Govt Must Be Held Accountable for Inaction Against Ex-King: Senior Advocate Bhattarai

Kathmandu: Senior Advocate Tikaram Bhattarai has stated that the government must be held accountable for not taking legal action against former King Gyanendra Shah in connection with the violent protest in Tinkune, which led to the death of two individuals.

While discussions are ongoing about summoning the former monarch to a parliamentary committee, Bhattarai met with Nepali Congress MP Jeevan Pariyar—who had earlier demanded Shah’s appearance in the Law, Justice, and Human Rights Committee—and voiced his legal stance on the matter.

Posting a photo of his meeting with MP Pariyar on social media, Bhattarai emphasized that while Gyanendra Shah is now legally just an ordinary citizen, the question of whether a parliamentary committee can summon him is indeed debatable.

He acknowledged and respected the views expressed by MP Pariyar and others regarding the need to address Shah’s alleged involvement in the March 28 violence. However, Bhattarai expressed his personal opinion that summoning a former monarch to Parliament would contradict parliamentary norms and values.

Bhattarai outlined his argument in four key points:

1. Shah is now an ordinary citizen. Parliament is accountable to the citizens, while the government is answerable to the people.

2. Parliament cannot summon a citizen directly unless executive power is involved. Doing so would undermine the dignity of parliamentary practice.

3. It is the government’s responsibility to investigate and act on the former King’s involvement. Parliament can question the Prime Minister and Home Minister on why no action has been taken. Only in cases like breach of parliamentary privilege or impeachment can Parliament summon ordinary citizens.

4. Calling Shah to Parliament could inadvertently enhance his stature, sending the wrong message that he holds executive power—ultimately weakening democratic values.

In conclusion, Bhattarai urged that the focus should be on holding the government accountable for its inaction, rather than directly targeting the former monarch. “Let’s question the government on why it has not taken action yet, instead of summoning Gyanendra Shah himself,” he asserted.

Senior Advocate Tikaram Bhattarai’s status

Source: Onlinekhabar