Monday, February 14 2005 19:07 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Defying heavy security and ban on pubic gatherings by the royal Government in Nepal, political parties have decided to hold demonstrations on February 18 coinciding with 'Democracy Day' to be celebrated in the Himalayan Kingdom.

The country's largest political party Nepali Congress and other pro-democracy parties are planning a big show during the 55th Democracy Day on February 18 against the Royal Coup.

Nepal Communist Party-UML too is planning to stage separate demonstrations on the day.

"The Nepali Congress has decided to bolster the pace of struggle for the restoration of democracy, and to make the people meaningfully sovereign by bringing back full-fledged democracy," Nepali Congress spokesman Arjun Narsingh K C said today (Feb 14, 2005) in a statement.

Nepali Congress will hold peaceful demonstrations in every district of the country for the restoration of democracy in the country, according to the statement.

The party has appealed all its workers, members of sister organisations and well-wishers to conduct peaceful agitations in the country and asked all other pro-constitutional political parties to unite and show solidarity to the pro-democracy agitations.

The agitation should focus protesting against the King's totalitarian move demanding activation of democratic process, the party said.

There have been three anti-coup demonstrations in Kathmandu since the King announced the proclamation on February 1 suspending all fundamental rights and introducing press censorship.

Political activities have virtually came to a halt as the royal Government arrrested several dozen political activists and banned demonstrations and agitations in the country.

"The royal Government has rendered inactive and functionless even the very sovereign rights that cannot constitutionally be suspended," the Nepali Congress said in its statement.

Though the political parties are not banned, the offices of political parties and their sister associations have been put under strict security vigilance, it added.

In this way the fundamental rights of the citizens have been abruptly taken away, it said.

The Nepali Congress has also demanded reinstatment of Parliament to find a solution to the deadlock of the present conflict and violence.

The royal move has put an end to the process of seeking solution to the present crisis, the statement said and called for all political forces to unitedly seek solution to the current problem facing the country.