& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Ex-Nepal king leaves oalace in sad farewell

AFP, Kathmandu
Nepal's deposed king Gyanendra left his main palace in Kathmandu late yesterday to live as a commoner in a former hunting lodge on the outskirts of the capital.
Gyanendra and his wife Komai Shah left in the back of a black Mercedes as hundreds of riot police surrounded the main gate of the sprawling palace complex in the heart of the ancient temple-studded city.
Shouts of "Long live the republic" rang out from a crowd of about
500 people who watched Gyanendra's departure while a few pro-royalists cried
"Former king Gyanendra Shah and his wife Komai Shah have left the palace and are headed to Nagarjun," the forest reserve on the edge of Kathmandu, police officer Bharat Lama told AFP.
The ex-king, who was regarded as a god by devout Hindus, showed no emotion as he drove away in a small convoy of three vehicles.
Prior to his departure from the royal palace, Gyanendra in his final speech said he "respected" the
abolition of the centuries-old Himalayan monarchy.
In a downbeat and brief farewell broadcast five on national television. Nepal's ousted ruler also hit back at allegations he was a mass murderer who had robbed the impoverished country.
"I have assisted in and respected the verdict of the people," he said in his first comments since the declaration of a republic on May 28. He added that he "will not leave this country" and go into exile.
The decision to abolish the monarchy was taken by a constitutional assembly formed as pan of a peacedeal^j^v^^ insurgents "and mainstream parties who joined forces when Gyanendra tried to assume dictatorial powers.
Gyanendra ascended the throne in June 2001 after a palace massacre in which the then-crown prince -who was drunk and on drugs and furious at being prevented from marrying the woman he loved -killed most of the royal family in clud-inghimself.
During his 14-minute speech, the former king hit back at accusations that he was linked to the killings.
"Me and my family have been continuously defamed with ill intentions which was saddening and still is.The accusations that were targeted against us were inhuman," said the ex-king.
Many Nepalese believed he was behind the killings, even though an official probe and several independent studies have dismissed that view as little more than a conspiracy theory.
"There was also an accusation that I have lots of property and money abroad," the ex-king also complained.
"All my properties are in Nepal. All the properties I have are nationalised. In the last seven years I have not gathered any money or property," he insisted.
Gyanendra - sitting in a chair surrounded by two stuffed tigers and a rhino head - said he had also handed over his diamond, ruby and emerald-adorned crown and sceptre.
"The crown and sceptre used by the Shah dynasty, 1 have given to the Nepal government," said theex-king.
Gyanendra, however, stopped short of apologising to those killed during his reign - part of which was marked by a bloody crackdown against pro-democracy demonstrators.
"If any people have been harmed. I hope you understand it was unintentional." hesaid.
Nepal's Maoists, who fought for a decade to overthrow the 240-year-old monarchy, welcomed Gyanendra's decision to leave the palace voluntarily.
"It is good to see him comply with the people's verdict, but he had no other choice," Chandra Prakash Gajurel, a senior Maoist, told AFP
The ex-king is expected to leave the palace later Wednesday.
He will be swapping the Narayanhiti palace -- set in acres of lush gardens in the heart of Kathmandu and set to be converted into a museum - for a large but drab concrete home in a forest reserve on the outskirts of the capital.
Local media have reported that Gyanendra has asked to keep a 400-soldier close protection unit, but the government said the king will be allowed 75 security personnel.
Gyanendra and his wife, former 3ueen Komai, will also lose 600 omestic staff.
"All former royal staff including palace secretaries, housemaids, gardeners, cooks and cleaners have become government employees," home ministry spokesman Modraj Dottelsaid.
Gyanendra's son Paras — whose reported playboy lifestyle was also seen as highly damaging for the monarchy -- has moved into a private residence in Kathmandu's diplomatic quarter.