Six years after the 240-year-old monarchy was abolished and Nepal declared a republic, former king Gyanendra Shah has urged political parties to honor all past agreements reached between them.
Issuing a press statement on the eve of the 65th democracy day, Shah said that 'celebrating democracy day will be significant if we move the country towards peace, stability and prosperity by remembering and implementing all agreements reached between me and political parties."
Shah has not revealed what agreements he had with political parties.
Shah's statement has fueled speculations that political parties had reached a secret deal to save monarchy in one form or the other. After April Uprising-2006 that forced Shah to relinquish his absolute rule, then Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala had floated the idea of 'baby king', angering others who wanted nothing but republicanism. It was then speculated that Koirala had promised to save some form of monarchy.
However, Shah had been maintaining silence over what transpired between him and political parties during and after April Uprising. This is the first time that Shah asked political parties to keep their promise.
Shah had vacated Narayanhiti Royal Palace in 2008 after the first meeting of the first Constituent Assembly (CA) abolished monarchy and declared Nepal as a federal democratic republic country. Apart from occasionally making vague statements about nationality, Shah had remained silent over political development ever since then.
Shah chose to make his first strongly-worded political statement at a time when political parties that collectively spearheaded April Uprising are polarised like never before over the contents of the constitution. After the second CA elections, the Hindu Royalist RPP-Nepal, which backs monarchy, has also gained more political strength. These political changes must have emboldened Shah to speak up after six years.
In the press statement, Shah has also portrayed himself and his late grandfather Tribhuvan Shah as champions of democracy. He has said 'what he did nine years ago and what his grandfather did 64 years were aimed at strengthening democracy and nationalism'. Nine years ago, Shah had reinstated parliament that he had himself dissolved blaming political parties for failing to maintain peace and stability. Sixty four years ago, then king Tribhuvan Shah had backed Nepal's first democratic struggle that ended the 104-year-old Rana oligarchy.
In the statement, Shah has also advised political parties to stop wrangling and move towards the right direction understanding Nepal's geographical structure, characteristics of society, national religion and tradition.