Nepal min warns ex-king against anti-constitutional activities

Kathmandu, April 6: Nepal’s Minister for Communication and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung on Sunday said that former King Gyanendra breached the agreement he had reached with political parties that he would honour the constitution.
“The government will take action if he continues to indulge in activities directed against the constitution,” he said.
Speaking at a programme in Lamjung district, Gurung said, “the ex-monarch has violated the agreement he had reached with the political parties in the past that he would honour the constitution and not indulge in activity that would undermine the sovereign people,” he said.
Gyanendra had reached the agreement with political parties that the government would let his mother, former queen Ratna Rajyalaxmi Shah, to live in a section of Narayanhiti Palace, and to let him live in Nagarjun Palace on the outskirts of Kathmandu, he said.
The government had agreed to provide him with the facilities entitled to a former head of the state and that he would honour the constitution and also not interfere with sovereign rights of the Nepalese citizens, Gurung said.
However, the former king had breached the agreement with his statement during the democracy day on February 19, he said.
The ex-monarch had said that “time has come for him to become active to save the country and to maintain national unity”.
“In the name of the former monarch, some anti-constitution and anti-system elements are raising heads for some time,” the minister said.
“We were allowing these activities as a democratic government but now as they chose the path of violence, anarchy and looting, now we will not tolerate.
“The government will not remain a silent spectator in this situation, we will initiate legal action against such types of activities,” he said.
The present coalition between CPN-UML and Nepali Congress will remain in power until the next parliamentary election to be held in 2028, he added.
On March 31, Nepal’s Ambassador to India Shankar Sharma met Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to discuss Nepal-India relations amid protests demanding the reinstatement of the monarchy in the Himalayan nation.
The meeting came on the heels of pro-monarchy demonstrations here at the Tinkune area that left two persons, including a photojournalist, dead and more than 100 injured.
Adityanath is viewed in Nepal as a vocal supporter of their cause, with pro-monarchy protesters in a recent rally in Kathmandu even seen carrying placards featuring the Indian leader’s image, My Republica newspaper reported. (PTI)