 |
Kathmandu Saturday July 07, 2001 Ashadh 23, 2058.
|
Best wishes
If there is any one single conclusion to be
drawn from the spontaneous outpouring of public grief upon the sad demise of Their
Majesties King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya and other members of the royal family, it is
that the monarchy is irreplaceable in the affairs of this country. Academics and political
observers have long been saying that given the ethnic and cultural mosaic that Nepal is, a
hereditary monarchy is the most potent symbol of national unity. Given also that this
country is still passing through change like it has not seen in all its history as a
unified nation, the monarchy is an equally potent symbol of continuity. Over and above
this, the monarch has found a niche in the hearts of all Nepalese such as is reserved only
for members of the Hindu pantheon. All this was amply borne out by the national anguish
seen in the wake of the Royal Palace incident of June l. Comrade Prachanda and company
must have been rather taken aback. It is this niche that His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir
Bikram Shah Dev has had to fit into, and it was no easy task. He was not groomed for the
role. However, given the exposure that His Majesty has had to affairs of state in his
capacity as Chairman of the Council of Royal Representatives on many occasions during the
minority of the then Crown Prince, his visits abroad to represent King Birendra at various
functions, and his hands on experience in practical concerns like the business of
conservation, there was hardly anybody in the country better placed to assume that role,
quite apart from the fact that he happened to have been next in line of succession.
Since ascending the throne, His Majesty has
acted swiftly to probe the palace shooting and put public confusion and uncertainty to
rest to a reasonable degree. Although the findings of the probe are not fully conclusive
and definitive, it has quelled many misgivings and paved the way for any further probe
that might be deemed necessary in due course. His Majesty has moved effortlessly into his
new role, appointing people to vacant posts in the upper echelons, addressing a joint
sitting of parliament, granting audience to the political leadership, heads of
constitutional bodies and foreign envoys. His Majesty will now have two key functions
apart from his official duties. One is to provide continuity to the process of clarifying
the powers of the monarchy under the present constitution, a process which was already
under way when the late King Birendra passed away in such heart-rending circumstances. The
other is acting as a balancing factor in the turbulent politics of our new democratic
order, an order in which even a government with a clear parliamentary majority cannot
govern smoothly. The importance of this function is likely to grow with the Maoists still
so unrelenting in the pursuit of their own brand of the common weal. Historical
circumstances placed King Gyanendra on the throne once before when he was a mere toddler.
History has put him back on the throne in a time of crisis. He will no doubt rise to the
occasion and reign with aplomb over this country of 23 million plus. On this happy
occasion of His Majesty’s auspicious birthday, we humbly extend His Majesty our best
wishes for His Majesty’s good health, long life and a prosperous reign, in the firm
hope that he will be able to tackle the difficult problems that lie ahead.
Other Stories
|
