the cabinet meeting today decided to nationalise the king'S palaces across the country

have your say

Capn'"We have a history of oppression and power hunger on the part of Nepal's King, his relatives and cohorts which unleashed a process of disparity and alienation."
Birendra did try with his GAUN PHARKA programme. My Uncle was in some remote area of western Nepal as a teacher, medical person, asst. to pradhanpancha, etc etc. He lived there for more than a year, trying to better people's lives. I did not see anything like this after the whole democracy thing except for the greedy politicians trying to fill their pockets.

If they really want to do something about this they should confiscate all the CORRUPT POLITICIAN'S  LAND, PROPERTY, FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNTS that are not in par with their regular salary. Why only the KING(trust me not a big fan of him) ? Why not Girija's daughter caught in chandan taskari. Prachandey & Baburamey for robbing poor people's banks(their entire savings). etc etc

Gyanendra Shaha must be glad -- at least now he does not have to worry about paying utilities and other bills for the palaces.

what is the benefit of doing all this?????

ABA ta CHOR GADHA ko BACHHA "PRACHANDA" nai ta DURBAR ma gayara SUTNE hola ni HOINA ?????????????

All leadership quarters in Nepal are bankrupt. Every one claims to the best, and cite peoples' mandate. Most of the citizens have no idea what the heck is that mandate.

Chaos is all set to rule Nepal for many years to come if things continue to be the way they are. Hope is all we got so we should continue our fight against current leaderships and their corrupt way of thinking and acting unless we resign to a failed state.

Samsara -

I dont mean disrespect but I see so many holes in your argument, I am not sure where I should start addressing them. I'll take them sequentially in the order you raised them:

"Your statement makes me think that you're still living in an imaginery perfect world where everyone follows the law, people open doors for the next passer-by or even pick up and hand you the change that fell outta your pocket. This is the most naive statement I've ever heard so far. You're assuming the realms of Western democracy here which is a far cry from what we have in Nepal."

I am not sure where you get that from - if it's from any of my statements here, then all I can say is it is a mis perception. I dont claim to be an expert on politics but if you do not see power sharing as the key to good governance and successful politics, then that is what is really naive.

"Here polls are manipulated through terror and local goons (brought into the village where the polls are being held in busloads) who can sway the voting public with their presence around the poll booths. Yes, the damn cops are there but they've either been paid off before-hand or are too friggin scared coz their jaagir is at risk. How do I know this? I have seen BS like this take place firsthand as my very cousin (no names here) was among the hired political pawns for a certain party where every election period (back in the days), he took busloads of local hoodlums to the areas outside Ktm...

I don't doubt that. Unfortunately stuff like that happens in an evolving third world democracy whether it is Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka or any place else. Elections are not perfect and I accept that. Such things happened when the King was in power and some of it continued to the two or three elections we had under a multi party system and we saw it big time when King Gyanendra and Kamal Thapa conducted a farce of an election. But I'd argue elections have been more free, but not perfect, under a democratic system than under the King. The Monarchy has proved it is not interested in holding elections - let alone sharing power - so it's rather absurd to criticize the democratic system for not holding a perfect election and then turn around the next minute and endorse a system that does not even believe in elections!



"I'm stating facts of Nepali elections here. Anyone from the villages here in sajha would coorborate fo sure. I'd suggest you and most of our sajha democrazy enthusiasts to find out what happens in the village polls this election period (if you have anyone who lives there). The parties as you said do not "represent the aspirations of the people" but rather, forces its aspirations as a yoke on the people.

I disagree. The parties werent interested in re-structuring the state for example. That was something that came from bottom to and some would say took them by surprise. Likewise with the Congress and Monarchy. The decision to go neutral was the result of grassroots pressure. That said, there is still a lot of top-down agenda setting going on and that's what federalism and devolution of power are about.

"And power transfer to the public? When has this ever taken place?"

Never. That's why we are in so much trouble and need to have more devolution of powers.

"This, my friend will never ever happen as long as the same netas continue with their tight grasp over Nepali politics. And power moving out of Ktm you say? The exact opposite happened during the 17 years of democracy. I still remember back during the late 80s (before democracy)when the govt begain a process of decentralization. Pokhara, Biratnagar and the whole Nepalgunj area were being developed as other industrial towns (industires outside Ktm sprung up in Hetauda, Lumbini, etc.). After democroacy came about, where else did this branch out? Instead all these village netas moved into Ktm and brought their cronies and other villagers there too (and these cronies brought others too)."

I disagree. The Panchayat model was not workable because it did not go far enough. The development centers it created had little impact because these regions did not have administrative and executive authority. They were created to facilitate the process of central planning ( oh what a "commie" concept, no?).

" Note that in Nepal, a minister wins the election from his district but ironically lives his term in Ktm instead (my neighbor was the minister of Labor and he hailed from a certain village where he visited only during election time). How on earth is this minister supposed to know what ails his village? If the kids are going to school? If they have enough security? If there's enough to eat there? It ain't like the US where the governor of a particular state resides in his own state. Imagine if they lived 24/7 in DC instead? A public outrage."

Such behavior is deplorable. I can only hope such politicians get voted out. But how is this a rationale for not having democracy? If such a thing is happening in a system where politicians are elected, it will probably happen more in a system where they are not elected and are not even half as accountable to parliament and the people as they would be under a democracy. I'd argue such apathy on the part of politicos was way more prevalent during the Panchayat - especially it's later years than during democracy. I'd even go as far as saying the parties seem to be able to gain support popular in spite of all their screw ups precisely because of this - the King is seen as simply not able to connect to his people even half as much as the parties have.

"Please note that I'm blaming the netas for all the destruction we've faced so far. The royals did impediment years of development but they in my view have done more than these chor netas have for the past 17 years of negative development: both monetary and social (If we factor in the fall in the currency exchange rate/the polulation discplaced by the maoist violence/the total dead or missing/subsistence farmers losing the lil they have to feed the rebel militia/etc). "

This goes back to my previous point about misplaced blame. Yes the economy has screwed up and the parties share the responsibility for it. But, if you look at the reasons for economic downturns (in some areas certainly), they point to a flaw with the way society is structured and organized and unless we change this, you are unlikely to see the environment that is needed for good economic growth. In order for political stability (imperative for economic growth) to come, we must address the reasons for instability - namely the disparities that are causing people to take to protests. I am confident political stability will not come to Nepal if the King takes over. In case you forgot, it did not 2 years ago and I dont see how it ever will.


"Now where on earth are these farmers and villagers on the brink of starvation and nothing to their name gonna go to? The city where though overcrowded polluted and a hotbed of crime, there is a better chance for survival. This has made towns that were once on the path to industrialization and filled with job opportunities (the lil industrialisation today we have started back in the 1970/80s) become places that are today diseconomies of scale. The whole rebel movement brought about by this 17 year fiasco has crippled life outside Ktm as the netas never thought of giving importance outside Ktm (and not the King) during their entire 17 years of governance."

Nepal's decline started in the 80s right under the nose of the Panchayat and it hasn't gotten any better. I hold both the King and parties responsible. On this account, I have zero sympathy with anyone - King or parties. The primary reason for decline, as I see it, was explosive population growth, corruption - Panchayati and Bhudaliya - and the lack of investment in education. I am not sure when towns were "filled with job opportunities" - certainly not in the 80s when the current trend of migration to India accelerated and Nepal's villages started emptying.

Also, the rebel movement was not brought about by democracy alone. In case you missed the signs, the seeds for it were sowed long before we had democracy in Nepal. I am actually surprised it started so late. I suspect that might have been because the NC and the UML acted as a buffer for a while.

"I still claim that democracy under the netas we had/still have was the biggest mistake ever. We need people who will lead us rather than those looking to loot us. I and we all know that for the past 17 years the public are the ones who suffered most. And you still say we have aspirations in the parties?? Never have, never will. Give me an army rule anyday rather than these friggin netas or worse, the fuggin commies!!"

You are entitled to your opinions but you might be out of touch with public opinion in Nepal. Opinion polls have shown people favor a democracy over a dictatorial Monarchy by huge margins. You could argue opinion polls are not always correct, but they are the only indicators we have had in the absence of elections. I can provide the links to the polls here if you need verification.

As for Army rule, I think it's the last resort of delusional and defeated Monarchists. If they could have taken over, they would have. It is simply not sustainable. If the Army ever takes over they will end up handing back power to the parties sooner or later.

Democracy in Nepal is here to stay. The focus, IMO, should be how to strengthen it, make our elected representatives more accountable and have as good a union as we can under the circumstances. Trying to fight democracy altogether - however imperfect it may be - is a loosing battle as it has been shown the world over.


It has been interesting talking about Monarchy in broad terms but I think that is a topic that has been exhausted here on Sajha. I am happy to talk about the nationalization of the King's property - or something specific - as that might produce more meaningful ideas than a broad based discussion about the Monarchy.

{Argh, typos everywhere, please excuse those that slipped editing}

"If they really want to do something about this they should confiscate all the CORRUPT POLITICIAN'S LAND, PROPERTY, FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNTS that are not in par with their regular salary. Why only the KING(trust me not a big fan of him) ? Why not Girija's daughter caught in chandan taskari. Prachandey & Baburamey for robbing poor people's banks(their entire savings). etc etc"

BC. I think that day will come too. It's the Kings turn now and if Girija doesn't deliver or screws up like Gyanendra, he might meet the same fate.

Better Sooner than latr while the fire is still goin'
Cause once it dies down.. will be very hard to get those flames going.
I mean Politicians have that habbit of saying,"Aba lai pugyo pheri pachi garaula when it comes to their turn." Don't want this to be swept under the carpet after they are done with Gyaney. Cause those fugging politicians are just as bad as him.

I think the country will turn against Girija if the CA polls are not held, squabbles amongst ethnic groups continue and if corruption rises (and he or his family/party is found to be complicit)

This is his fifteen minutes of fame - whether he uses it to etch his name in history or become another failure is up to him.

I'll even go further - I think Prachanda's rear end is also on the line. It might be later than Gyanedra's and Girija's but it will come.

This is not right …………….
Very unfair…………….
So if any netas dies ( hope they die soon ) their properties will be nationalized as well.
So who is gonna go live in the palaces……..?
I won’t be surprised if netas will say it is gonna be next priminister quarter
Or right when it gets nationalized maoist will take over the palace…………….
Nepal is turning in to another one of those African countries……………..
Democracy in Nepal is going out of hand people don’t respect other people any more.
It’s even scary to walk outside…………………
I am really sad that I have to say I am nepali any more…………….
I don’t feel proud any more that I am nepali like I use to feel long time ago….............

I certainly hope so. JUSTICE should be served if you want to gain the trust of the people. Otherwise it will be same old same old. And people WILL lose faith. Then we will be back to where we started again and again and again. Poor Nepal Ama will be sooo batted and bruised it will be very very hard to get her up again.

I don't understand much politics but can any one just reason me

"HOW CA elections or ANY THING" can the bring the country to a stable nation..........

I mean , do you guys see any hopes of NEPAL not worsening than what it is now ??

Thanks.......in advance.

Status quo should have been maintained if the constituent assembly (Sambhidhan Sabha- i don know how many of us really understand it) was to settle the issue of monarchy and the places the royals own or occupy. If the government is there to serve the people the focus should have been law and order...
बढीनी नाङै सिङदरबारमा उभीदा हेरी राख्नेहरुले केही commoners लाई सजिलो हुने काम गर्नेकी?

 

places..palaces whatever...

Good news, at least Nepali people see something done by SPA. Kina Gyane chor lai paisa dine Nepali people le, aba yo gyane lai pahama halo jotaun pathaunu parcha. Paras gunda lai rukhama jhundaunu parcha, Ani sajha ka mandle haru thukk mula gyane ko kattu ho bhai thukkna paincha.

Ya this the CA polls why people think its gonna happen whenn there is Maoist there to make sure that it dont happen.....................


Maoist programmes terrorising people: Sitaula

Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula has said the recently announced protest programmes of the Maoists have terrorised the people instead of creating atmosphere for constituent assembly polls.



Home Minister Situala speaking during the programme. nepalnews.com/ANA
Speaking at the Reporters' Club on Thursday, Sitaula urged the Maoist leadership to withdraw all the protest programmes immediately and join in the campaigns for holding election in a free and fair manner. He said parties should not create terror in people.

Stating that such programmes would restrict people from casting their votes in the polls, Sitaula asked the Maoists to be serious about the elections.

The Maoist programmes announced on Saturday demanding establishment of republic before the election have drawn criticism from various quarters that such programmes would end up disrupting the polls.

He further said the government was determined to improve security for the polls at any cost.

In another context, Sitaula said process for nationalisation of the property owned by late King Birendra and Queen Aishworya and present King Gyanendra has begun. He said the ministerial committee had started collecting the details of the properties, which would be finalised soon.

On the occasion, the Reporters Club handed over Rs 100,001 aid to the flood victims. nepalnews.com ia Aug 23 07

Well. The first thing this governemt did immediately after coming to power was to delcare KHUM BAHADUR KHADKA, GOVINDA RAJ JOSHI as a clean person.

What can we expect from this goverment who are in power by chance not choice. The dont have mandate of people.

First of All, All these places should and never was King's personal property.How can it be personal property?It is National property as it was build by the Govt. of Nepal.

Does the road , bridge belong to a person?

whoever is the king , gets to live in those house just like PM in baluwatar.

So I think this might just be a sop to mollify the republicans and anti-King forces. I think the government did not go far enough. Like with so many things in politics, in trying to please everyone and strike a compromise, the government might have pleased no one.

Exactly this is what it is.

But the question is: Can the present governmnet go far enough? What else can it do? Whether one admits it or not, doing away with the institution of monarchy is not as easy as the SPA+Maoist leadership make it to be because of these factors:

1. Domestic: It is not quite clear what percentage of our population wants the King to go. There's a lot of ambiguity here. What I feel is, there's a lot of anger towards the King, but there's a lot of sympathy/goodwill for the institution. Maybe the majority in Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan, Pyuthan wants the King to go, but Nepal is not REPRESENTED by these 4--OK 20--districts and its population, or the angry mobs that stage protests and Nepal bandh everyday.

Let's not judge the mood of all Nepali people based on young Ratnapark-Tundikhel protesters and their "anti-monarchy" slogans.

[If we are to run a comparative political analysis, Nepal's case now is quite similar to Japan in 1945. The majority wanted Hirohito to abdicate, but was not against the idea of monarchy. ]

2. International factor: Does India really want monarchy abolished? I don't think so. No matter what it says, the GOI knows that having a King is in its best interests. The main opposition party BJP still supports the King and anything the Indian govt. does or tries to do to support the republcian forces will be opposed by the BJP and its "militant-Hindu- Nationalists' affiliates.

If the SPA really wanted the King to go, why didn't they do it when the House was restored? Why couldn't they do it that day? They did not because they knew they could not because of the domestic and international factors. Also for the parties, monrachy is their last resort if --IF- the maoists decide to break away from the alliance and go back to their old ways.

Just my views. Feel free to disagree.

Also, read this line carefully:

"The King, however, will be allowed to stay in Narayanhiti Palace until the Constituent Assembly elections that is to decide the fate of monarchy, according to Prithvi Subba Gurung, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation."


Now this sounds outrageous and dangerous. Why? Because the leaders are already predicting the election's outcome. If they already know the outcome, why go for it? Why not declare Nepal a republic right away and kick the King out? Like Plato said, "The tyranny of one has ended, the tranny of a hundred/collective has begun." (or somethng like this while commenting on Athenian democracy.) In waht could be termed as "Sautako rishle logne marne" thinking, we are giving the SPA+ Maoist leadership enermous power to decide on our behalf. Is this democracy? I don't know.

All the decisions are directed...and we should know who directs that....the Indians don’t want anything that symbolizes Nepal....who cares wtf they decide....
my only concern is to hold my nepali passport forever....
seeya allzz

Great news - albeit one that came a day late and a dollar short.

Thanks for the union of SPA + Maoists. Together it represents a mix of ideologies and dispositions - desirable or otherwise - that is still more representative of Nepal than it was under Gyane's rule.

No matter how polluted the Bagmati river, it is still a sacred river. No matter how corrupt/violent the union, it is still our best hope in the transition. We're stuck with them.

Why not simply kick monarchy out with a two thirds majority of the interim Parliament - as there is reason to believe that palace is covertly behind many of the mayhems in the Terai? Historically, people never wanted this Shah monarchy in the first place- it was thrust on them through conquest? It didn't come through a democratic entrance, why should the exit have to be made democratic? So I don't understand all the hoopla about holding a CA for deciding monarchy's fate. The people and the union of SPA + Maoists have emerged victorious, so they should simply throw monarchy out through the two-thirds majority. They should act like the conquerors - who with Janandolan 2 - have beaten the old system. Garbage in , garbage out -could be an apt epitaph for monarchy.

The CA should simply be for selecting candidates for writing a new contitution, a new republic set-up as per the people's aspirations reflected in their votes. No point wasting time and resources and people's time on deciding what to do with the monarchy garbage. If you really leave the garbage lying on the streets, it surely stinks the place up. This is really the solid waste management problem - you don't need to hold a CA to deal with this problem.