ROYAL LINE IN NEPAL

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 94, 4 April 1934, Page 6

ROYAL LINE IN NEPAL

Pure Descent Secured CROWN PRINCE CHECKMATED What may be described as a bloodless revolution has taken place in Nepal during the past week, says a message dated at Calcutta on March 25. As a result of a bold stroke on the part of the present Prime Minister, who is the executive ruler of Nepal, future succession has been reserved for those of pure descent. The move was precipitated by a projected alliance between the heir apparent and a lady not of “pure blood.’’ Hitherto, members of the Maharajah’s family who are in the illegitimate “third category,” ineluding Genera; Rudra Shumshere, commander-in-chief of the Nepalese army, next in the line of succession, had the right to the Premiership. Owing to friction between the pure descent section and the illegitimate section of his family, the Premier decided to remove the probability of future disturbances by banishing five highly-placed officials, including the commander-in-chief, from Khatmundu. The latter has been relegated to a small governorship in Western Nepal, where he is under supervision. The others have been interned.

New appointments include Sir Padma Shumshere, eldest lawful son of the late Premier, Maharajah Sir Bhim Shumshere, as commander-inchief and next in the line of succession.

These changes do not in any way affect the position of the spiritual ruler of Nepal, King Bim Bikram, who has no executive power, but have prevented an unpopular alliance of the Crown Prince, of the blood royal, with an illegitimate lady member of the late Premier’s family, which had been arranged to take place next month and which was the immediate cause of the administrative changes, which leave the present enlightened Premier in a strong position, removing the possibility of a coup d’etat in the immediate future.