Nepal’s deposed king has left the royal palace for the last time but has no plans to leave the Himalayan country. Former King Gyanendra says he wants to stay to “help establish peace” as the country moves from a monarchy to a republic. Hundreds of people came to see Gyanendra leave Katmandu’s royal palace Wednesday night. His departure marks the end of the final chapter of the world’s last Hindu monarchy. The Press statement from former His Majesty Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shahdev, King of Nepal is below.[This statement was read by Shah in his press conference today in Narayanhitti palace]
[1. Here is the original press statement in Nepali
2. And here is the live reporting from inside the Kanski hall of Narayanhitti palace where former king read out the statement and the scenes at the gate of the palace]
Dear Nepalese brothers and sisters,
This country which came into being 240 years back as a garden of four castes and thirty-six sub castes as imagined and established by our ancestor His Majesty, the Great King Prithivi Narayan Shah, is going through a period of very serious and sensitive upheaval. It is well known that the Nepalese Monarchy which has always been activised for the people’s prosperity and progress has always been working together and cooperating with the happiness and woes of Nepalese people. Burning examples of that are unification, preservation of nationalism, democratization, and modernization through the united efforts of the king and national integrity as equivalent to the value of our lives. Our committed energized feelings towards these values and standards have remained constant from the past and are equally strong in the present and will remain so in the future.
I would like to inform everybody concerned that when seven years back because of an unnatural, unexpected and tragic incident while shouldering the responsibility of Head of the state according to the national heritage and ages of old monarchical traditions, I had no other interests except considerations for the sovereignty, independence, national pride, territorial integrity, peace and institutional development of democratic, and overall progress of all the citizens. In the then Hindu kingdom of Nepal, the birth place of Buddha the efforts started, with the best of intention trying to ensure the peace and prosperity in the country were not successful overtime, which I have already accepted earlier. The chain of events and ensuring results are obvious to everybody like an open book.
I would like to express, with God as my witness, certain things which I couldn’t express earlier because of my official responsibilities but which was troubling my inner heart all the time, through you dear journalist friends to my Nepalese brothers and sisters and the international community. May be we should call it a destiny that when I was innocent child, I had neither any wish nor desire nor any possibility of having a distinct role except the compulsion to have to quietly accept the crown. Likewise, for the second time when an unimaginable and horrifying event took place on the night of Jestha 19th, 2058, I could not express through word my internal pain when I was compelled and tied up by the chains of tradition and duty without being even able to shed tears over the mortal remains of those respected and beloved family members and lighten the burden of pain at the gruesome destruction of my close relatives. Even at that time some people blamed and accused me and my family with great indiscretion and cruelty but we had no alternative but to tolerate that too, nor were there people who spoke on our behalf. Being prejudiced against me and my family members the efforts which were continuously started through different means by taking advantage of those circumstances and events, have been very painful to us and are still so. Other members of Royal family who were wounded and but survived the incident in the Royal Palace are still alive. They are also witness to it. The bullet fragments, which couldn’t not be taken out for technical reason are still in the body of my wife who was also wounded and survived. The detailed facts had also come out from the medical doctors involved in their treatment. The high level Royal Investigation Commission had already made public the detailed report about the incident. When all Nepalese people and the Royal Family were overwhelmed with grief, at that time, to level accusations and blame in this way seems to be a strategy to damage the goodwill of the Nepalese people towards the institution of Monarchy and to spread ill will, which was also not compatible with human suffering.
Likewise, I have also heard false rumors about allegations that I have property abroad. All my property is in Nepal. I have no movable or immovable property in foreign lands. The property which had been bequeathed to me from my ancestors, according to Nepalese laws is also not in my name and I have institutionalized it maintaining that property and have only conserved it. During the last seven years neither have I added to any property nor have I taken any actions by which the traditional property of any members of the Royal family. I believe that I would also have rights to maintain private property according to the prevalent laws of Nepal.
Respecting Constitutional Assembly elections and the decision taken by the constituent assembly meeting on Jestha 15th, I am cooperating in every way towards the successful implementation of that decision. I have not also thought of leaving the country. I would like to leave in my own Motherland and contribute in whatever way possible for greater good of the country and peace in this land. I believe that there will be support from all sectors.
I pledge to be completely dedicated to the independence and territorial integrity of the nation of Nepal which was formed and has remained independent and sovereign because of the blood, sweet and sacrifice of the great ancestors of us Nepalese, wherever and whatever circumstances I may be in. I love the independence of this nation. My feelings and sentiments are that of sanctity, individuality and original values of this independent nation should always be preserved. My heartfelt good wishes are for the overall welfare of the self respecting common Nepalese people.
Today, on this date, I have handed over the Crown and Scepter used by the Kings of Shah dynasty and which has remained as heirloom in this dynasty to the Government of Nepal for safekeeping and protection for ages to come.
Finally, on behalf of my family members and myself, I would like to express my sorrow, if anybody has been inadvertently hurt by actions of my own or of the members of my family while I was working as Head of State for the welfare of Nepal and the Nepalese. I would like to express gratitude to all citizens, constitutional organs, judicial sector, security organizations, civil servants, teachers, professors, students, farmers, laborers, industrialists, businessmen, intellectual youths, religious organizations, journalists, civil society, personnel working in the Royal palace service and all others from different walks of life and all the other associated Nepalese inside and outside Nepal who extended their cooperation to me. I would also like to thank the friendly neighboring countries who have always wished well for Nepal, the international community and representative of diplomatic corps. I would also like to thank the members of the Committees for Security and management recently deputed by the Government of Nepal. I would like to thank the government of Nepal for all the help and cooperation extended to me. I also hope that like now, I would keep on getting the same level of necessary cooperation from the Government of Nepal in the future too.
May Lord Pashupatinath bless us all.
Jaya Nepal
Date: June 11, 2008
United We Blog 
Comments
45 responses to “Press Statement of Gyanendra (the Last King of Nepal)”
King Gyanendra accepted the verdict of the people. That’s great. I hope Girija also will accept the verdict of the people and go away.
Girija will not go away. He just said that he is the iron man. He knows better than the people and believes that he still has a long way to go.
Quite an emotional speech by Gyanendra there. He has tried to refute the allegations that he is somehow involved in the palace massacre of 2001. But the popular belief will not be deleted by the late explanation by the former king.
Good that he accepted people’s verdict.
Bad that he tried to justified the things he did…..
Good that media covered the conference live
The worst that some of the media people showed their “charitra”by vandalising and trying to steal/ stealing valuables…after the conferece
Congratulations!!!!
I have been following the news from Nepal and I was very pleased to read that the king has finally been kicked out of his palace. At least you two won’t be going to stay in prison any time soon 😀
Anyway, best of luck with a democratic country!!
Long Live Nepal!!
Check out Gynendra in http://www.hohalla.com
The king came out dignified in his final day at Narayanhity and delivered a poignant statement that tried to sum up his role and actions as the last King. He, more or less, accepted people’s verdict and said that he is going to live in Nepal and not run away into exile.
The so called ‘khate patrakars” showed their “aaukat” with their odious clamour. It was quite pathetic. Shameful behaviour.
The ex-king’s Last speech was very dignigied and he looked quite composed.
How many of the Current Corrupt politicians have the guts to come in Public and say that they do not have any illegal money and that they do not have any money in foreign land ?
The ex-king has made a GRACEFUL exit and our So-called great politicans also must learn certain things from him.
Jai Nepal !!
Now, we need to kick out mass murderer pol pot Prachande in order to promote democracy by finishing his autocracy that is 1,000 times dangerous than gyanendra’s autocracy.
Now the time came for the people of nepal to develop their country by their hand… as I have been going through all the news and information about nepal and I found that people of nepal think the Monarchy was the institution who have blocked the development of their country. Now there is no monarchy anymore, so, show this world how does nepal undergoing economy was responsible because of monarchy.
Stupid people, I would say bheda pattrakar samudaya and bheda general public and shyal politician, now please show us how you can you make Nepal developed!!!!!!!
Nepal have loose and scarified prestigious institution as per chor netas demand… its time of you all nepali to show that it was warthy for you and nepal.
Jaya Nepal
And by the way, do the patrakar of nepal have any manner and nepali pan… are they all came from Jungle….
Bullshit people !!!
Jaya Nepal
Watching King Gyanendra’s speech in You-Tube I found out that Nepalese Press Corpse are bunch of idiots.
It was good and graceful exit. Now, Bogeyman has gone out of scene the stupid and terrorist politicians of Nepal has no one to blame for everything and all the ills of Nepal. Now it is time to solve the real problem like cost of leaving, managing economy and generally raising the standard of Nepali People. The real test of these bunch of fools has began, I am wondering how these goons are going to split the country in name of federalism and ethnicity and how all our natural resources are going to be surrenedered to their Indian masters. These bunch of idiots has served Their real master indians by giving mass citizen to lot of indians while denying real Nepali of Madhesis their rights. It was the indians who has masterminded the exit of King becasue he has refused to surrender to their evil designs and introduced China and Japan has observer status in SAARC. It was indian bastards who has funded and trained Maoist. Not we can see this bastard SOOD going round meeting with Chief Justice, their illegimate son Polpote Prachande and RAW trained Baburam and Indian born dalal PM Girija and infulencing Nepali politics. This is the real drama we Nepalis are going to see and if we do not want to slaves of Indians we will have to wage Nationalistic war and wipe out all these Indian Dalals from politics of Nepal. New GAANDTANTRA will be very interesting as people will die of raised price of everything due to corruptions and foollishness of our so called elected fools. I will give maximum two year for this government and sadly country to survive before another real revolution from Nepali people.
I’m happy for a republic, but give the devil his due – after all royalty is royalty – Gyanendra’s blue blood showed – very very unlike our pathetic politicans.
The king was brave to accept and express his views, but people and press were like monkeys. What a uncivilied bunch. Chor politicians will destory Narayanhiti in no time just like many national haritage and monuments. Bandar ko hat ma nariwal..
Amazing grace!
I think one can sum up the quick demise of the monarchy with this (after seing the King and the rabid journos all in one hall bunched together in an unlikely manner) – “HOW MEDIA PROPOGANDA BROUGHT DOWN OUR MONARCHY”. Now one hopes that’s all and we don’t have to write – HOW THE MEDIA BROUGHT DOWN THE NATION.
just disgusting how the nepalese journalists behave! Rishi Dhamal is just aunique piece, the nepali journlaists have idolized him, he represents how smelling, corrupt, dirty, fireign agents nepali journliis havre become now—journalists should understand that they do not have the license to make or demolish any one, they have to be impartial. nepali people as they got rid of monarchy should now get rid of such smellign journslits who do not have self standing
Ex-King Gyanendra Saha succeeded in achieving a graceful exit out of the Royal Palace and in the process gained respect from the saner segments of the Nepalese population. Now the politicians don’t have a boogy in the Narayanhiti Palace to blame or direct their lame excuses.
Let them now pull up their socks and show to the Nepalese Peoples that they are not stooges of India. That they care for the people, that they will fight for the dignity and sovereignty of the nation.
Jai Nepal
Yes, very dignified and graceful indeed.He was calm and collective during the speech and showed all the maturity of a man accepting own abdication from the thrown. He was brave to face the situation and showed no animosity towards all those who helped him to achieve this ‘fete’.Having said that, he was very unsuccesful handling day to day affair of the nation, he himself led to the downfall of this 240 year old Shah dynasty which claim to have united the Nepali Nation.
A succesful end of an unsuccessful political attempt but I think he won’t give up his political aspirations and it would be good now if he would join one or start his own political party. Lot of people will still rally behind him if he does so as a matter of fact other political leadership ain’t any better.
its really gud that king gyanendra accepted the decision. But i wud like to wait for that day, when maoist are neck-deep in water and only Gyanendra can save him.
Gyanendra is a mastermind as far i’ve heard!!
Well, yes, Gyanendra Shah exited gracefully but lets not forget that all his problems were of his own making.
He said he never desired power, but his vulgar attempts to hold on to power during his reign are well known. The only reason he stopped trying to be ‘king’ was because he had no international support. He tried to play India against China and that just won’t work today. China has no use antagonizing India for the sake of Nepal.
But the more important thing here is Nepal’s ‘independence’. Can anyone explain how Nepal can remain truly ‘independent’ since we are almost totally surrounded by India? And as I’ve mentioned, China has already decided that it has better things to do than intervene in Nepal. So that leaves India as the only agent that can do anything in Nepal.
If anyone can tell me how Nepal can break free of India’s power, I will gladly listen. I know Nepal should have an independent trajectory. But how? What can Nepal do to make sure it stays independent from India? Before you guys go on bashing India again, please think clearly.
Gyanendra Shah’s downfall shows the failure of the China card. That cannot be used against India any more. So my question is–do we have any other card to be used against India? If yes, please tell me what, and how we can do it. If not, wouldn’t it be best to accept our destiny and realize that we can never be totally independent of India?
The indiscipline shown by these khate journalists in the palace reflects the current chaotic law and order situation in the country. Pataki Girija koirala is solely responsible for this current broken law and order in the country. This power greedy old vulture Girija did nothing remarkable for the country besides f”ucking Nona koirala (his own bhauju and the mother of shekher Koirala).
UWB: Taking this as an exception, we are replacing certain words of this comment with ICD instead of deleting the whole comment which we do in almost all cases like this.
The commentator says:
…..
I agree about the Rishi Dhamal bit. What an [icd] that [icd] is!
And Wagle, no mention of your comrades’ downright despicable act?
…………
UWB: Nepali, the word you used to describe the person was used by a very unprofessional photojournalist yesterday in the press conference, loudly and disgustingly. So is there is any difference between that photojournalist and you?
Regarding your question: go through this post which was published in today’s Kantipur.
Hi Manan
Manan you have rightly pointed out that India is only country that can help us out. We must unite and think intellectually how we can get better deal with India. Teasing them would not solve our proble. We must try to creat a win win deal.
Some people here are telling that King would better preserve our nationality against India. But I would like them to remember the king’s direct rule. He and his goons were desperate to seek India’s support and they were ready to do anything to get India’s support. My point here is the fact that every every power center in Nepal is abused by India. Every power center is puppet of India.
In new Nepal we should not be puppet of India. We must unite as a nation and face India with a government who have full harted support and cooperation of all the people of nepal and political parties. United and strong nepal is only solution.
Independence from India – what a hilarious notion, if anything we are ,more dependent now. To get total independence we need nuclear weapons. And thats a total waste of human effort.
haha (?), agreed. dependency huh! some things just never change.
Like i keep saying around here, if we are expecting some sort of a ‘revolutionary’ change then that has to come from each and every one of us, our attitude, our ways of working. We can feel satisfied knowing that the system will be changed but what then, same people running a new system with old mentality!
My only hope is that, perhaps incident like this (the downfall of the monarch system), it will give an indication to ppl abt the consequences of your actions. May be just may be that will bring a sense of responsibility at the table. But who is to give out free promises and guarantee here, only time will tell.
——————————–
UWB: Nepali, the word you used to describe the person was used by a very unprofessional photojournalist yesterday in the press conference, loudly and disgustingly. So is there is any difference between that photojournalist and you?
Regarding your question: go through this post which was published in today’s Kantipur.
——————————–
For a start, I’m not a photojournalist, dear Wagle. So there obviously is a difference between me and him.
Regarding your commentary, couldn’t you have been more precise and give us the names of the journalists you think misbehaved. Well you can’t, because you’re one of them and you can’t turn against your pack. Right Wagle?
I am just amazed at how Nepalese don’t know when to stop acting like animals. I heard they were screaming and shouting through the whole speech.
Long Live the King. His forefathers gave birth to the Kingdom of Nepal, and without the king, the present bunch of corrupt inefficient politicians will break nepal into diffenet states and eventually each state will be part of India
God Bless Nepal, and let us learn jana gana mana……
At the end of Shah rule in Nepal we need to point out that in the name of unity Gurkhali rulers colonized Madhes in the same way they colonized Kathmandu valley. Gurkhali rulers dismantle the local armies to make the local people weak. Even after so called democratic days Newars and Madhesis were not allowed in the Army. So much for integration. Gurkhalis moved from the hills to valley and madhes and took control of the economy and everything else. Overall Shah rulers were not interseted in the development of all the people in Nepal but they were driven by enriching themselves and few of their own kinds. This is the state of Nepal.
We Nepalese have a wonderful habit. We always attack the defenseless.
Gyanendra is gone, monarchy is gone and people who thought monarchy was life blood of Nepal not long ago, think it has been the root cause of every evil Nepal has faced. Gyanendra made mistakes, but why blame the entire Shah dynasty, and even king Prithvi Narayan Shah? I mean, if some day a grand-grand child of Mahatma Gandhi turns into a thief, will India label their father of the nation as a thief? Am I the only or is there anyone else who thinks republic would not have been possible if only king Birendra or even if Dipendra was in throne? Would we be still rubbishing our history if that was the case?
There’s a book that made headlines a year or so ago. A so called historic novel, Rakta Kunda (it was not a novel and it was not the writer’s creation actually). And the same writer again came up with another ‘novel, a few months later, claiming to bring into open all the skeletons the Shah kings of Nepal had in their cupboards.
Regarding king Prithvi Narayan Shah, he said, the king was “dusta and fataha” (an evil and a cheat), period. No explanation before that and none after that.
There might be instances from history that may compel us to say Prithvi Narayan Shah was indeed cruel, but what we need to do is put things into context. It was then. And during those times, that was the norm of dealing with your enemy. The things he supposedly did to his enemies, I’m sure he would have faced the same fate had he been on the receiving side. And not long ago, centuries later, the Maoists were carrying out even crueler acts, weren’t they?
King Prithniv Narayan Shah and monarchy are our cultural and historical heritages and they should always remain so. They are not personal properties of Gyanendra Shah and nor should they be allowed to be held hostage by so called “Rajabadi”. Republic Nepal should preserve and protect them and not go about deleting and modifying the history books.
Jaya Nepal
The next big question for all of us is:
Who will sell the crown?
1. Prachanda
2. Girija
3. Ram Raja Prasad
4. MJF
5. Sood
6. Others
Vote now and get Nepal free!!!
The King is Gone—Long Live the Republic!
i just feel the change with the former king gynendra gone….but the real change will come when this freaking old man Girija stops clinging at his chair….In nepali politics leaders cannot keep up their statements..girija said he would renounce from politics after CA polls….now what the hell….this crazy..birami parirahane..change bhanne kura accept garna nasakne…purano manasikta ko idol lai pheri President chahiyo chahiyo re….ABA K GARNEY?
SHAU CHUHE KHA KAR BILLI CHALE HAJ PER!!!!!!!!!!!
I just again remember what Gyanendra did in Jana Andolan 2.. And I also remember what happen in palace in June 1, 2001. I also remember the list of the companies where he had shares. I also how he raised his salary and benefit immediately after he came into power.
Do u still think this guy is poor and good– rest of the world is stupid and curropt. His property is under maintained and his his palace is under furnished does not mean that he is poor but means that he put in his pocket all repair and maintainance budget of Narahiti.
That guy does not have to spend a single cent of his and his family salary. Plus he also gets dividend and capital gain from his investments. Along with this he also gets budget every year to repair and maintain Narayanhiti. But instead of properly maintaining Narahiti (his quarter) he preffered to put the money in his pocket…
Ram Prasad
“Gyanendra made mistakes, but why blame the entire Shah dynasty, and even king Prithvi Narayan Shah? I mean, if some day a grand-grand child of Mahatma Gandhi turns into a thief, will India label their father of the nation as a thief?”
I’m the kind of guy who calls a spade a spade, but I seriously don’t know why Gyanendra has been made out to be this evil man when he clearly is not. I honestly don’t know what mistake he has made to be at the receiving end of everyone’s wrath when clearly the cause of all the problems in nepal are actually the political parties and their 17 years of mis-rule. Yes, he did intervene, but then what do you expect the head of state to do when the incumbent government fails to deal with the chaos as was the situation at that time? You don’t have to wait too long to learn that monarchy was never the problem but the politicians. Just wait and see.
Everything is the problem in Nepal. The monarchy, the politicians, the Maoists…..civil society, the press. Don’t single one thing out. If Gyanendra hadn’t been so naive as to think he could play India against China, none of this would have happened.
But that’s history. Whatever faults the ex-king may have had, I will forgive them. Nepal is now taking a new course as the world’s youngest republic. It needs to be a modern and dynamic state. For that reason only I am happy that the monarchy is gone. The monarchy had too many of its ancient ways that would have really stood in the way of progress. The monarchy as a concept had just become outdated. True, another outdated concept, Maoism, is still making the rounds in Nepal but in time I am confident we will get rid of it too.
The only thing that was separating a completet meltdown in Nepal was the army and the only that was keeping the command of the army froom the thug. corrupt gangs and the terrorists was the KIng. Now, that the thugs have been able to dethrone the King leaving this command over the army, this country is headed either for a comunist state or an anarchial state. Both of this will invite a complete meltdown.
No comments on the press statement of the former king but I have to say this.
Seems like there should be some “manner” classes to the journalists as well. seeing the acts of the journalists in the “narayanhiti museum” does not differentiate them and our ancient relatives living on the tree tops.
I sure know they can present themselves in a far better way.
DHAMALA PRABIRTI
hoina yo rishi dhamala ley garda ho patrakar sammelan nai abebasthit vayeko. code of conduct and code of ethics nai journalistt ko chaina. ani yesta rishi dhamala prabirti biruddha patrakat mahasangh kina kann ma tail halera baseko cha. ko ho yo dhamala? jasle nepal ko patrakarita jagat lai nai beijjati ko disha tira lagdai cha? k thancha usle>? k patrakar karbahi ko dayaera ma nai basna hudaina? aru lai path sikauni patrakar paila afu ley siknu paryo . narayan hiti ko patrakar sammelan ley patrakar ko izzat ma daag matra hoina kalanka pani lageko cha ani yesta dhamala prabirti biruddha jamera ladnu hos.
Too bad our friend Wagle hasn’t had anything “historic” to report since the valedictory speech of the former kind so his blog is stuck for a while But in case, Mr wagle didn’t notice here are some “historic” events for him:
The country has been without a head of state for historic number of days.
The “historic” CA has been “historically” postponed for an indefinite period of time due to lack of agenda to discuss.
The member of the CA are “historcially’ obvious rubber stamp of the BIG (mafia) three.
The three mafia gangs are caught in a “historically” long number of days without any resolve.
The country’s budget deficit is historically high.
The transportation costs are raised in historicall propotions to the fule hike and the dishonest government stays mum.
The development expenditure of Nepal has been siphoned off to the general expenditure in historiclaly high amounts with no public accountability.
And the country is stalled for the historiclaly number of days yet again as the terrorists and the corrupt thugs have held this country hostage.
ready to call any of the above historic, Mr Wagle? Oh yeah, I forgot you standard line– the country is in sankraman kal right now. Well guess what, no one knows how many more generations will be lost beffore the sankraman kal is going to be over. Its in fact, the self imposed sankraman kal by the thugs and the terrorist- else the sankraman kal, we were told was going to be over as soon as we had the CA elections.
you know what….you cant hope for better nepal by abolishing the person nor by implemvnting any system. its the people vision and character in the ruling class. by the way the current party and leaders are rascals.unless there is change in vision and character oso called leaders …the gantanta..loktantra…slogan will not take for better and prosprous nepal. no comment and glorious to hear king’s abolishin or end of monarchay. lets see what the rascals do……you need change in the mind,heart and vision
Hmm it appears like your website ate my first comment (it was super long)
so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I submitted and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog.
I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new
to the whole thing. Do you have any helpful hints for novice blog writers?
I’d really appreciate it.
I got this site from my pal who told me on the topic of this site and
now this time I am browsing this site and reading very informative posts at this place.