Media focus on King’s forthcoming visit to India 

December 17, 2004
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-By Akhil Tripathi

KATHMANDU: statement issued by the Royal Palace on December 10 announced the date for His Majesty King Gyanendra’s forthcoming visit to India, which is- to be exact- third in the past three years since his ascent to the throne after the tragic Royal Palace massacre on June 1, 2001.

Though the Palace statement doesn’t delve into the details of the much-awaited visit, it has been said that the monarch will leave for India on December 23. And as the statement did not mention the visit’s objectives, expectations and possible outcomes, there have been wide media speculations about the visit.

Media reports have said that lack of transparency in the visit is because its preparations this time around are being done directly by the Royal Palace, not by the Foreign Ministry- as was the case in the past, and in the preparations, not the regular diplomatic officials of the government but the retired officials of the Royal Palace and the army have been involved. Himal Khabarpatrika (a popular Nepali fortnightly) wrote in the cover story of its latest issue, “…nobody knows why the King is going to New Delhi without clearly telling the political parties, the civil society and the general public and without garnering their suggestions, trust and support.”

The visit has also been linked with the recently concluded central convention of the Raj Parishad. The Raj Parishad convention, which was organized at the pleasure of the Royal Palace, had displeased many. The major political parties, including the CPN-UML- a major coalition partner in the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led coalition government- had termed the convention ‘unconstitutional’.

The official declaration of the King’s India visit, with the conclusion of the Raj Parishad convention, has been viewed very meaningfully. “It may be just a coincidence; but the King’s 11-day long India visit programme was made public with the conclusion of the Raj Parishad Convention that was organized to create an enabling atmosphere for the King to take up an active role by amending the constitution. This has created further suspicion and confusion in Nepali politics that was shaken badly due to the October 4, 2002 royal move,” Hari Sharma, a political analyst, wrote in the latest edition of Himal Khabarpatrika.

During his first state visit to India (June 23-28, 2002), King Gyanendra had visited New Delhi, Calcutta and Guwahati. And he again toured New Delhi and India’s southern cities like Chennai, Tirupati, Goa, Jamnagar, Dwarka, Bhuwaneshowr etc from March 20 to 30, 2003.

Though there is no official confirmation as yet, media reports say King Gyanendra will leave for New Delhi on December 23 and will visit Deharadun- the capital of India’s Uttaranchal State- and will then visit the capitals of other bordering Indian states like Lucknow (Uttarpradesh), Patana (Bihar) and Calcutta (West Bengal).

The earlier two India visits of the King took place at very crucial juncture of Nepal’s history. While his first visit to India had taken place a year after the tragic Royal Palace Massacre, the second India visit took place subsequently after he dissolved the Deuba government and assumed executive powers himself through the Royal Proclamation of October 4 (2002).

Political analysts say that no worth-mentioning change has taken place in Nepal’s politics after the second visit to India by the King. The same status quo prevails in almost all quarters. This has further strengthened the speculations that “something might happen” during the visit this time around. The current India visit cannot be viewed as a regular state visit. This must be viewed in the light of the two earlier visits and the circumstance that have arisen in Nepal and India lately, argues Sharma.

History is a testimony to the fact that reaching to any agreement with any country when the national politics is passing through a difficult phase is always full of risks. Be it the Nepal-India Friendship Treaty of 1950 or the agreement of the year 1962 that allowed the Indian army to station itself in Kalapani – these all took place at a time when the rulers of Nepal were weak at their own home, Sharma argued.

The supporters of the democratic process in Nepal wonder, because of the non-transparency that is being maintained in the preparations for the visit, whether they would see something happen that should not happen. ‘The Deuba-led coalition is very suspicious regarding any ‘understanding’ that might be reached during the Royal visit. Should there be any Indication that India will not prevent the King from heading towards authoritarianism, preparations for a great mishap in Nepal’s politics have almost been completed,” wrote Rashtriya Bimarsh, a popular tabloid, on Friday.

But the clear message that the Nepali media seem to be relaying is that New Delhi wouldn’t be able to extend significant assistance and support to King Gyanendra unless he resolves the political and constitutional problems at home. “The country’s situation doesn’t favour King Gyanendra’s desire to assert himself as an active monarch. The Royal Palace cannot claim to be more representative than the competitive political parties. In this situation, India will have to think twice before it comes to a long-term agreement with King Gyanendra, by going against the democratic process,” Sharma wrote in Himal.