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Journalism of Courage
Nepal’s ousted King Gyanendra is ready for a “peaceful exit” but wants the government to make arrangement for accommodation and security of his family, his aides said after the government gave him a 15-day notice to leave his palace.
“The king has expressed his wish to respect the CA’s historic decision and make a peaceful exit,” Pradeep Aryal, secretary looking after the Narayanhiti palace where Gyanedra is living was quoted as saying by the state-run The Rising Nepal.
According to officials at the now dissolved palace secretariat, the 60-year-old former monarch is looking for an appropriate place to shift with the former queen mother Ratna and his great grandmother Sarala, who is 94. She is the “mistress” of late king Tribhuvan, the daily said.
Gyanendra’s intentions were communicated to the government after it sent him a formal letter on Friday asking him to vacate the palace within 15 days after the Constitutent Assembly abolished the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy on May 28.
The government has asked Gyanendra “to make an exit only after coordinating with it so that appropriate measures could be taken for his security” and formed a committee that will recommend the level of security that should be arranged for the former king and his family.
At a meeting of the country’s main parties, where the Maoists leaders were not present, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula dismissed rumours that Gyanendra had left the palace.
The minister apprised the leaders about Gyanendra’s proposal that it would be easier if the government made arrangements for accommodation and security for former queen mother Ratna and his great grandmother, the daily said. Leaders of the seven parties said that the CPN-Maoist leaders could not attend the meeting yesterday as they had organised a mass meeting.
Since former crown prince Paras and his family have been living at the Nirmal Niwas, the private home of Gyanendra, the former king has expressed willingness to live at a different place, his aides said.
Reports claimed Gyanendra had been told by astrologers not to leave the palace until July when an auspicious phase is due to end.
The committee formed by the government will also prepare a security work plan within a week for providing security to the nationalised property of the ousted king.
