Saturday, March 12 2005 20:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: A day after his release from house arrest, sacked Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today (Mar 12, 2005) asked King Gyanendra to release all political detainees, restore fundamental rights and press freedom and constitute a multiparty Government.

The February 1 step by the King to sack the multiparty Government and suspend all fundamental rights of the sovereign Nepalese people was a blatant violation of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, Deuba said addressing a crowded press conference at his residence at Budhanilkantha.

The King's step invited political crisis in the country and that should be resolved soon by restoring democracy and fundamental rights, he said.

Deuba and ex-Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka were released from house arrest and 20 other political activists were freed yesterday after one and a half month in detention.

However, Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala, CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Peoples Front Nepal president Amik Serchan and other 800 people are still either in house arrest or in jail.

He said his party Nepali Congress (Democratic) along with four major parties including NC and CPN-UML will intensify the anti-King agitation.

"Our peaceful movement will continue till democracy was restored and fundamental rights are returned to the people," Deuba said. The five political parties have announced widespread demonstrations on March 14 against the royal coup.

Deuba thanked India, other friendly countries and international rights bodies for extending support to the cause of democracy in Nepal.

"I am really overwhelmed by the support extended by India and other friendly countries for voicing for democracy in Nepal," Deuba told the press conference, Deuba added. "I extend my sincere thanks to India for speaking in favour of democracy in Nepal," he said.

Deuba also urged the Government to lift curb on media including the ban on broadcasting Indian news channels in Nepal. "I am for the press freedom, these channels should not be shut down," he said.

The Royal Government should immediately restore human rights, freedom of movement, freedom to hold assembly and meetings and end press censorship, Deuba said.

He said the King dismissed his Government despite his commitment to hold the general election. "I was committed to holding the polls, I had only asked to defer the election date," he said. "If the King sacked me for not holding election within six months, then why should he need three years to do the same job?"

He said the Maoist problem should be resolved through negotiations.

"The Maoists should be brought to dialogue table and their demands should be fulfilled on the basis of give and take," he said, adding only a multiparty Government can solve the Maoist problem on the basis of national consensus.

He called upon the Maoists to abandon the path of violence and killing and join the democracy restoration movement. He also asked international community to extend further support to the pro-democracy movement.