Supporting the demand of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, leaders from the main opposition have also asked the government to declare Poush 27 (January 11 this year), the birth anniversary of king Prithvi Narayan Shah, a public holiday to celebrate it as the national unity day.

The demand of the second largest party comes at a time when leaders and ministers from the RPP have been pressing the government to declare the holiday. Addressing a meeting of the Legislature-Parliament on Tuesday, CPN-UML leader Prakash Jwala demanded public holiday on the day in recognition of the contribution of the unifier of modern Nepal.

“We can’t forget the contribution of king Prithvi Narayan Shah in unifying our nation. I strongly demand that the government announce a public holiday on the day and celebrate it as the national unity day,” Jwala told the meeting.

Shah is credited with unifying small principalities to form a bigger Nepal. The RPP has been celebrating the day as national unity day for the past decade.

The tradition of marking Poush 27 as the national unity day ended after the second people’s movement in 2006.

RPP ministers in the government had proposed in the Cabinet last week to announce the day as a public holiday. Even though Nepali Congress leader and Minister for Urban Development Arjun Narsingh KC supported the bid, it was not approved due to objection from some ministers from the CPN (Maoist Centre).

Nepal can’t be playground: Shah

KATHMANDU: Former king Gyanendra Shah on Tuesday said he had left 

the Narayanhiti Palace in the given circumstances but he was not devoid 

of his responsibility for the nation.

“This is to note here that,” he said in a statement issued on the eve of Prithvi Jayanti on Tuesday, “the wish of the people has been the wish of the Shah dynasty.”

Monarchy was abolished by the first Constituent Assembly in 2008 after the success of a popular revolt against the atrocities of Gyanendra’s royal regime.

He charged in his statement that some forces were trying to weaken Nepal’s sovereignty and unity.

“Within a decade, my concern has been whether or not the country will remain,” he said. “I believe our country cannot be the playground for any one.

We have to preserve our existence and identity through mutual understanding, nationality and harmony.”

“At a time when the world community is headed for prosperity, we have been moving towards poverty,” the former monarch rued. (PR)