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Gyanendra gets marching orders

— PHOTO: AFP

Jubilation: Maoist supporters attend a meeting to mark the abolition of the monarchy in Kathmandu on Friday.

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s government sent an “exit” letter to the former king, Gyanendra, on Saturday, asking him to vacate the Narayanhiti Palace within 15 days.

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula confirmed that the letter had been sent to the palace. “As per the decision of the Constituent Assembly, we have sent the letter to Gyanendra Shah,” said Mr. Sitaula. The government has formed a panel headed by a senior bureaucrat to collect details of the property in the palace.

The Home Ministry has been directed to safeguard the Narayanhiti Palace, which would soon be converted into a national museum.

The panel has been asked to submit the details of the property and documents of national importance that are currently in the palace within 10 days. The government has also decided to transfer palace staffers to the reserve pool of the General Administration Ministry.

Nepal’s national flag now flutters at the Narayanhiti Palace in the place of the Shah Dynasty flag. The government directed the palace to remove the royal flag on Thursday; the order was duly complied by the palace. A huge crowd gathered in front of the Palace on Thursday and demanded the national flag be hoisted on the palace premises. The government had earlier decided not to hoist the flag there since it would be inappropriate to hoist it at the residence of a common citizen.

However, under pressure from the crowd, palace staffers hoisted the national flag on Thursday evening. The government has already nationalised Narayanhiti Palace and other palaces belonging to erstwhile royal family.

Gyanendra and his family have sent some of their belongings to their private residence. A police source said at least six trucks left the palace late on Thursday night and entered Nirmal Niwas, the private residence of Gyanendra’s son Paras. Gyanendra used to live at Nirwal Niwas before he became king in June 2001, following the palace massacre in which the then king and his family were killed.

There were speculations that Gyanendra might have already left Narayanhaiti, as reported by some news channels, but Chief of Palace Staff Pashupati Bhakta Maharjan on Friday said Gyanendra was still in the palace.

Sources said Gyanendra was looking for a suitable residence as Nirmal Niwas is already occupied by his son and his family. “Niramal Niwas would be too small to accommodate Gyanendra, his wife Komal, and former queen mother, Ratna,” said the source.

There is a possibility that Gyanendra might move into Ratna’s house in Tahachal, Kathamndu.

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