Pic 1: King Gyanendra blessing a holy man.
Pic 2: The king and his wife blessing nepalese people. Around 5000 people gathered outside the former kings residence on a holy day to be blessed. This was in October 2008 and around early jan 2009 Maoist priests were given positions in the most ancient shrine of Nepal - Pashupathinath.
It is clear Prachanda did not approve of Gyanendra's religious head status.
Beware King Gyanendra.
When the Maoists abolished the 240 year old monarchy and discharged the king from his royal residence i was scared for what would happen to the royal family. All revolutions throughout the world have resulted in a compete annhilation of the royals. Why was this so? Succeeding leaders have always always considered those of the royal blood their biggest threat. It is not a million Koirala's that Prachanda is afraid of. It is the unpopular King Gyanendra that he considers his biggest threat. It has always been so throughout history. Prachanda fears because he realises that popularity is just a bubble, a man who is loved today can be hated tomorrow and vice versa.
I had initially thought that some drastic action would be taken against the King and his family, when nothing happened my friends laughed at my pessimistic predictions. I hope what i say will never come true yet i am not so blind as to assume that Prachanda and his band of Maoists are going to let King Gyanendra live in peace for the rest of his life. Prachanda has fought for this all his life and now that he finally wears the crown he is especially worried that none should steal it from him. The saying 'uneasy lies the crowned head' is true for all rulers yet it is more true for those who have fought their way upto their crown. Those who have merely inherited it without a fight usually take it for granted. But those who have finally won it after many privations take especial care that there is no harm from any quarter whether real or imagined. And it is these latter types that can and will be ruthless.
Why didnt Prachanda act?
Because he still wasnt sure he was in full control. The army! Were they all his men? No, clearly no. There are two factions that generally decide the leadership of a country. The obvious one is the army - until Prachanda has not fully infiltrated his maoist army into the Nepalese army he dare not risk harming the king and his family. I am certain the slowly and surely he is replacing all those in high commands in the army with his own people.
The other thing that decides the status of a rulers crown is the socio-economic-religious factors. Prachanda is well aware that it was Nepals acute poverty that was the real reason for the revolution against the monarchy. When people are starving they just want to believe that a change in leadership will blow away all their sufferings , however if that new leadership also fails then they quickly revert back. Now since the economy of Nepal is in shambles and there's nothing much he can do about it quick, he knows people will begin 'liking' the hated Gyanendra again. When they realise that their children are still sick, their women still without cloth and themselves still starving they will begin to believe that maybe it is Prachanda who is the bad guy and maybe Gyanendra was not so bad after all.
To add to Prachanda's worries Gyanendra is regarded as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu by the devout. And remember the poor are generally devout and of great faith. He realised that this would be a great great threat to him. The ancient temples of Nepal and India still hold the hindu monarch in high esteem. And all men somewhere fear the Gods. Whether they be in the army or the temple.
Therefore Prachanda has astutely realised that this has to be cut from its roots, Gyanendra must have no influence in the temple's. Well his men are now governing in the temples, soon they will be ruling the armed forces. Then when he is in a relatively safer position he will eradicate his main rival - King Gyanendra.
I hope and pray that this does not happen.
