June 20, 2001 12:05 Hrs (IST)
N a significant move, the opposition Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist Leninist)
Wednesday asked the Himalayan kingdom's new monarch Gyanendra, a former businessman,
to declare his assets, even as the party's student wing demanded that his son should
not be made crown prince in view of his "past activities".
Meanwhile, according to media reports, the high-powered secretary-level panel set
up to study the report of the official probe into the June 1 palace massacre has
suggested among other things an amendment in the kingdom's succession laws to enable
daughters to become heir to the throne.
"The palace should convert the Narayanhity Palace into a memorial and hand over
the property of late King Birendra and members of his slain family to the government
as there are no direct heirs," Radha Krishna Mainali, senior leader of the CPN (ML),
told PTI in an exclusive interview, after a two-day meeting of the party's central
committee, which concluded here Tuesday night.
"His majesty should also make public the assets he acquired as a businessman, to
ensure transparency and fair play," Mainali said.
The 54-year old king reportedly has high stakes in a leading five star hotel in
Kathmandu, a major tobacco firm, besides a vibrant trading company and a tea garden
in eastern Nepal among others. As the monarch, his income from various
business interests are exempt from all taxes.
Several Nepalese industrialists have privately expressed reservations over King
Gyanendra's engagements with business activities saying it would deprive them of
a "level-playing field".
"We want to respect the king and not compete with him," said a hotel owner in
Kathmandu, on condition of anonymity.
Meanwhile, the CPN (ML)'s student wing, the All Nepal National Free Student's
Union has demanded that the king's son Paras Shah should not be made crown prince in
view of his "past activities including alleged mowing down of a popular singer
Praveen Gurung here last year".
"Paras Shah should not be made the crown prince at any cost," the union's
firebrand leader Ravindra Adhikari told PTI, a day after he addressed a massive
students' gathering at Tribhuvan University on the issue.
Adhikari, who had led a mass signature campaign demanding the prosecution of
Paras and removal of his title as "prince" last year following Gurung's death,
however, said his organization had no objection to the king's daughter Prerna
being made the crown princess.
Only male members can succeed to the throne, according to the present laws.
Meanwhile, the high-powered secretary-level panel set up by the government to study
the probe panel's report and suggest means to implement its recommendations, has
suggested an amendment to the existing succession law to enable the monarch's
daughter to succeed in the event of the son being charged with any offence, the
Nepalese daily Rajdhani said quoting official sources.
The recommendation has been made in the wake of Dipendra being blamed for the
palace massacre, the paper said, adding the panel has also suggested handing over
the palace security to the royal army.
Late Dipendra's succession to the throne, albeit in comatose state, had sparked
off a heated debate among the country's intellectuals as he was accused of killing
his father King Birendra and other royals.
Mainali also demanded that the site of the shooting should be opened to the
public and a new palace be built for the new king's accommodation, so that
Narayanhity Palace can be converted into a museum.
PTI
