King offers PM post, spurned

Amid mounting civic unrest and protestors defying curfew, King Gyanendra offered the post of Prime Minister to Nepali Congress leader K P Bhattarai.


However, Bhattarai, a former prime minister of Nepal, turned the offer down.


Meanwhile, thousands of protestors defied the shoot-at-sight order and marched towards the Narayanhiti palace, state broadcaster Radio Nepal reported.


There were also reports of clashes in Kathmandu's twin city Keertipur and neighbouring districts of Bhaktapur and Kalanki.


Soldiers and police patrolled the streets of Nepal's capital Thursday to enforce an 18-hour curfew imposed to keep anti-king protesters off the streets, a day after security forces shot dead four pro-democracy demonstrators in the country's east.


District administration officers said the 2 am-8 pm curfew was necessary to prevent opposition parties from staging a huge rally, planned for Thursday, to demand that King Gyanendra loosen his grip on power.


Security forces have orders to shoot curfew violators on sight. Diplomats, journalists and human rights monitors have not been issued passes allowing them onto the streets as they have in the past.


Opposition leaders were meeting Thursday at an undisclosed location to decide if the rally should go ahead despite the inevitable risks attached to breaking the curfew. There were no reports of clashes or protests in Katmandu early Thursday, as hundreds of troops patrolled the capital's deserted streets.


The ring road that circles Kathmandu, which has been the venue of recent past protests to evade the regulation banning demonstrations in the city proper, was also deserted in the morning.


Two weeks of often-violent protests and a general strike against palace rule have paralysed Nepal, leaving cities short of food and fuel and the Himalayan country at its most volatile since King Gyanendra seized power 14 months ago.




The royal government has responded harshly, claiming Maoist insurgents - who are now allied with the opposition - have infiltrated rallies to instigate violence. Police have beaten, tear gassed and arrested thousands of protesters.


Ten Nepalis, including the four on Wednesday, have been slain by security forces since the opposition launched a general strike April 6.


Officials claimed security forces opened fire only after being shot at during an assault by brick-throwing protesters in Chandragadi, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) southeast of Kathmandu.


The government has made such claims in the past, although no shootings by protesters have been independently verified.


The region's chief administrator, Bhola Siwakoti, also said the demonstrators defied a ban on protests and were looting.


There were conflicting reports of how many were killed Wednesday.


The Defense Ministry said two people died, another Nepali official put the toll at four, and a UN official said it was five. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the situation's sensitivity.


"The events show how desperate the present royal regime is. It is becoming paranoid," said Dhruba Adhikary of the independent Nepal Press Institute. "The movement is getting popular, it is expanding and growing."


The opposition campaign has brought ordinary Nepalis into the streets alongside students and political activists. On Wednesday, some 250 professors held a protest. All were arrested.


Several thousand other people protested in Kathmandu. Some hurled bricks at police, who responded with tear gas, rubber bullets and baton charges.


While nearly all here said they hoped that if Thursday's protest takes place it will be peaceful, many said they did not fear violence.


"If we are faced with violence tomorrow, we will burn the palace," Ankil Shrestha, a 22-year-old student, said Wednesday. "The king will die."

The only way to make sure Paras doesn't become the next King is by throwing away the present King out of the palace.. If they compromise now, the consequences will be deadly once that Paras moron becomes the King.

त्यही त मापाका साथी, त्यो ज्ञाने गधाको अलिकति पनि बुध्दि भएको भए राजसंस्थाको यो हविगत हुने नै थिएन नि! अब चाहिँ कुकूर जाने नै भयो जस्तो छ।

I think that Madhav Nepal will never accept anything less than election to Constituent Assembly. About Girija and Deuba, they will be happy with so called "Constitutional Monarchy". Lets see...

Read the article by Narahari Acharya on today's Kantipur. He clears that "ceremonial King" as emphasized by Girija is can not be/ should not be/ and is not our agenda today.


गन्तन्त्रबादी माम्पका

त्यो माकुने पनि गतिलो त कहाँ हो र? अस्तिन देउबासँग प्रतिगमन आधा सच्चियो भन्दै दरबारमा गएकै हो सरकारमा जान। तर यस्पाली यी गधाहरुलाई जनताले दायाँबायाँ गर्न नदेलान जस्तो लाग्छ मलाई।

We need leaders like Narahari Acharya, not Girija... who will accept Monarchy giving no consideration to the pro-republic voice of the current movement.

I hear the King has filled up the tank of his helicopter. He will probably flee to Burma (Yangoon, is that what they call these days?) or some place he has made in Africa during his 67 crore visit to the African nations some time back.

But will he fly away so easily, that is yet to see..........

Nepal hallai halla ko desh ho.. ke sajha pani ho?

ज्ञाने चोर जहाँ बसेको छस्, त्यहीं बसिराख् , कतै जान पाउन्नस्
जनतालाई गोली हानेर सिंहासनमा बस्नेलाई सिंहासनसँगै जलाउँछौं !
नेपाली जनता के भन्छ? नारायणहिटी हान् भन्छ !

नारायणहिटी हान्छौं हान्छौं
नारायणहिटी हान्छौं हान्छौं
नारायणहिटी हान्छौं हान्छौं

Kukur muji gyane, deshmara, janta maraa tero bau le arjeko sampati ho yo desh, kata munto lukara baseko chhas e muji ahile , teri ama ko dudh piyeko bhaye janta lai face garna aaijo muji . karan singh ko gula chusis muji ?? ta chikni lai aba euta dhoti le aayera sikaunu parne bhayo hagi , thukka muji kukur , ta pani raja ??

Ta mareko (I'll prefer talai mareko) din ta ma rin garera nai bhaye pani yahako mahango restaurent ma khana janchhu . Gyane , desh chhodne bichar kahile garchhas america aaune man chha bhane malai euta resume forward garde

I think we have passed the point where having a constitutional monarchy would be ok enough.

Anything less than full REPUBLIC should not be acceptable.

I agree that constitutional monarchy is now out of question. But the fact that the Maos are still behind the scenes ready to pounce back makes me very uncomfortable about what will happen if the king is gone. I hope the SPA and the public find a way to get rid of the Maos as soon as possible.

Now that people have learned to claim their sovereignty, now that people know their immense power, now that people are so close to getting what that always belonged to them - the freedom, despite brutal suppression by the royal regime, I do not think Maoists will dare to make their PolPot like claims. They will get in line with the SPAs and follow the democratic electoral rule. Otherwise, they too will face people's wrath.

If RNA and Police with all their brutality cannot keep us down, I do not think Maoists with their ragtag half-baked fighters can do us any harm.

You are right Chatmandude. IF PEOPLE CAN BRING THE MONARCHY DOWN, THEY WILL DO THAT WITH ANY OTHER UNJUST SYSTEM WHETHER BE IT THE MAOISTS OR ANY OTHER -ISTS. So the boogy that if the king goes, the Maoist will take over has no credibility. All it does is undermine the people power and serve the interest of Mandales like Gyane and Kamale Thape. People will rise against anybody now whether it is a power hungry leader who goes to sign a compromise with the king for chair or somebody who gets corrupt once in power. Enough is enough.
JAGE JANATA. WATCH OUT AND LEARN TO RESPECT THE PEOPLE POWER!!!!

Do we really think that's a possibility? That the likes of Girija are over and done with?..I'd love to believe that's the case but I just don't see the new leader (with the exception of Gagan and as brilliant as I think he is, he is incredibly young)

What happens if the King calls back the parliament? Who are we as the people of Nepal willing to accept as leader? Girija? Madahav Nepal? Dare we hope that these idiots have learened their lessons and will once..for the first time in years..learn to work for the sake of the country?...is hoping that leaders of Nepal work for the people of Nepal too idealistic a notion?

I hope these old warts who've done enough to screw the country fall by the wayside..but, for the life of me..I see no other alternatives....

the people who can kill others to be safe should be killed. what did those innocent people did? sing a song against autocracy. king is that position who can take care of people and go for the people's need. he gyanendra cannot do it he is not be king. and if he killed people he should be killed. if i was in nepal i will be the one to kill this "BANGOOR".NEPALI JANATA HO, YO BANGOOR LAI CHODNA HUDAINA. Some dog from seven political parties can be lure with a piece of flesh but, every nepalese, u need to kill that dog before he get that flesh. And need to establish a full democracy.

kutta gyen....u go hell...and brother murderer......

Guzmoon,

That's true. They are all cut from the same piece of clothing. Why them alone, even King and Maoists are "yeutai dhyang ko mula haru."
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Lonely1,
My "rumor" did come out to be true.
(The point 1 & 2 in my first posting)

However, my assumption, the third point, is still hinged on ambiguity, it appears. But knowing how "unselfish" our leaders are, perhaps we would not have to wait for too long.

While I stand corrected, let me just say - I told you so.

IndisGuise:)

Indi, You were right all along ;)) waiting for your next prediction, what you think the nest step of the parties would be? will the maoist be included in the so called "urgent" meeting they would be holding in the next couple of days?

Whatever it is, THANK GOD IT"S FRIDAY ;-))

दर्शन भेट !

 

दर्शन भेट एक धोका हो,

कृष्ण प्रसाद जस्ताको लागि लोभको एउटा पोका हो !