"May be that time is coming. This is not the right time. May be it will come. But the time is not ripe now," he said in an exclusive interview with Image Channel televised on Tuesday evening. [break]
He said that the people are yet to understand the real impact of the decision to abolish the monarchy. When asked if he felt guilty over the fact that the 240-year-old monarchy was abolished during his reign, he said he felt a little sad, not guilty.
"Many things could have been avoided. Some things I feel I was betrayed, others I feel that the people have yet to be experienced and understand the real impact of those actions. This is where we are right now," he said.
Shah complained against the government for allegedly not dealing with him justly. "Justice has not been given to me only. That is how I feel. I think there is room for the government of the day to give thought to our plight as well as a commoner Nepali," he said.
He said that he also had rights which he had deferred going to court over, not to embarrass the government of the day. "But I have been advised by many," he said. "If you want your rights, you should go to court," he quoted his well-wishers as saying, "Let us see, if the time will come or the government of the day will give justice to us."
He said that he is facing hardships just like a commoner Nepali. "I am bearing the brunt of blackouts [power cuts] just like you do. I also pay bills for the water [supplied by the government] and for the electricity if it is supplied... And for the property at my residence at Nirmal Niwas I am paying all the taxes just like a common citizen does," he explained.
When asked about his plans, he said he is invited by many religious places. "Let´s see. I always want to go to the people whenever there is some arrangement for that," he said.
Referring to the reaction given by political leaders to remarks he made during his Janakpur visit a few months back, he urged the politicians to listen to him as well.
"I made some remarks during the visit. Can´t I visit temples as a common citizen? What I spoke during the visit was nothing but the feelings that the people shared with me during that time. But some described it as a daydream while some others explained it as trying to fish in murky waters. They have a right to speak but as leaders they have their duty to listen to others as well," he said.
The former king was ousted by the people´s movement in 2006 and later the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly in May, 2008 endorsed this by formally proclaiming the country a republic.
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