The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Tuesday, June 5, 2001, Chandigarh, India

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Parallel with 1806 plot drawn
Pushpa Adhikari

Kathmandu, June 4
A parallel is being drawn between a plot hatched in 1806 by a Nepali Prime Minister to grab power and Friday's massacre of the kingdom's royal family, with both killings being traced to internal feuds in the palace.

The first recorded massacre for power in Nepal's history occurred in 1806 after the assassination of King Rana Bahadur Shah. The then Prime Minister, Bhimsen Thapa, used the King's assassination to liquidate all potential rivals among court officials by implicating them, on the basis of trumped-up charges, in the plot against Rana Bahadur's life.

A total of 93 persons, 16 women and 77 men, lost their lives as a result of Thapa's machinations to grab power. Thapa later declared the 18-month-old Prince Rajendra the new King and the youngest wife of the slain Rana Bahadur, the 12-year-old Tripurasundari, regent to the throne and started ruling the country.

A senior Nepali historian has found similarity between the 1806 massacre and the assassination Friday evening of 12 members of the royal family, including King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya.

Birendra and the others were allegedly gunned down by former crown Prince Dipendra following an argument over his choice of bride. The crown prince then reportedly attempted suicide.

Prince Gyanendra, Birendra's brother who has been appointed regent, has claimed the deaths were caused by the accidental discharge of an automatic weapon.

“The regent Gyanendra is known for his differences with the slain King Birendra over the handling of affairs of state. Birendra's liberal attitude towards democracy and his decision to become a constitutional monarch were not liked by many in the palace,” the historian told IANS.

“In the palace, royal guards do not allow anybody to carry weapons in the presence of the King. Since the dinner hall, where the massacre reportedly took place, is in a different block from where crown prince Dipendra reportedly brought the guns he used, why and under whose instructions did the royal guards allow Dipendra to move around with weapons?” the historian said.

It was reported in the local media that Dipendra went out of the dining hall and returned with an automatic rifle before firing indiscriminately at members of the royal family. IANS

Prophecy comes true

Kathmandu, June 4
With the assassination of King Birendra on Friday night, yet another member of the Shah dynasty has fallen victim to what many believe as an astrological prophecy that no Nepal king will live beyond 55.

When King Birendra celebrated his 55th birthday on December 28 last, the Himalayan Hindu kingdom heaved a sigh of relief, hoping that their beloved monarch has defied the prophecy, proven wrong earlier by only Rajendra Bikram Shah, who ruled from 1870 to 1938.

The progenitor of the dynasty king Prithvi Naran Shah (1779-1831) died at the age of 52, while his three successors Pratap Singh Shah, Rana Bahadur Shah and Girvana Yuddha Bikram Shah died at the ages of 26, 31 and 19, respectively.

However, King Rajendra, who succeeded Yuddha Bikram, died at 68.

His successors Surendra Bikram Shah (52), crown prince Trailokya Bikram Shah (30) and Prithvi Bir Bikram Shah (36) too proved the prophecy right.

King Birendra’s grandfather Tribhuvan Bir (48) and father King Mahendra (52) were no exception to what has now become a widely believed prophecy. PTI

India watching developments: PM

Bhuj (Gujarat), June 4
India does not subscribe to any conspiracy theory behind the killings of Royal family members in Nepal and has assured Kathmandu of all cooperation, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said here today.

“We are seriously studying the developments in Nepal. We are confident that the situation will improve. I have spoken to the Nepalese Prime Minister and we have assured them of our cooperation,” Mr Vajpayee told reporters at the end of his two-day tour of the quake-ravaged Kutch district.

Asked whether he suspected any conspiracy behind the developments in Nepal as widely speculated, Mr Vajpayee said: “I don’t see any conspiracy from here.”

An official spokesman said in New Delhi that India was closely following the developments in Nepal where the situation was “tense and delicate”.

Asked about reports that Indians were attacked and the Tricolour burnt in the Himalayan kingdom, the spokesman said: “We are following the events in Nepal and getting reports from there. At the moment we cannot corroborate any individual event.”

He described as “ravings of an unhinged mind” reports in the Pakistani press that the Indian Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) was responsible for the assassinations of King Birendra and other Royal family members. PTI, UNI

The BJP took strong exception to the attempts of Pakistan media to “implicate” India in the killings of Nepal King Birenda and other members of the Royal family. Senior BJP leader J.P. Mathur said it was “amazing” that a section of the Pakistani Press was ‘floating’ reports accusing Indian Research Analysis Wing (RAW) of having a hand in the ghastly massacre. It would not be surprising that some political leaders were using media for their anti-India tirade, he said.

He said these forces should not forget that India always had cordial and good relations with Nepal, and the King symbolised the only professed Hindu Kingdom.