From http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=48580 Groups protest king's UN visit POST REPORT KATHMANDU, Aug 12 - Representatives of professional organizations have urged political parties to protest the king's upcoming visit at the 60th UN General Assembly scheduled to be held in New York this September. Speaking at an interaction of seven-party alliance here Friday, Purushottam Dahal, president of the Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES), said, "Since the international community has not legitimized the current government, the king in the capacity as the head of the government is also not recognized by international community." He also claimed that the international community has said that the current cabinet has criminals. "If the government is a bunch of criminals, how can the head of such a government take part in the UN General Assembly?" Dahal argued. Representatives of professional organizations also asked political parties to come up with a clear vision to intensify the agitation against the king's regression. Shambhu Thapa, president of Nepal Bar Association (NBA), said that political parties are not bound to comply with the current constitution since the monarch himself has violated it. "Political parties should not recognize any minister including the king as they are all unconstitutional," he said. He said that the incumbent ministers do not have the right to draw salary from taxpayers' money. "These ministers have been appointed unconstitutionally and they are not people's representatives, so they have no right to take any salary and allowance from the state coffers," he said. He also urged political parties to initiate international lobbying strongly to garner support for the movement against regression. Bhupati Dhakal, president of Nepal University Teachers' Association, said political parties should give ultimatum to the king to return to the democratic process. "If the king doesn't return to the democratic structure within the given ultimatum, they should be bold enough to say that they won't hold any talks with the king," he said. He also urged political parties to declare a parallel government so as to defy the present unconstitutional government. Speaking on the occasion were Dr Sudha Sharma, president of Nepal Doctors' Association; Mahendra Bista, general secretary of Federation of Nepalese Journalists; Sunil Manandhar, president of Nepal Trade Union Federation.