King Birendra was a great nationalist who strongly believed that Nepal’s history and tradition bound her people and Monarchy in an enduring and intimate relationship. He injected in the Institution an inherent feature of honoring and being guided by the popular will and aspirations of the people.
Being a Hindu Kingdom and King Birendra’s proposal to declare Nepal a zone of peace are the norms of Nepal’s prestige and security. King Birendra supported the democratic norms and rules. He made the people’s direct participation in the nation’s development and went on nation-wide tours encouraging all sectors.
King Birendra was a development-oriented people’s king. The welfare of the people was always uppermost in his mind. He always endeavored to live up to their expectations and ensure a balanced all-round development. During his coronation in 1975, he declared free primary education throughout the country and also proposed that Nepal be declared a Zone of Peace.
In 1988, India initiated an economic blockade on Nepal causing much suffering to the people. In the meantime, India reached out to power hungry and demoralized political leaders to initiate an uprising in Nepal. Indians had tried to threaten the then King Birendra through the India sponsored uprising and bring him under the Indian grip. India wants to take over Nepal’s defence and foreign policy by forcing it into the ranks of failed nations. After the palace massacre in 2001, His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra, according to the constitution, then, was proclaimed king of the Kingdom of Nepal.
When the new king Gyanendra was maintaining the system, since 2005, India had laden the Maoist rebellion along with Nepali Congress, UML and others with the 12-point agreement for so-called full democracy. The movement that ensued after the 12-point agreement was not for a republic state.
It was a matter of grief that the Nepalese people had to bear the sudden loss of their beloved ‘Monarch’ in a dreadful and unanticipated incident that occurred in the Narayanhity Royal Palace on 1st June 2001. It was an open secret that Prince Dipendra and Devyani were used by RAW in the Royal massacre. History says and everybody knows the monarchy is a symbol of Nepalese unity and nationality.
In between the two big neighbors – China and India, the monarchy has been playing a balanced role. So, Nepalese monarchy is the most convincing identity of Nepal’s independence and democracy. King Gyanendra is also a nationalist who can stand with cause and effect on national scenarios. Now, the country has been standing on the verge of dismemberment in the last five years. When the relationship between the king and the people has been detached, one can easily imagine, that Nepal can’t remain safe and unified if the monarchy is actually abolished from the country.
We Nepalese people no longer want the unconstitutional rule of the so-called visionless larger party leaders including the Maoists. The Nepalese only believe in parliamentary democracy and always follow the constitutional path. Now, I believe the best way forward is the acceptance and restoration of the benevolent and people-oriented monarchy.
There is no way other than that to form a national government of all sides, reinstating the 1990 constitution including the king, through a broad conference and find a way out to solve the country’s problem. So, on the occasion of the birth of King Birendra, we should never forget his great patriotic actions.
Long Live the Nepalese Monarchy.
