Facing a possible deposition at the hands of Maoists, Nepal’s unpopular king Gyanendra could seek refuge in India.
NEW DELHI: Facing a possible deposition at the hands of Maoists, Nepal’s unpopular king Gyanendra could seek refuge in India.
And the king’s new home could be a palace in Rajasthan’s Sikar district, hometown of his daughter-in-law Himani — wife of Nepal’s crown prince Paras Bikram Shah.
According to dependable sources crucial to India’s Nepal policy, the Indian government would accept and provide necessary security to the king if he opts for a peaceful life outside the Himalayan kingdom.
Authoritative sources told DNA that Sikar was the first place of choice for Gyanendra a few years ago when he secretly contacted the Indian government for safe passage as the anti-monarchy protests were threatening to overrun the palace.
Those involved in the secret negotiations were not willing to disclose who the interlocutor was, but indications are that Karan Singh, scion of the erstwhile royal family of Kashmir and Congress leader, may have had a role in it.
And now with a Maoist-dominated constituent assembly certain to declare Nepal a republic, giving the king no official position in the country’s hierarchy and leaving him vulnerable to a host of legal action, Gyanendra has few options but to leave the Himalayan kingdom.
Once the election results to the 240 seats that went to the polls are declared, another 335 members would be nominated by political parties based on the proportion of votes.
The remaining 26 seats in the 601-member constituent assembly would be nominated by the interim government that would be formed over the next few days. Overall, the Maoists are expected to dominate the assembly.
And among the assembly’s first steps would be the abolition of the 240-year-old monarchy and the dethroning of Gyanendra, who took over Nepal’s reign in tragic circumstances in 2001 only to further complicate the circumstances by dismissing the government and parliament and carrying out widespread human rights violations using the Army.
If the king decides to stay back, he could be prosecuted for his “crimes of the past”. And even if he is allowed to lead the life of an ordinary citizen, the possibility of action against him would always loom large. He, therefore, would be prompted to leave the country or may himself opt for it.
Last time when the king had sought safe passage, the Indian government had no objections. A senior official said “there is no change in our position”.
Sources close to the Nepal royal family say that the king also has property in Gurgaon on the outskirts of Delhi, Bangalore, Kolkata, Ranchi, and Varanasi. In Ranchi, the current Raj Bhavan is an old palace of the Nepal royalty.
“He is a very smart investor,” says someone very familiar with the royal family, talking about the way Gyanendra has gone about diverting his investments outside Nepal. He also owns property in London and, through his son-in-law, has significant investments in southeast Asia and probably in the Gulf.
But Gyanendra’s preferred destination would be India, according to reliable sources close to the palace. They say the fact that he had through his interlocutors conveyed his desire to seek asylum in India in case of a crisis is enough indicator of the future. “India had agreed to his request,” sources now confirm.
Unless there is any counter-pressure from the Nepal Maoists, India’s stand “will not change,” sources point out.
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