 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
11-June-2008
NEPAL: King Gyanendra Leaves Narayanhitty Palace Today: Update No. 161By Dr. S. Chandrasekharan.
King Gyanendra addressed the media persons today from the Narayanhitty conveying his intention to quit the Palace today and that the crown and the Sceptre will be handed over to the government.
The King may have lost his crown, the Sceptre and the Palace but he retained his dignity in leaving the Palace in time and in accordance with the wishes of the government.
In his press statement (written and read), the King referred to the following-
• He has decided to leave the Narayanhitty Palace honouring the people’s verdict.
• He accepted the Constituent Assembly Election to implement the Federal Democratic Republic.
• He refuted the rumours regarding the Royal Palace Massacre that were intended to tarnish his and his family’s image.
• Monarchy had always stood as a friend of Nepali people.
• Refuted the claims that he had hidden his assets abroad. He said that his assets are inside the country only.
• He never thought of leaving the country.
• Expressed his commitment to assist the country’s peace process and development.
• He reiterated that his actions in 2005 were solely for peace and democracy.
• Scotching rumours that the crown and the Sceptre were being hidden, he announced that he will be handing them over to the government.
King Gyanendra has left with grace and had opted for a quiet private life. It is for the government, the people, the media and the civic bodies to respect his privacy. More importantly, his security needs to be ensured.
In a sense, today’s events are only symbolic. King Gyanendra lost the crown on the day of his proclamation on April 24, 2006 when he reconvened the dissolved Parliament and let it choose a Prime Minister.
It was clear at least to some of us then that it was a question of time before the Maoists with their superior organisation, ruthless methods and a clear agenda will capture power and that the mainstream political parties will be no-match to them.
It was also our assessment then that for India it was no longer a question whether the Maoists would come to power in Nepal, but how to come to terms with a Maoist Nepal in the days to come.
There is no doubt that Prithvi Naryan Shah the founder of the Shah Dynasty brought the Kingdom of Nepal into existence and gave a Nepali identity. It is for the present rulers who are fighting among themselves for the last ten days just to form the government under the new dispensation, to ensure that Nepal retains its identity in all respects and not allow disintegration under any circumstances.
There are many challenges ahead. The three major ones are
• First the Madhesi Issue
• Second is the total lawlessness prevailing all over the country.
• Third is the economy which is failing.
Removing the monarchy was the easiest of the tasks. Now comes the hard part of dealing with the gut issues that are plaguing the country.
Home | Papers | Notes | Forum | Search | Feedback | Links
Copyright © South Asia Analysis Group
All rights reserved. Permission is given to refer this on-line document for use in research papers and articles, provided the source and the author's name are acknowledged. Copies may not be duplicated for commercial purposes.