Friday, February 18 2005 11:22 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Nepal's King Gyanendra today (Feb 18, 2005) said that he took over power in order to save the country's democracy and talked about holding impartial elections in the Himalayan Kingdom in an environment of peace and security even as political activists planned wide-scale protests coinciding with the 55th Democracy Day.

"Terrorist activities coupled with politics far removed from the common man, gave a fillip to instability in the nation, putting democracy at risk" adding to the "growing disillusionment with democracy itself", he said in a written message to the nation on the occasion of Democracy Day.

"It is clear to our countrymen that we ourselves had to take steps to extricate the country and multi-party democracy from this morass," he said in his second message to the nation after the February 1 royal proclamation.

The King also spoke about "holding impartial elections in an environment of peace and security to ensure a vibrant multiparty democracy" without specifying the election date.

"As good policies lead to good governance, which further makes democracy viable, politics, in a democracy, must be devoted to the welfare of the nation and people," he added.

Meanwhile, telephone services were disrupted in Kathmandu today as five Opposition parties planned to hold anti-King demonstrations in major parts of the Kingdom, including the capital city.

The services were disrupted to prevent any political uprising as major political parties, including Nepali Congress, Nepali Congress (Democratic) and Nepal Communist Party (UML) and their student wings planned to hold protest rallies across the country to oppose the February 1 takeover, when emergency was imposed and all fundamental rights and freedom were suspended indefinitely.

Public transport services were off the roads to prevent demonstrations and security was tight.

Army personnel and riot police were mobilised in the capital in view of the protests. Security forces had arrested Nepali Congress Spokesman Arjun Narsingh K C on Tuesday (Feb 15, 2005) from the party office at Balkhu, when he announced holding of protests.

The Government planned its own events to mark 55th Democracy Day coinciding with the birth anniversary of King Trivubhan, who joined Nepalese people in 1950 Movement to overthrow the Rana oligarchy, with the King scheduled to preside over a military parade.

Chairman of the Royal Council Parshunarayan Chaudhari is holding a reception at Shital Niwas, Foreign Ministry Office, this afternoon to celebrate the occasion. But no political party leaders are attending the official function.

Human rights group Amnesty International yesterday (Feb 17, 2005) said that the king was trampling on human rights and taking Nepal to the "brink of disaster", a charge the Government rejected.

Reports said that the US has warned Nepal that it faces a freeze in international military aid if the King does not restore fundamental rights to the people within the coming weeks.