Crown to be handed over after govt guarantees its safety: aide

Shirish B Pradhan Kathmandu, June 10 (PTI) - Ousted King Gyanendra will hand over the rarely seen diamond-studded crown, at the centre of intense media speculation, to Nepal government only after it guarantees its safety, his key aide said Monday asserting that he will exit the palace within the Thursday deadline. "When the King has sacrificed the entire kingdom without any bloodshed, why should he take away valuables such as crown and sceptre with him while leaving the palace?", Gyanendra's chief press advisor Faniraj Pathak told P.T.I. rubbishing claims that the former monarch was not ready to part with the jewel. The senior palace staff said that Gyanendra will hand over the half-a-century-old crown, last seen during his coronation in 2001, and the sceptre to Nepal government before vacating the pink-hued Narayanhiti Palace. "The former King is ready to hand over the crown and sceptre to the Nepal government before his exit from the palace but the government has to guarantee safety to these valuables," he said. He expressed surprise at media reports that palace officials have denied access to royal properties and valuable documents to the government committee formed to assess the details of the palace assets. Pathak said that though the 15-day deadline set by the government to vacate the palace is not sufficient, "be assured that the King will exit within the deadline." He claimed that the palace staff had been cooperating with the government committee by providing it all the details. The government, which had given Gyanendra 15 days to exit the palace following abolition of the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy on May 28, has now allowed two elderly members of his family to stay within the premises of the palace. Ratna Rajyalaxmi Shah, 82, stepmother of Gyanendra and Sarala Manandhar, 91, concubine of late King Tribhuvan, grandfather of Gyanendra, can stay in their houses situated within the Narayanhiti Palace premises, according to officials. Ratna has been staying in Mahendra Manjil whereas Sarala has been staying in Trubhuvan Sadan. The government has promised to provide Nagarjun Bungalow, situated 7 km west of the palace, to Gyanendra as a temporaryaccommodation at his request. The government plans to convert the palace into a museum.