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Major Events in Nepal
By KTM Reporter in Kathmandu
The former royal astrologers have set four different times for Wednesday, June 11, 2008, for former king Gyanendra to leave the Narayanhity palace for the Nagarjuna summer palace provided by the Government of Nepal for his temporary residence; however, the astrologers also set time for Friday, June 13, too. The deadline set by the Constituent Assembly expires on Thursday, June 12, 2008.
On Tuesday, June 10, 2008, former principal palace secretary Pashupati Bhakta Maharjan went to see Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, and discuss the plan of the exit of former king Gyanendra. During the meeting the Prime Minister asked Mr. Maharjan why the king did not turn over the crown and scepter studded with jewels to the Government team taking over the palace assets.
According to the local Nepalese media, Principal Secretary Maharjan also put up the desire of the former king for addressing the nation on the state-owned TVs and Radio before departing from the palace; the Prime Minister did not want the former king addressing the nation on the state-owned radio and TVs but he did not mind the former king doing so on the private TVs and radios.
Former king Gyanendra left the Narayanhity palace at about 9:00 P.M. on Wednesday, June 11, 2008, one day before the deadline set by the Constituent Assembly for him to vacate the palace expired. Before leaving the palace he gave a press briefing at the palace hall, and attempted to defend him from all the past wrong doings.
People gathered at the entrance to the palace were jubilant to see the exit of the former king, and jeered at him. However, some people cautioned the leaders to work with the new style and make decision in time otherwise the exit of the former king would make no sense to the people; the political leaders need to bring drastic changes in the working style and put people first and work accordingly for making Nepal prosperous as fast as possible.
Speaking in the third session of the Constituent Assembly held on June 11, 2008, some members expressed their displeasure at the government permitting the former king to live in the state-owned Nagarjuna palace and letting his mother and grandmother stay on in the Narayanhity palace, and asked the government to reverse the decision on it.
Lila Nychain of the Nepal Workers' and Peasants' Party, criticized the decision to let the ex-royals live in the palaces. "The late King Prithivi Narayan Shah dethroned Siddhi Narasingh Malla by humiliating him, permitting him to take only an umbrella and a pair of shoes. Why should the government provide facilities to the deposed king and his family members?" she questioned. She demanded that the dethroned king be given a reciprocal treatment by depriving him of all the property. (THT Online, Kathmandu, June 12)
Officials of the Federation of Nepal Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) met with Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Shyam Sundar Gupta and requested him to increase the prices of petroleum products if it would help the smooth supply of those products, as the industries and businesses have been suffering from the acute shortage of fossil fuels during the last two years of the Interim government headed by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.
In a bid to prevent current Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala from becoming the first president of federal democratic of Nepal, the Maoists put forward five names for the president. They are: veteran republican Ram Raja Prasad Singh, CPN-UML leader Sahana Pradhan, founding communist leader Nara Bahadur Karmacharya and civil society leaders Padma Ratna Tuladhar and Dr Devendra Raj Pandey.
The most likely to be elected candidate is Ram Raja Prasad Singh, as all of the Madheshi political parties are likely to support his candidacy. The combined votes of the CPN-Maoist and all of the Madheshi make a simple majority in the CA. However, the CA has yet to amend the Interim Constitution to this end.
On Thursday, June 12, 2008, all of the CPN-Maoist ministers tendered their resignations and delivered them to their chairman Prachanda to pass on to the Prime Ministers for paving the way for forming a new government led by the CPN-Maoist
The Ministers delivering their resignation to chairman Prachanda are:
Minister for Information and Communications Krishna Bahadur Mahara;
Minister for Works and Physical Planning Hisila Yami;
Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Pampha Bhusal;
Minister for Local Development Dev Gurung;
Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Matrika Yadav;
Minister of State for Works and Physical Planning Padam Rai;
Minister of State for Local Development Nabin Kumar Bishwakarma.
CPN-Maoist senior leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai claimed that his party would be able to forma new government by Wednesday, June 18, 2008.
