Nepal King stays away from royal weddingIANS
Kathmandu, May 14: What was to be Nepal’s wedding of the month, between a former Indian royal and the daughter of Nepal’s army chief, became the most politically incorrect event with the most important guest, King Gyanendra, staying away.
Gyanendra and Queen Komal did not attend the reception thrown here on Saturday by General Pyar Jung Thapa, chief of the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA), to mark the wedding of his daughter, Ms Pragyashree to Mr Pratapsinhrao Gaekwad, the 35-year-old Mumbai-based tycoon and scion of the Gaekwads, the former rulers of Vadodara in western India.
Though Crown Prince Paras had attended a pre-wedding party on Friday at a former palace in Kathmandu, Baber Mahal, where he had last year created a scene during the birthday of his wife Crown Princess Himani, he and his wife too did not attend the wedding party. After a nationwide revolt against King Gyanendra’s autocratic rule forced the king to relinquish power last month, the royals have been keeping a low profile.
With the nation now clamouring for an end to monarchy, the crown prince’s plans to spend a fortnight in the picturesque tourist town of Pokhara had to be shelved. However, Mr Jyotiraditya Scindia, son of the late Madhavrao Scindia and MP from Gwalior, and former Test cricketer, Anshuman Gaekwad were among the Indians who attended the wedding.
The wedding itself took place under the shadow of public humiliation for Gen Thapa, who is held responsible for human rights violations, illegal arrests, torture in custody and extra-judicial killings by the RNA. While international human rights organisations are lobbying the United Nations to drop RNA soldiers from its peacekeeping operations, they are also asking foreign governments not to issue travel documents to Gen Thapa and senior RNA generals.
An inquiry commission formed to bring to justice the royalist ministers, bureaucrats and security officials responsible for the suppression of anti-king protests last month has recommended to the new government of the Prime Minister, Mr Girija Prasad Koirala that all the chiefs of the four national security agencies be suspended. Though the government consequently suspended the chiefs of Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department, it has still not taken action against Gen Thapa fearing another coup by the army.
Developing cold feet, the new council of ministers decided to refer the issue to the Security Council, a surprising decision since the council currently consists of the prime minister and the army chief. On Saturday, the day of the wedding, Mr Koirala summoned Gen Thapa and his deputy, Lt Gen Rukmangat Katwal, to discuss the issue but the government has remained silent on the outcome.
Army sources, however, said the RNA had been put on alert on Saturday even as there was a display of armoured personnel carriers. A similar situation had occurred in 1991: after another people’s movement clipped the wings of the then king Birendra and a democratic government was formed, then prime minister, Krishna Prasad Bhattarai had summoned then army chief Gen Sachit Shumsher Jung Bahadaur Rana.
The latter had turned up with 22 generals, a show of strength staged to frighten the government into inaction.
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These are revolutionary times. Revolutionary times are not easy to grasp. So one can understand if people in many leadership positions are struggling to make sense. But the Nepali army is on its way to becoming a professional army for the first time in its history, and there will be a few steps involved. But proper procedure will be followed. Decisions will be taken and implemented according to the rule of law.
The army is to be brought under the parliament. That was one of the supreme goals of the April Revolution. So there is no need for anyone to act surprised that that is what is about to happen. Once the army is brought firmly under the parliament, the parliament will have the option to restructure the army especially at the top.
I gather Pyar Jung's time in office is about to naturally expire. But even if that were not the case, and such a restructuring had required that he be replaced with someone else, he should not be surprised. Jobs are not meant to last forever.
A coup by someone like Pyar Jung will be much more disastrous for him than the one by the king has been for him. Nepal is no Pakistan, and even Pakistan's time will come. I am not suggesting there is any rustle of a potential coup. I am just pointing out the fact that a coup in Nepal's context is unthinkable. Not an option.
A coup would guarantee jail for life for all those involved. End of story. The revolution has such powers.
The only option any power center or power player in Nepal has is to work through the parliament. Pariticipate in the public debates.
If Pyar Jung was not sacked along with the other security chiefs, it is because this parliament intends to act through rule of law. It is not because this parliament fears the army. And the army is not one person, or a small clique of generals. An army on its way to permanent peace, an army on its way to becoming a professional army is not going to follow any illegal orders. So any attempt at saber rattling is foolish.
The other security chiefs were under the parliament already. After the army is also brought under the parliament, Pyar Jung could get sacked. Or the parliament could let him finish up the remaining one month in office. That is all the time he has left, I gather.
As to who will succeed Pyar Jung would be for the parliament to decide. The parliament is going to fundamentally restructure the process by which a commander is selected. Katwal's promotion will not be automatic. Likely he will not get it. And Katwal is going to look funny if he acts offended. Rules of the game, buddy. We are in the middle of a revolution. The revolution has moved from the streets to the parliament. It has not ended.
But I don't want to get into speculation. The first order of business is to get the army under the paliament. The details can be talked about only after that.
Some people will lose jobs. But the army as an institution will benefit greatly. And the lower and mid level officers all know. They all are with the revolution in spirit.
If anyone makes any attempt at a coup now, they are going to look more stupid than the Russian generals in 1991.
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