be put on oxygen five to seven hours a day.
Nepali Congress leader Arjun Narsingh KC, who meets Koirala almost daily and met him on Tuesday also, that Koirala´s condition has been deteriorating by the day."He is becoming weaker every day," KC said about the NC leader´s deteriorating health.Worried about the condition of their party president, some Nepali Congress leaders on Tuesday concluded that the octogenarian KC."Koirala´s doctors are meeting on Wednesday morning to decide whether he should be taken abroad for treatment again," said KC. "We have concluded that Koirala should be taken at least to India, if it is not possible to take him to Singapore again."
Koirala was taken to Singapore in an air ambulance when he fell seriously ill last November. He had received treatment at Gleneagles Hospital, a 380-bed private tertiary acute care hospital in Singapore, from November 14 to 22, 2009.A team of doctors from the hospital had even visited Nepal for follow-up treatment for Koirala recently.On Tuesday, Acting President of the Nepali Congress Sushil Koirala called Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala, who is currently on a tour of Europe, to inform her about the deteriorating condition of her father and asked her to return home as early as possible."She has cut short her visit and is arriving most likely on Wednesday evening or by Thursday at the latest in view of her father´s condition," Sitaula said.The deputy prime minister was originally scheduled to return home on March 14.Nepali Congress leader Laxman Prasad Ghimire said that Koirala has had to take oxygen even during meetings with party leaders in recent days.

राजनीतिक रुपमा त गिरिजाबाबुले मलाई त समाप्तै गर्न खोज्नुभएको हो :खुमबहादुर खड्का

खुमबहादुर खड्का, नेता नेपाली कांग्रेस नेपाली कांग्रेसका शक्तिशाली नेता खुमबहादुर खड्का यतिबेला राष्ट्रिय चर्चाको शिखरमा हुनुहुन्छ । कांग्रेसका कर्मठ, जुझारु र क्रान्तिकारी नेता खड्का दुईपटक गृहमन्त्री भइसक्नुभएको छ ।

Q.

हिन्दु राष्ट्र घोषणा गराउने एजेन्डामा ज्ञानेन्द्र, गिरिजाबाबु, प्रचण्ड, खुमबहादुर सबैको कुरा मिल्छ ?

A.

हिन्दु राष्ट्र घोषणा गराउने एजेन्डामा नेपाली जनताकै कुरा मिल्छ ।

Q.

हिन्दु राष्ट्र घोषणा गराउने अभियानमा सफल हुनुहुन्छ त ?

A.

हिन्दु राष्ट्र घोषणा गराउने अभियान सफल हुन्छ ।

Q.

यो अभियानमा पूर्व राजा ज्ञानेन्द्रको पनि साथ रहन्छ ?

A.

उहाँ पनि हिन्दु हो । उहाँलाई पनि हिन्दु राष्ट्र घोषणा चाहिएको छ । यसमा सबैको सहयोग चाहिन्छ । कृष्णप्रसाद भट्टराई पनि बोल्नुभएको छ, सूर्यबहादुर थापा, लोकेन्द्रबहादुर चन्द, कमल थापा, पशुपतिशमशेर, गिरिजाबाबु, प्रचण्ड र माधवकुमार नेपालको सबैको सहयोग चाहियो नि ।

Q.

प्रचण्डको पनि हिन्दु राष्ट्र घोषणा गराउने अभियानमा सहमत होलान् ?

A.

आउनुपर्छ । जनताको भावना कसले कुल्चन सक्छ ?

Q.

हिन्दु राज्यका बारेमा तपाईंको र ज्ञानेन्द्रको कुरा त मिल्यो नि ?

A.

मैले त पहिल्यै नै भनिसकेको छु, यो धर्म निरपेक्षताको घोषणा नै गलत थियो । जनमत संग्रहबाट गरेको भए राम्रो हुन्थ्यो । जहाँ ८०, ८५ प्रतिशत हिन्दु छन्, त्यहाँ धर्म निरेपक्षताको घोषणा गरेर नेताहरुले खेलवाड गरेका छन् । त्यसमा मेरो सहमति थिएन र छैन । यो देशलाई हिन्दु राष्ट्र घोषणा गर्नुपर्छ भन्ने मेरो मान्यता हो । सकेसम्म निरपेक्षता जस्तै हिन्दु राष्ट्र घोषणा गराउने हो, नभए जनमत संग्रहबाट गराउने ।

Q.

पशुपतिमा राजा ज्ञानेन्द्रसँग तपाईंको केके कुराकानी भयो ?

A.

हत्तेरी, यज्ञमा भेट भएको हो । कहाँ ज्ञानेन्द्रसँग भेट मागेको हो र ? उहाँ पनि आउनुभयो, म पनि गएको थिएँ । यज्ञमा भेट भयो । त्यत्ति हो ।

Q.

साँच्चै यसमा जनताले साथ देलान् त ?

A.

नेपाली जनताको साथ नभएको भए बाबाकहाँ यस्तो भीड लाग्थ्यो ? यसबाट मापन हुँदैन र ?

Q.

काली बाबा र ज्ञानेन्द्रबीच विशेष सम्बन्ध छ भन्छन् नि ?

A.

त्यो मलाई थाहा छैन । त्यो उहाँहरुको कुरा हो । मलाई के थाहा ?

Q.

तपाईंको सम्बन्ध चाहिँ कस्तो छ ?

A.

कालीबाबासँग मेरो सम्बन्ध राम्रो छ ।

Q.

तपाईं कालीबाबालाई किन मान्नुहुन्छ ?

A.

उहाँमा जुन शक्ति छ, मैले त्यसैलाई मानेको हुँ ।

Q.

कालीबाबासँग त्यस्तो शक्ति के छ ?

A.

केही नखाएर, पानी नपिएर जसले यज्ञ गरिरहेको छ, ऊसँग शक्ति नभएर कोसँग हुन्छ ? उहाँको यज्ञ पूरा हुने कुरामा म विश्वस्त छु ।

Q.

बाबाहरुमा तपाईंले सबैभन्दा मान्ने को हो ?

A.

बाबाहरुमा मैले सबैभन्दा मान्ने कालीबाबा नै हो ।

Q.

पहिलेदेखि नै भेटघाट थियो उहाँसँग ?

A.

पहिले बाबाहरुप्रति मेरो कुनै आकर्षण थिएन । कालीबाबासँग मेरो चिनचान भएको एक वर्ष भयो । पहिलो भेटबाटै म आकषिर्त भएँ ।

Q.

औठी पनि खुब लगाउनुहुँदो रहेछ ?

A.

साइबाबाले दिनुभएको हो ।

Q.

साइबाबाबाट पनि प्रभावित हुनुहुन्छ ?

A.

एकदमै । नहुने कुरै भएन ।

Q.

राजतन्त्र फर्काउन त तपाईंले मुभ गरेको होइन ?

A.

राजतन्त्र फर्काउन होइन, हिन्दु राष्ट्र हुनुपर्छ भनेर हो ।

Q.

राजतन्त्र फर्काउन खुमबहादुर र ज्ञानेन्द्र मिले भनिँदै छ नि ?

A.

भने होलान् । भन्नेको मुख कसले थुन्न सक्छ ? माओवादीले राजा राष्ट्रवादी भन्दा केही नहुने, खुमबहादुरले यहाँ एउटा यज्ञमा राजालाई भेट्दा प्रलय हुन्छ भने मैले के भन्ने ?

Q.

ज्ञानेन्द्र र्फकन्छन् किन र्फकदैनन् त ?

A.

जनताले चाहे र्फकने हो, नचाहे के र्फकने ?

Q.

तपाईंले आधा घण्टा कुरा गर्नुभयो रे ?

A.

होइन, होइन । खास केही कुरा भएको होइन ?

Q.

गोप्य कुराकानी गरेपछि तपाईंले टाउको हल्लाउनुभएको होइन ?

A.

होइन, होइन । गोप्य कुरा पनि त्यस्तो ठाउँमा होला त ?

Q.

कांग्रेस महाधिवेशन हुन्छ त ?

A.

हुन्छ भन्दा पनि होइन गर्नुपर्छ । वैशाखको अन्तिमसम्म गर्नुपर्छ भनेकेा थिएँ मैले । पदाधिकारीबाट जेठ २७ गतेको प्रस्ताव आएको छ । त्यसलाई म समर्थन गर्छु ।

Q.

महाधिवेशनमा सभापतिमा उठ्नु होला नि ?

A.

मैले निर्णय गरिसकेको छैन । कार्यकर्ता साथीभाइसँग सल्लाह गरेर निर्णय गर्छु ।

Q.

पार्टीलाई व्यापक शुद्धीकरण गर्नुपर्दैन ?

A.

पार्टीलाई शुद्धीकरण गर्ने होइन, सुदृढ बनाउने हो । यो चालाले त पार्टी खत्तमै हुन्छ । पहिले नेपाली कांग्रेस वरिपरि मुलुकको राजनीति घुम्थ्यो भने अहिले माओवादी बोलेपछि त्यसको पेरिफेरिमा अरु पार्टी घुम्ने गरेका छन् । म कांग्रेसले बोलेपछि अरुले सुनुन् भन्ने चाहन्छु ।

Q.

भनेपछि परिआए नेतृत्व लिन पछि हट्नु हुँदैन ?

A.

यसमा पछि हट्ने भन्ने कुरै छैन । पहिले त कार्यकर्ता साथीहरुले चाहनुपर्‍यो ।

Q.

शेरबहादुर देउवा र सुशील कोइराला तपाईंको सिनियर, जुनियर के हुन् ?

A.

उमेरको हिसाबले सुशील दाइ नै सिनियर हुनुभयो । राजनीतिक रुपले भन्ने हो भने शेरबहादुर सिनियर हुन् जस्तो लाग्छ । सुशील दाइसँग २०२९ सालमा चिनजान भएको हो मेरो । शेरबहादुरजीसँग २०२७ सालमै नेविसंघको पहिलो महाधिवेशन हुँदा भेटेको हुँ । को जुनियर, को सिनियरभन्दा पनि कसले पार्टीलाई अघि बढाउन सक्छ भन्ने कुरा हो । तर, राजनीतिक त्यागका हिसाबले भने म नै सिनियर हुँ । निर्वासन, जेलदेखि पार्टी काम पनि उहाँहरुले भन्दा मैले नै बढी गरेको छु । राजनीतिमा को पहिले लागे भन्ने मलाई थाहा छैन । मैले चाहिँ २०२३ मा डिएसवाइएलको सदस्यता लिएको हुँ ।

Q.

शेरबहादुर देउवासँग तपाईंको सम्बन्ध कस्तो छ ?

A.

राम्रो छ । राम्रंो छ ।

Q.

देउवाले पार्टीलाई राम्रोसँग हाँक्नु होला ?

A.

सम्बन्ध राम्रो हुनु एउटा कुरा हो । पार्टी हाँक्ने कुरा अर्को भयो । यसबारे उहाँलाई नै बढी थाहा छ । तीनचोटि प्रधानमन्त्री भइसक्यो । कांग्रेस प्रजातान्त्रिकको पनि सभापति हुनुभयो । मूल्यांकन कार्यकर्ताले गर्छन् ।

Q.

तपाईं सभापति नलड्ने, उपसभापति र महामन्त्रीमा लड्ने ताकमा हुनुहुन्छ रे ?

A.

सभापतिमा लडिनँ भने बरु सदस्यमै लडुँला । तर, म महामन्त्रीमा लड्दिन । लड्नैपर्छ भन्ने पनि के छ र ? ८, १० वर्ष पार्टीले माइनस गरे पनि मेरो के बिगि्रयो र ? कार्यकर्ताले पक्कै पनि यसलाई बुझेका छन् । प्रजातान्त्रिक कांग्रेसमा महामन्त्री भइसकेकै हुँ ।

Q.

देउवा र सुशीलमा तपाईंको समर्थन कसलाई ?

A.

कसैलाई छैन । मेरो समर्थन र विरोध दुवै छैन ।

Q.

कांग्रेसमा दुईजनाबाहेक अरु को आउला ?

A.

खोइ को छ त्यस्तो ? केबी गुरुङ, प्रकाशमान, रामचन्द्र, नरहरिजीको नाम पनि सुनेको छु ।

Q.

कांग्रेसको भविष्य अन्धकार छ भन्छन् नि ?

A.

कसले गर्दा भयो त्यो । तपाईं जोसँग निकट भएर रहनुभयो, उहाँहरुले गर्दा भयो ।

Q.

गिरिजाबाबुकै कारण हो त ?

A.

यसमा शंकै छैन । यसमा उहाँले नैतिक जिम्मेवारी लिनैपर्छ । त्यसमा हामी पनि दोषी हौं । मुलुकले निकास पाउँछ भनेर हामीले म्यान्डेट दिएको हो । ल्यान्डिङ ट्याक्टफुली हुन नसकेकाले कांग्रेसको यस्तो हालत भयो ।

Q.

तपाईं युद्धको पक्षमा कि शान्तिको पक्षमा ?

A.

शान्तिको पक्षमा ।

Q.

माओवादीले त शान्ति र संविधानका लागि सत्ता मागेकेा छ नि ?

A.

माओवादीलाई सत्ता चाहिएको भए संसदमा बहुमत पुर्‍याए हुन्छ । शान्ति दिन्छु भन्यो भन्दैमा गुण्डालाई सत्ता सुम्पने त ? यदि उसले जनगणतन्त्रमा जाने सोचेको छ भने त्यो कहिल्यै विपना दिइँदैन ।

Q.

अब के हुन्छ त ?

A.

माओवादीको लडाकु समायोजन नभई संविधान जारी हुँदैन । संविधानसभाले १४ जेठमै संविधान जारी गर्नुपर्छ । त्यसमा संविधान नआए म्याद थप्न मिल्दैन । त्यसपछि म्याद थप्ने होइन, फेरि संविधानसभाको चुनाव हुनुपर्छ ।

Q.

संविधान जारी नभए दोष कसलाई जान्छ ?

A.

जिम्मा त लिनुपर्छ नि नेताहरुले । सबै टेस्टेड हुन् । यहाँ को सफल नेता छ र ? प्रचण्ड नौ महिना प्रधानमन्त्री भएकै हुन् । विद्यार्थी नेताजस्तो रबैया देखियो । माधवकुमार नेपालको बारेमा के कमेन्ट गर्ने ?

Q.

गिरिजाबाबुसँग तपाईंको धेरै गुनासो छन् है ?

A.

गुनासो होइन, गिरिजाबाबुप्रति मेरो आदर र श्रद्धा छ । तर राजनीतिक रुपमा त गिरिजाबाबुले मलाई त समाप्तै गर्न खोज्नुभएको हो ।

Q.

तपाईंलाई गृहमन्त्री बनाउने कुरा पनि थियो ?

A.

मलाई मन्त्रीको के रहर छ र ? मैले दुईपटक मन्त्रीबाट राजीनामा दिएको हुँ । कतिफेर गृहमन्त्री हुने ? भए एकपटक प्रधानमन्त्री हुने हो । मेरो न दरबारसँग सम्बन्ध, न भारतसित सम्बन्ध न अमेरिकासँग, न चीनसँग सम्बन्ध न युरोपियन युनियनसँग । भाग्य भएको भए शेरबहादुरको पालामा मै प्रधानमन्त्री हुन्थेँ नि । राष्ट्रवादी र इमानदार मान्छे को अघि बढेको छ नेपालमा ? यो सतीले सरापेको देश हो ।