India rushes Special Envoy to Nepal to meet King

New Delhi, Apr 18 (UNI) Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Dr Karan Singh will go to Nepal tomorrow as the Special Envoy of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to assess the ''fast-deteriorating situation'' in the Himalayan Kingdom and have talks with King Gyanendra and political leaders.

Dr Karan Singh, formerly Maharaja of Jammu and Kashmir and who has ancestral links with the Nepalese Royal family, will meet King Gyanendra to pursuade him to initiate a dialogue with political parties in the Himalayan kingdom.

He will also meet political party leaders and discuss the situation there, External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said here today.

Meanwhile, reports from Kathmandu said anti-monarchy protests persisted in the Nepalese capital as hundreds of people gathered in Kathmandu streets protesting against the King and demanding restoration of multi-party democracy.

Today is the 13th day of the protests, launched by the seven-party political alliance, which have crippled normal life in the capital bringing life to a standstill.

Although Mr Sarna did not have details XXX Picking up Fourth Para of DI 56, External--Nepal-Second Lead Karan Singh.

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