Queen is dead, long live the King

Queen Elizabeth II died at 96 on Thursday. Charles III, 73, became the new King of the UK. On the sad demise of British Queen Elizabeth II, Nepal has announced a threeday mourning. Former King Gyanendra Shah extended a condolence message recalling relations between the Nepali and the British monarchs. Republican leaders President Bydya Devi Bhandari and Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba reached the British Embassy to extend condolences. Besides, many republican leaders left no grounds for expressing condolences and paying tribute to the deceased Queen. Specially, in reaction to sympathy expressed by republican leaders, many Nepali intellectuals have remarked it as shedding crocodile tears by disposing of monarchy in the country. Nepali Gurkhas have shed blood to protect British sovereignty many times. Prime Minister Junga Bahadur Rana had sent a Nepali armed force to suppress an uprising against the British rulers in India. Being pleased with Nepal’s help, the British rulers returned a small portion of land captured by the British rulers in the West. Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher sent Nepali warriors to fight on behalf of the British government in World War I. The Nepali troops also fought World War II on behalf of Great Britain. In addition to military support, Nepal contributed guns, equipment as well as hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of tea, sugar and raw materials such as timber to the British government. Even today, the Gurkhas are serving the British Army under the Gurkha Regiment. These are examples of Nepal’s cordial support for the UK. However, the UK government seems reluctant in supporting Nepal openheartedly. When the British rulers quit India, they could return Nepali territory occupied under the Sugauli Treaty. When India, East and West Pakistan were formed as new countries in South Asia if the British rulers had returned the countries occupied by them to the concerned rulers in India, the map of South Asia could be different. If they were keen to help Nepal, they could link Nepal’s border with then East Pakistan and present Bangladesh in the East and present Pakistan in the West. Such a formation could stop three wars between India and Pakistan, could save sovereign and independent Kashmir, and could save the sovereignty of some other countries which were annexed by India immediately after its liberation in 1947. The British rulers left India by planting the seed of conflict. Nepali monarchs and Nepalis always extended good faith to the UK but the UK never reciprocated the same. The then British ambassador to Nepal Keith Bloomfield assigned to the post by the British monarchy was performing in Nepal as a campaigner for republicanism. Understandably, the British and some European countries were on a mission for expanding Christianity and Nepal’s Hindu monarchy was an obstacle to this mission. The role of DFID is very suspicious as it is always provoking ethnic communities and trying to spark communal conflict in the country. Then Prime Minister David Cameron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a joint statement justifying the Indian move to impose a blockade on Nepal. These are the bitter experiences Nepalis have felt. The British role, including the role of some other European countries in declaring Nepal a secular, federal republic cannot be ignored. Since Nepal adopted these agendas, the country is continuously downgrading and heading toward an unexpected accident, which is an open book for all. Queen Elizabeth had a special attachment to Nepal. The British government even deployed British Gurkha security guards at the Royal Palace due to their trust in them. Queen Elizabeth saw World War II as she was on the throne for seven decades. Even though, the attitude of the British government was never harmonious as expected by the Nepalis. By forgetting all these bitter experiences, we wish to pay fond tribute to the departed soul and extend hearty congratulations to the new King of the United Kingdom. The Queen is dead. Long live the King!