PM Dahal says Naryanhiti Palace Museum a symbol of people’s victory against feudalism, vows to investigate palace massacre
Nine months after the abolishment of monarchy in the country, the government on Thursday formally opened the palace-turned Narayanhiti Musuem for the public.
The museum was inaugurated by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at a special function attended by the chairman of the Constituent Assembly, government ministers, lawmakers, foreign delegates, senior citizens and the press corp.
With this the former abode of the Shah Kings will be open for the public from Friday onwards as Narayanhiti Palace Museum.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, PM Dahal described the transformation of Narayanhiti Royal Palace into a public museum as the success the people achieved in their struggle against the institution of monarchy and the end of feudalism in the country.
“I am feeling both excited and sentimental in getting this opportunity to inaugurate the Narayanhiti Palace Museum,” he said, “excited because the turning of the palace into a museum is a symbol of historical struggle of the people against feudalism and monarchy and sentimental because countless number of people sacrificed their lives to realize this day.”
PM Dahal also said the government is committed to investigate the royal massacre of 2001 in which the entire family of the then King Birendra was wiped out much to the dismay and grief of the people of this country. He also claimed that impunity in the country commenced with this tragic episode.
“I will again order an investigation into the royal massacre and bring the truth to the people,” PM Dahal said, “the people have the right to know who was behind such tragic incident.”
The prime minister also accused former King Gyanendra of destroying all the evidence of the palace massacre by dismantling the site – Tribhuvan Sadan – where the brutal incident had occurred.
PM Dahal, however, was all praise for the late King Birendra. He called him the most liberal King compared to other Shah Kings.
“I used to see the pictures of late king Birendra and his family hung in the walls of the houses of the people when I took shelter there during the insurgency. Birendra was a just king and people still respect him,” he said.
This is the second time that palace-turned museum was inaugurated. The museum was first inaugurated eight months ago by then Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. But then it had not been opened to the public.
The palace, which was built around 1960, will be open for five days a week except Tuesday, Wednesday and on public holidays. Only 19 of the 52 rooms in the palace has be opened for the public for now.
The area in front of the residential section used by former kings will be used for parking and people will enter the museum from the main Gaurishankar gate. The residential area of the royal family, public meeting place and Tribhuvan Sadan, the site of the palace massacre, are the main areas of attraction of the museum.
The museum officials said the car gifted by Hitler to late king Tribhuvan will also be kept for observation in the second phase. nepalnews.com ag Feb 26 09
