Pashupati Sumsher Rana has a legacy, belonging to the “Rana Clan” that ruled Nepal for over 100 years.  His family name is attached to history that has defined and shaped the political spectrum of Nepal. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (United). A person of stature he has taken different stances in his life. While he had shown support for the republic, he is now of the view that reinstating monarchy would be viable for the future course of Nepal.

Talking to Journalist Rishi Dhamala on air on Nepali Radio Network on Thursday, Rana said that alongside him, all his party members in unison hope for a constitutional monarchy in place.

“Our observation of the actions and behavior of the current working style of the President of Nepal has led us to believe that we need to reinstate Monarchy,” he said.

“If as president you are representing the Nepali Congress (NC) then you are not approving the bill for Nepal Communist Party (NCP), and if there is a NCP President then the office does not approve the bill for the NC, this is the current situation. Another important issue is regarding the property of my Uncle which the president is not satisfied with, and the office is seeking more luxury and lavishness. The president needs helicopters worth billions of rupees, she also expects people to genuflect in reverence while applying vermillion during rituals. We should not have a party based president rather a system in place to protect the sanctity of the constitution,” he added.

While counter questioning whether reinstating monarchy was mere beating drums while the larger section of the population has accepted the secular republic Rana replied “There are still 81% of the population who identify themselves has Hindu. This is what the people of Nepal are looking for. The two Constituent Assembly elections have not stirred any controversy for a unified system.”

In a query why he was blatantly blaming the President who has quit has party position, and has taken all stakeholders to account and protect the nation with her position, Rana opined, “I have personally not blamed any particular individual to this regard. I have not seen the impartiality required from the position of the president. We need an unbiased system. It is a matter to seriously ponder upon. Monarchy will make a comeback.”

Talking further about secularism in the constitution Rana stated that the Nepalese people were never against being a Hindu state.

“Secularism was brought in the eleventh hour in a secretive manner and was imposed upon the people of Nepal. We had proposed a constitutional amendment at the constituent assembly and no major party had any objection of sort”.

On Saturday evening, Rishi Dhamala invited Rastriya Prajatantra Party (United) Chairman Pashupati Shumsher JBR in one of the most popular talkshow Janata Jana Chahanchan broadcast on Prime Times television.

The discussion was focused on RPP’s lobbying on the reinstatement of Nepal as a Hindu state and revival of the monarchy in the country. Show host Dhamala, also the president of Reporters’ Club Nepal, and Rana also talked about Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli’s visits to foreign countries.

When they were debating on RPP’s agenda of Hindu state and monarchy, Rana started referring Dhamala using the word ‘timi’ a less polite Nepali word for the second person singular word ‘you’.

Rana was arguing that President Bidya Devi Bhandari’s luxurious living style was not suitable for a poor and developing country like Nepal.

“This is a democracy. Prez Bhandari makes people keel who reaches Sital Niwas to receive tika. Is this behavior appropriate?”

“It is biased. Therefore, we have thought of replacing the president with the monarchy.”

When Dhamala asked Rana how he came to stand in favor of monarchy when he, in a face-to-face interaction program in Reporters’ Club, had clearly maintained his party is a Republican party, Rana replied, “Yes, but the president could not be fair. She craves for luxury and power. So, instead of a person who has an obsession with luxury and power, we have thought it could be if we reviving the older organization, king.”

“Rishi le sunya xou, (you have heard) about the debate on executive president…”

Dhamala interrupted saying, “The directly elected executive president is a need.”

When Rana said, “Sunana (Listen)…

Dhamala’s patience broke and he said, “Don’t say sunana, say sunnus Pashupati Shumsher ji”.

“You should apologize.”

Sunya xou andSunana are the verbs are used with the less formal and less polite word timi. The use of such words is not generally applicable in the formal programs.

Then Rana said, “Sorry! No problem. I said ‘timi’ because I am used to calling you like this. We are familiar with each other… so it came… but it’s okay.”

“No, in an interview, you have to use the word tapai,” said Dhamala.

According to chair Rana, a monarchy that is acceptable to all the people should be established.

In the interview, Rana also said that Prime Minister Oli’s frequent state visits to foreign countries have not been beneficial.

“I think the PM is making tourist visit.”

“State visits should have the purpose of harboring benefits in the country’s interest. What has the country achieved from PM’s Vietnam and Cambodia visits?

“PM’s current visit to the United Kingdom is also not suitable at a moment because of the instability created following the resignation of British Prime Minister Theresa May,” he said.

He also said that the government with a two-thirds majority has not done anything notable.

SURKHET, March 19: Chairperson of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (United), Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana, has said that corruption has spread from the center to local levels in the country.

At a news conference organized in Surkhet on Tuesday, Chair Rana said that the culture of corruption, which was limited in centre earlier, has now taking place in the villages.

He said, “People are in problem as they have to pay tax to local level, state and federal governments.”

Similarly, another chair of RPP (United), Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani, said that CK Raut’s move of coming into mainstream politics was one-level improvement.

He expressed the view that naming the party as ‘Janamat’ was not appropriate as people’s mandate cannot be sought on issues as national sovereignty and integrity. Both chairpersons said that ban on Biplav led Nepal Communist Party was wrong. RSS

KATHMANDU, Feb 14: The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (United) has decided to launch a campaign in order to restore Nepal as Hindu state very soon as secularism was declared in the country under the pressure of foreign forces.

The party has stated that nationality was weakening in the name of secularism therefore the campaign was essential to create awareness against the secularism.

The party has concluded that the campaign will be launched in each seven provinces for the purpose.

At a news conference organized at the party central office in the capital Thursday, chair duo Pashupati Shamsher Rana and Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani said that the importance of Hindu state was on rise even to respect the sentiment of a large number of the Hindu people in the country.

Earlier, RPP led by Kamal Thapa has decided to launch Mechi-Mahakali campaign to create awareness and exert pressure to restore the Hindu state from February 27. RSS

KATHMANDU, Oct 7: Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana, Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Democratic) has said that the broader democratic alliance has been formed in order to ensure constitution enforcement and protect democracy and its values.

Speaking during an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Saturday, Rana said, “The left alliance among the CPN-UML, CPN (Maoist Center) and Naya Shakti Party has only pushed the country toward ideological polarization, thus, weakening the constitution’s enforcement and national unity. It is a blow to democracy.”

“Broader democratic alliance will now ensure that the country is in the path of constitution implementation, democracy and national prosperity,” he added.

Rana also said that all six parties of the broad democratic alliance would form electoral alliance to contest the upcoming House of Representative and Province Assembly elections.

Nepali Congress, Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Democratic), Federal Socialist Forum Nepal and the Nepal Loktantrik Forum have decided to participate in the democratic alliance.

Rana further said that the democratic alliance will soon announce minimum common programs as all the six parties have different political grounds.

He also said that his party was in discussion with Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani-led RPP to share the same election symbol in the upcoming election. He also hinted at possible alliance with Kamal Thapa-led Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

RPP (D) TO FORGE LARGER DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE FOR FEDERAL PARLIAMENT, PROVINCE ASSEMBLY ELECTION

KATHMANDU, Sept 14: Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana, Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Democratic), clarified that the party joined the government in bid to address the grievances of Madhesi people.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba inducted four ministers from RPP (D) to his largest ever cabinet in the history of Nepal on September 14. “We split from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and joined Deuba-government with the aim to address the demands of Madhes,” said Rana arguing that the country would not become politically stable unless the concerns of Madhesi people are addressed.

It may be noted that RPP (D) had voted in support of the constitution amendment proposal.

We could not perform better in the first and second round of local level elections. It is because people could not accept the RPP (Unification). We, therefore, realized necessitate of splitting,” said Rana while addressing an interaction program organized by Reporters’ Club Nepal on Thursday.

“RPP (D) will forge a larger democratic alliance for the elections of the House of Representatives and State Assemblies slated for November 26 and December 7.

Responding to a media persons’ inquiry about Kamal Thapa-led RPP close students’ protest concerning newly appointed Minister Deepak Bohara’s involvement in state owned Nepal Oil Corporation land purchase scam, Rana said, “Thapa’s allegations on Bohara is just false fabrication. It is not true. He is angry because his party has weakened.”

On the occasion, Rana also said that RPP (D) was open to unification with Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani-led United Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Nationalist).

KATHMANDU, Aug 29: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba is preparing to include Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana-led Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Democratic) in the government.

Although the number of ministries has not been finalized yet, PM Deuba is preparing to allocate two ministries to RPP (Democratic), sources confirmed.

While, Rana has asked PM Deuba for three ministries, the PM is willing to allocate two full ministries and some other state ministries to RPP Democratic, according to sources.

It has been understood that RPP (Democratic) will get Industry and Peace and Reconstruction ministries even though Rana has asked for Industry and Forestry ministries.

According to sources, of the remaining four ministries, PM Deuba is allocating two for RPP (Democratic) and other two for the ruling parties, Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Center) each.

KATHMANDU, Aug 10: Chairman of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Democratic) Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana said his party supports the amendment of the constitution for the long term welfare of the country.

During an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Wednesday, he stressed the need of bringing on board the Madhes-centric political parties, so that they would involve in election.

He also informed that his party would join government after fulfilling the process to get registered in the Election Commission and in the Parliament Secretariat.

KATHMANDU, July 24: The internal power struggle in the fourth largest party, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has calmed down.

Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana, along with several RPP leaders, has been blaming Chair Kamal Thapa’s leadership for the party’s poor performances in the first and second round of election. The Rana faction were dissatisfied with Thapa’s leadership style and had accused the latter to have exercised monopoly and used the party as his personal tool to further his political interest.

Rana had also blamed Rana of choosing unsuitable election symbol and leading weak election campaign resulting party’s poor results.

RPP has only won four seat in the local elections so far.

But lately Rana has expressed that he would have no objection if the party joins the government in leadership of the party chair.

“The internal disputes between Thapa and Rana has calmed down. There is no any struggle in the party now. Even Rana has found peace in the party’s decision to join the government,” RPP leader Dil Nath Giri told Reporters’ Club Nepal.

The raging brawl in the RPP has been taken as of greater concern lately as the government requires support from the RPP lawmakers to endorse the constitution amendment bill currently stalled at the legislature parliament.

“It has been decided that all 37 lawmakers of the party will vote in favor of the amendment proposal,” said RPP spokesperson Bhuwan Pathak.

Last week, about a dozen lawmakers, expressing dissatisfaction, had warned that they would not support the bill and had demanded some revisions in the proposal.