Prof. S D Muni confirms former King’s claim on agreement on monarchy

Former King Gyanendra’s recent interview to the News 24 TV channel raised a hornet’s nest of protest and controversy, particularly his statement that there was an agreement or quid pro quo worked out with the political parties on the monarchy, consequent to the former monarch’s revival of the then dissolved House of Representatives.
To recall, when asked about such an agreement with the seven parties, the former King had replied: 
“I will fulfill that wish of yours. At that time [23 April, 2006], for many times, there was exchange of the document with the seven parties. Every word in the document was minutely analyzed. Some of the leaders are still alive and their handwritings are still in that document. There were not many points. That was clear. All the Nepalis have understood that. Whatsoever they had demanded, I had given. Some have even said that I should not have done that. They have alleged that I had committed a mistake. But, I had wished for peace at any cost and the political parties should take the political responsibility. I had no objection to this. Therefore, I acted in accordance to that agreement. Subsequently, a number of political leaders spoke out against the King’s claim. However, SD Muni, known to be the political guru of PM Dr Baburam Bhattarai, claims in “Bringing the Maoists down from the Hills: India’s Role”:
“Dr. (Karan) Singh, a member of the Indian Princely Order of Kashmir a relative of Nepal’s royal family, met all key political leaders except the Maoists, in an effort to persuade the king to cede his authority. It is widely believed Dr. Singh assured King Gyanendra that, in return, India would not allow the king to be disgraced or the institution of the monarchy to be abolished”.
Such assurances could only have been conveyed to the former King by Dr Singh, on the basis of written agreement with the seven parties calling for the revival of the House of Representatives.

मिती २००९ नभेम्बर १८ का दिन कान्तीपुरमा प्रकाशित तलको समाचार पनि पढ्नुहोस् ताकि नेपाली नेता भनाउदाहरुले भारत बिना केही गर्न सक्दैनन् भन्ने बुझ्न सजिलो पर्ने छ ।

SD Muni throws party in Singapore; Maoist chair, others attend

 KATHMANDU, NOV 17 – UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who is currently on a visit to Singapore,   attended a dinner party hosted by a prominent Indian expert on Nepal, Prof. S. D. Muni on Tuesday evening.

Muni, who is currently affiliated with the National University of Singapore, hosted a dinner for visiting Nepali political figures. Dr. Shekhar Koirala of the Nepali Congress and Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the foreign department head of the Maoist party, attended the party.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Minister Sujata Koirala, however, did not it. The DPM is in Singapore for her father and Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala’s treatment.

Earlier today the Maoist Chairman met the NC President and discussed the ways to resolve the political imbroglio back in Nepal.

Ailing the NC leader has been admitted at the Gleneagles Hospital and Medical Centre in Singapore.

S D Muni, considered to be one of the India’s foremost experts on Nepal, is a familiar figure in political circles here.  Having completed his PhD on Nepal’s foreign policy in 1972, he taught for over 30 years at Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and published a number of books on Nepal, including one on the Maoist insurgency in 2003. He is currently Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Posted on: 2009-11-18 12:56