Gyanendra back in Kathmandu amidst speculation that he may give up power

As streets in the capital were stained in bloods, and smokes of anti-monarchy protests smouldering all over the country, King Gyanendra returned to Kathmandu with his wife Komal

As streets in the capital were stained in bloods, and smokes of anti-monarchy protests smouldering all over the country, King Gyanendra returned to Kathmandu with his wife Komal, instantly fuelling speculations that he was ready to give up powers which he seized on February 1, 2005.

There has been no word from the palace yet, but a pro-monarchy journalist who was one of the eight to meet him in Pokhara said, “The King is worried about the situation and wants the bloodshed to stop”. Contrary to what he said, a section of the present government led by king’s controversial advisor Sharad Chanda Shah are said to be advising the king that the “movement would peter out in matter of days”.

The return of the royal couple saw the week-long curfew lifted in the capital, but the arrest of journalists, writers , teachers and artists continued. Similarly, violation of curfew in parts of the country and chorus of anti-king slogans showed no sign of abatement in those areas, specially Chitwan

and Pokhara.

There were reports of at least one activist—Bishnu Poudel—being killed in the police firing at Nawalparasi, about 210 kms from the capital. This takes the death toll during the current spate of protest beginning April 6 to four.

“Any half-way measure by the king would not work”, Former Prime Minister and Rashtriya Janashakti Party leader Surya Bahadur Thapa told The Indian Express. Thapa was responding to possible appeal to the seven-party alliance by the king on April 14—the Nepalese New Years—for

a dialogue.

Demonstrators calling for the restoration of democracy took to the streets, with about two dozen activists defying a ban on protests in Kathmandu. They shouted slogans and waved party flags before being stopped by riot police. About half-a-dozen were arrested, while the others were chased away by police waving batons and protected by riot shields.

‘‘Long live the democratic republic!’’ and ‘‘Down with autocracy’’, they shouted.

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Witnesses said 30 journalists who had joined the protests were arrested on Wednesday morning.

Businessmen, doctors and lawyers also vowed to join the pro-democracy campaign, but despite the protests, there were no immediate indications of the King trying to defuse the crisis beyond the curfew relaxation. —With Reuters