Karan Singh, Shyam Saran meet Nepali leaders

      Kathmandu: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's Special Envoy to Nepal, Dr. Karan Singh and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran here on Wednesday held talks with the Nepalese leadership. The two met Nepalese Chief of Army Staff General Pyar Jung Thapa and Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala and held talks on current political situation in Nepal. Speaking to journalists after meeting Koirala, Dr Singh stressed on the consensus formula of India to resolve Nepal crisis, reported local dailies. He said that he was assessing the situation here. Later, Singh and Saran also held talks with Nepali Congress (Democratic) President and former Premier Sher Bahadur Deuba. Veteran Congress leader Dr Singh and Saran were sent today to hold talks with the Nepalese monarch, King Gyanendra to try to defuse a fortnight of crippling protests. Earlier, upon his arrival Dr Singh said that he was "optimistic" about the talks he would be holding with King Gyanendra and leaders of various political parties. Talking to newsmen at the Tribhuvan International Airport, Dr. Singh said that he had come to Nepal with India's good wishes to the Nepalese people. Saran, who is also the former ambassador to Nepal, arrived in Kathmandu from Thimpu, to assist Dr. Singh in his talks with the Nepalese leadership.

     Meanwhile, hundreds of Nepalese have been wounded in police action against protesters and hundreds of others arrested. On Tuesday, a woman hit on the face by a tear gas shell during a protest died, taking the death toll in the campaign to six. The anti-monarchy campaign by a seven-party alliance has brought the kingdom to a standstill with nationwide street protests and a general strike, which has stopped the movement of food and fuel. Diplomats have said events in Nepal were moving toward a climax. One flashpoint could come on Thursday at mass rallies called by the political parties, which have vowed to bring out hundreds of thousands of people on the streets. Sporadic protests took place in the capital and other towns on Wednesday but activists appeared to be reserving their strength for Thursday. India has expressed worry because of the long, porous border it shares with Nepal. India and the US have repeatedly called for the restoration of democracy in Nepal. King Gyanendra sacked the government and assumed full power in February 2005, vowing to crush a decade-old Maoist revolt in which more than 13,000 people have died. He has offered to hold elections by April, but activists say he cannot be trusted and should immediately hand over power to an all-party government. King Gyanendra came under further pressure on Tuesday when three top human rights groups called for international sanctions against the monarch and top Nepalese officials, accusing them of being "impervious to the suffering" of the Nepalese people. Despite the pressure, the World Bank's representative to the country said the economy could hold out for months even if Nepal was internationally isolated.

India for constitutional monarchy in Nepal

       Kolkata: Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said that India sent Dr Karan Singh as special envoy to Nepal to convey New Delhi's desire for restoration of constitutional monarchy in the country. "Our position is quite clear in respect to Nepal. When the power was taken over by His Majesty King Gyanendra of Nepal, we made it abundantly clear that we want constitutional monarchy in framework of multi-party democratic system, which was introduced in the Constitution of Nepal in 1990. That constitutional framework should be restored in Nepal," said Mukherjee. Veteran Congress leader Dr Karan Singh and Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran were sent on Wednesday to hold talks with the Nepalese monarch, King Gyanendra to try to defuse a fortnight of crippling protests. Dr. Singh is the scion of the royal family of Kashmir and is related to King Gyanendra by marriage. He was to meet political representatives later on Wednesday and call on the king on Thursday.

India steps up vigil at Nepal border

       Sonoli (UP): Security has been tightened up along the Indian side of the India-Nepal border in the wake of increased incidents of violence in Nepal. The states sharing borders with Nepal have alerted the check posts to keep a strict vigil along the border. The Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) or paramilitary border guards have been checking every vehicle at the Sonali border point in Uttar Pradesh. Seema Suraksha Bal Commanding Officer Vijay Kumar said that they were keeping a close watch on the ongoing situations in Nepal. "Keeping in mind the situation in Nepal, which have been receiving from headquarters, we have increased vigil at the border. Checking has been increased. Patrolling is on. We are keeping a strict eye on the situation," Vijay Kumar said. Nepal is observing 14th day of a general strike called by the seven-party political alliance opposing King Gyanendra's rule in the Himalayan Kingdom. The Maoists are backing the strike, which started on April 6. On Tuesday, hundreds of protesters gathered in various parts of the capital, Kathmandu, despite bad weather and attempted to start a procession. However, police foiled their attempt without hurting anyone. Although the powerful army remains loyal to the king, protests are spreading from the street to the civil service. Nepalese Police arrested at least 25 government officials for demonstrating against King Gyanendra inside the Home Ministry yesterday. Those detained included the private secretary to Home Minister Kamal Thapa. The Home Ministry controls the kingdom's police who have been deployed in large numbers to counter growing anti-monarchy protests in recent days. It is the first time officials have joined the opposition protests against the king. Outside the capital, police fired rubber bullets to break up protests in two towns, injuring about a dozen, witnesses said. Nepal's political parties have called for mass rallies, and vowed to bring out hundreds of thousands of people on the street on Thursday. The king earlier this week held talks with the United States, Chinese and Indian ambassadors and indicated that he could meet some of the protesters' demands. The United States and India have been repeatedly calling for the restoration of democracy in the country. India fears that the Nepal's Maoist rebels may create trouble with the help of Indian Maoists active in the Indo-Nepal border areas. King Gyanendra sacked the government and assumed full power in February last year, vowing to crush a decade-old Maoist revolt in the country. He, however, has offered to hold elections by April next year, but the politicians and the activists have demanded immediate transfer of power to an all-party government.

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