Blaming the monarchy for the Maoist insurgency, former Nepal prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala said India should not resume arms supply to the Himalayan kingdom at a time when political parties have joined ranks to fight for restoration of democracy.
"In today's situation, when seven main political parties of Nepal have joined hands to launch a movement for restoring democracy and protecting people's rights and when we are coming out with an agenda for civil rights, we do not find it proper that arms supply should be resumed at this juncture," 80-year-old Koirala told a BBC Hindi programme on Sunday.
Koirala thanked the international community, including India, for its cooperation and moral support.
"We expect this support to continue in the future," Koirala, who presently heads the Nepali Congress, said.
On King Gyanendra's statement that parties had failed to deal with the Maoist violence, the veteran leader said, "When the Maoists' had an influence only in two places in the country, we repeatedly told His Majesty to use the military against them. But the military was reluctant to go and the king was hesitant to move. How can the Royal Palace now blame the political parties for its own inaction."
Admitting that the previous democratic governments in Nepal committed mistakes due to lack of experience, he said that was no reason to 'murder' democracy.