Former prime minister (PM) and former Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba on Friday delivered an emotional defence of democracy and the republic, saying he was imprisoned after refusing to accept anything that undermined democratic principles.
Speaking at a national gathering in Sukedhara, Kathmandu, Deuba recalled a past conversation with former King Gyanendra Shah and said he was aware of questions being raised on social media regarding a photograph of him with the former monarch.
Deuba said the republic established by the people cannot be reversed by anyone. He recounted telling the king that while he was prepared to accept any lawful action by the government, he could never accept anything against democracy.
“I told the king that I could not accept anything that went against democracy,” Deuba said. “After that, I was imprisoned.”
He said a royal commission was later formed and he was jailed under that process. “The king imprisoned me after I refused to compromise on democracy. The royal commission sent me to prison, but I eventually received justice through the courts,” he said.
Recalling his long political struggle, Deuba said he had faced imprisonment since his student days but had repeatedly found justice through the judiciary. He added that he still has full faith in the courts.
He urged the public not to doubt the republic, saying no force can destroy a system brought by the people themselves.
Deuba also said he had once advised the king to follow the example of the constitutional monarchy in Britain. “I reminded him to be constitutional. If the king chose not to be constitutional, what could I do? Instead, I was imprisoned,” he said.
Turning to the current situation, Deuba described Nepal’s political environment as highly sensitive and said the country was passing through a difficult phase politically, economically, socially, and diplomatically.
He called for unity and stressed the need to transform public frustration into hope. “There is despair in society, and it must be turned into hope. As the country’s oldest party, the Nepali Congress has a responsibility to do that,” he said.
Deuba also warned against the narrative that “nothing has happened” in the country, arguing that such thinking weakens national institutions and public confidence.
Calling for unity within the Nepali Congress, he said he would take the initiative to build broader political consensus and seek a way out of the current crisis.
He further claimed that the party’s special general convention had created discord within the Congress and alleged that party rules and procedures had been violated in the process. Deuba said he was confident that the Supreme Court would ultimately deliver justice.
Concluding his address, Deuba said he had spent his entire political life fighting for democracy, human rights, press freedom, and the supremacy of citizens.
“I have been struggling since my student days,” he said. “I have walked on the path shown by leaders including BP Koirala, and I will continue to walk on that path while working for the country and the people.”
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