Kathmandu, December 22

The government has taken serious exception to former King Gyanendra Shah’s remarks made yesterday.

A Cabinet meeting today also took exception to opposition party CPN-UML’s continued disruption of the House against the constitution amendment bill.

Industry Minister Nabindra Raj Joshi told The Himalayan Times that Cabinet colleagues questioned the intent of the ex-monarch’s remarks.

“The meeting reviewed the ex-King’s statement, which came out of the blue,” Joshi added.

Some ministers even dubbed the former royalty’s statement ‘a conspiracy against the constitution and federalism’ and reiterated that the government should be ‘watchful over his activities’, according to a minister.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra Nidhi even warned of reinvestigating the royal massacre of June 1, 2001, when at least 10 royal family members, including King Birendra — elder brother of ex-king Gyanendra — were killed in a midnight shooting at Narayanhiti Palace, the minister added.

In a statement issued yesterday, former king Gyanendra Shah had said national unity was under attack and appealed to the Nepali people to save it.

“Social goodwill among Nepali people is being erased and relentless efforts are being made to break the feeling of unity between Tarai, hills and mountains,” Shah said in his statement. “It is becoming intolerable.”

Minister Joshi, however, said no decision was taken on the ex-monarch’s remarks. He, however, reiterated that all should unite to protect the achievements of the new constitution and the republican order in the country.

The meeting also dwelt on UML’s continued obstruction of the House against the statute amendment bill and dubbed it ‘undemocratic”.

A minister quoted the remarks of his cabinet colleagues: “What’s the reason behind the undemocratic steps of House obstruction?”

Joshi said all parties should come together and join hands to implement the constitution and save its achievements.

Meanwhile, the government decided to provide Rs 7.5 million to the Nepali national football team for encouragement.The government also decided to rename Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve and promote it to the status of a national park.

Likewise, Robas Kusum Subedi was appointed general manager of Nepal Aushadhi Limited.

The government also decided to hold talks with engineers deployed for post-earthquake reconstruction, who had reportedly submitted their resignations en masse, demanding more facilities.

Four secretaries were transferred. Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office Mahendra Man Gurung was shifted at Ministry of Information and Communications; while MoIC Secretary Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya was posted at the PMO. Likewise, Land Reforms Secretary Mohan Sapkota has been transferred to the Ministry of Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation, and Mid-west regional administrator Krishna Prasad Devkota has been shifted to the Land Reform Ministry.