Girija Prasad Koirala, Nepal's most influential political leader and the chairman of Nepali Congress, has been released from house-arrest today, the best day in the whole year to release him because it's an April Fool day and the Monarchy of Nepal wants to fool the world by reiterating its commitment to democracy (people's will).
Koirala, who has been Nepal's prime minister for three times, is being taken as the only leader capable of leading the movement against the King's Feb 1 move despite his detiorated image, and his release would certainly boost the morale of those who have already taken to the roads. With Koirala, 258 other arrested political activists have also been released.
The release of Koirala is the King's attempt to show India that he is true to his words - he had urged India to give him 100 days. And although India has welcomed his release, it is unlikely that they will be impressed by this. Lately, there has been a few articles in Indian newspaper indicating that Nepal has joined the anti-Indian group by enfriending Pakistan and China. That impression will do no good for the country.
India has also demanded release of other leaders, including the general secretary of Nepal Communist Party - United Marxist Lennist Madhav Kumar Nepal and to curb all the restrictions on fundamental rights.
"For Koirala, as for other top political leaders similarly penalised under the king's state of emergency, house arrest has not only meant being confined at home. It also involved an almost total severance of communications such as phone lines and the cutting of their access to independent media." - according to BBC, UK.
BBC added: "Others, however, remain confined or detained, including the leader of the country's second biggest party, Madhav Kumar Nepal, who is reported to be in poor health. Strict media censorship means it is difficult to know how many detainees there are."
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