Two photos of King Gyanendra of Nepal
Nepal’s powerful Shah dynasty’s powers ended on Thursday (May 18) with Parliament unanimously okaying a proposal by the government to axe the king’s prerogatives, bring him under law, select his heir and transform the world’s only Hindu kingdom into a secular state, says India’s The Economic Times
This change would affect controversial Crown Prince Paras most, with his record of manslaughter, assault and firing in public places. It would also pave the way for the inquiries demanded by the parties, people and Maoists into several past massacres, including the assassination of the earlier King Birendra and his family.
The national anthem of Nepal that extols the King would be replaced and from a Hindu Kingdom, Nepal would become a secular country. This is another blow for the King, whose support base includes illiterate villagers obeying him blindly due to the carefully cultivated belief that he is an incarnation of Hindu god Vishnu.
The Independent of London reports that Nepal’s King has been stripped stripped of political powers. The vote represents a decisive victory for pro-democracy protesters who took to the streets in huge numbers last month after a year in which the King had ruled with absolute power.
Parliament removed the King as commander-in chief of the Royal Nepalese Army, which will be renamed the Nepal Army. Soldiers will cease to swear an oath of loyalty to the King, and the chief of staff will be appointed by parliament. Removing his command of the army was widely seen as the crucial step to prevent King Gyanendra trying to seize absolute power again.
The King will also have to pay taxes.
There is considerable hope among Nepalis that the King’s removal could pave the way for a peace deal with the Maoist rebels.
For my earlier posts on Nepal you may click on Nepal, Democracy and the King, Nepal Burns: World Watches the Spectacle, and Himal of Nepal: A Salute to a Pioneering Magazine
————
The writer has worked as journalist with national and international media. At present he is Media Consultant with Press Institute of India, New Delhi. He is also Trainer/Mentor with BBC World Service Trust. Email: [email protected]
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.