Kathmandu - Nepal's deposed king Gyanendra Wednesday went on
national television and radio to make an impassioned speech rejecting
accusations in Nepalese media of amassing wealth.
'I have played a role to support the decisions of the constituent
assembly on May 28 in order to make its implementation easy,'
Gyanendra said, referring to the vote which abolished monarchy.
The former king's speech came just hours ahead of his scheduled
departure from the main Narayanhiti Palace to lead the life of an
ordinary citizen in a newly-declared republic.
Gyanendra's speech was surprisingly devoid of his reference to the
political parties or the Maoists who together acted as a catalyst to
end the monarchy in Nepal or his bitterness in being voted out.
He however, devoted much of his speech to countering allegations
in the media that he and his family had misused government money,
sold off inherited properties and kept money in foreign banks along
with the circumstances under which he became the king.
'All my properties or money is in Nepal and I have no foreign bank
accounts nor have I transferred inherited properties into my personal
name,' Gyanendra said.
He said he could do nothing but tolerate allegations and
insinuations against him and his family over the shooting incident in
the Narayanhiti Palace in 2001 which killed nine people including the
then king Birendra and his entire family.
'There was no way out nor were there anyone who could speak in our
support,' Gyanendra said. 'There were consorted efforts on several
media to discredit me and my family and take advantage of the
situation.'
He said there had been strategies to bring a rift between the
people and the royal family.
Gyanendra made it very clear that he would not leave the country
and go into exile.
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