Excerpts from an interview with writer, Manjushree Thapa:

. "By the time the demonstration reached Ratna Park after marching through Bagh Bazar, Putali Sadak and Sahid Gate on 4 April, the police had us surrounded. People began to run as soon as the tear gas was fired. The latthi charge began and I was hit on my head. Although I fell down, the police beat me on my back several times. I noticed that the police aimed for the heads of demonstrators. Someone came to help me but even he was nearly beaten. I explained that we did not belong to any political party and we were allowed to go to a hospital."

. "I felt that the present stalemate has to be brought to an end, and this idea deserves support in principle. Moreover, being a litterateur I went to see things for myself. I walked in the rally but I did not chant slogans. It was a peaceful demonstration. Participating in peaceful rallies isn't a crime. I don't believe in the parties completely but the fact remains that they are leading this movement. Among the three forces in the country at present, the parliamentary faction is better than the king and the Maoists that have guns. In these times, we need to support peaceful movement."

. "I don't know if my experience with the movement will help my future work. When I was hit on my head, I realised that this part of my body needs to be saved at any cost. I also discovered how weak and critical people become in such times."

. "I don't want to blame a particular policeman. This is about the government's policy. The unarmed protestors could have simply been chased away. The police attacked them. I did not see the demonstrators pelting stones.

. "The movement is necessary. To make it effective, it needs wider participation. NGOs and civil society still distance themselves from it. While it is true that trust in the parties' leadership has eroded, civil society has benefitted from democracy. Yet they shy away from active, pro-democratic involvement. The people can replace leaders with tarnished images.

. "The royal felicitations look orchestrated, they don't looks pontaneous. Perhaps that reality eludes me because I wasn't a part of the pro-king group.