Kathmandu Civic Authority Penalizes Former King Gyanendra for Vandalism
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Former King Gyanendra Shah of Nepal has been fined by Kathmandu's civic body for damages caused during pro-monarchy protests, including environmental harm and public property destruction. The total fine is Nepali Rupees 7,93,000 as the protest intensified last Friday, resulting in violence and casualties.
Key Takeaways
- Gyanendra Shah fined for public property damage.
- Pro-monarchy protests escalated leading to violence.
- Mayor Balendra Shah issued a fine of Nepali Rupees 7,93,000.
- Protesters demanded reinstatement of monarchy.
- Two people were killed in the clashes.
Kathmandu, March 30 (NationPress) Former King Gyanendra Shah has been penalized by the civic authority of Kathmandu due to the destruction of public property and harm to the environment during pro-monarchy demonstrations that occurred the previous day.
Following the protest, which was held at the instigation of Gyanendra Shah, the Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Balendra Shah, dispatched a letter to his residence at Nirmala Niwas in Maharjgunj, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, demanding a compensation payment of Nepali Rupees 7,93,000 for the damages incurred.
The fines were levied for the alleged improper disposal of waste on streets and sidewalks, along with damage to physical structures.
The penalty notice issued by KMC on Saturday referenced violations of the Waste Management Act, 2020, and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Finance Act, 2021, as reported by Kathmandu Post.
On Friday, parts of Kathmandu experienced escalated tensions as pro-monarchy demonstrators threw stones, assaulted a political party's office, ignited vehicles, and looted shops in the Tinkune-Baneshwor area.
In the violence that ensued, two individuals, including a TV cameraman, lost their lives while 110 others sustained injuries during confrontations between security forces and pro-monarchy protesters.
In the correspondence directed to Gyanendra Shah, copies of which were made available to the media, KMC indicated that the protest, called by the former monarch, resulted in damage to various city properties and adversely impacted the environmental conditions of the capital.
Durga Prasai, the convener of the protest, had met with Gyanendra Shah a day earlier to receive directives to orchestrate the demonstration demanding the restoration of the monarchy and a Hindu state.
The pro-monarchists have intensified their activities since the democracy day in February when Gyanendra Shah declared, "The time has come for us to take responsibility for protecting the nation and fostering national unity."
Pro-monarchists have been organizing rallies in Kathmandu and other regions of the country, advocating for the reinstatement of the monarchy that was abolished in 2008.
Previously, on March 24, a coalition of civil society leaders in Nepal criticized Gyanendra Shah for his increasing political engagement aimed at restoring the monarchy.
"The political activism of Gyanendra Shah undermines the nation-building efforts of his forebears and poses a risk to the country's standing before its neighbors and the global community," stated a joint statement from eight civil society leaders.
