King to be removed from Rs 1000 and Rs 500 bills

Kathmandu, Feb 28 (UNI) The Nepal Government will replace King Gyanendra's picture with that of Mount Everest in Rs 1000, 500 and 10 denomination notes.

The government has instructed Nepal Rashtra Bank, the central bank, to print notes removing the picture of the King, said Minister for Information and Communication Dilendra Prasad Badu.

The government has expressed strong objection over the statement issued by the king on the occasion of the Democracy Day terming it unauthorised, unconstitutional, undemocratic and against the spirit of the People's Movement in April, he said.

King Gyanendra, who is suspended in the new interim constitution, had defended his coup in a message to the nation on Democracy Day on February 19.

The government was committed to take action against the King as per the proposal passed by the Interim Legislative Parliament and the widespread consensus among the people at large, said Minister Badu, who is also the spokesman of the Nepal Government.

The government has also formed a three-member committee to start the process of nationalising the property of late King Birendra and his family members, who all were killed in a mysterious massacre in June 2001.

There is the demand of nationalise the property of the King and make public the property of King Gyanendra and his family members.

UNI