Former Army Chief condemns remarks against late king Prithvi Narayan Shah.

Kathmandu: Prajwalla SJB Rana, former Chief of the Army Staff of the Royal Nepalese Army, has condemned the “slanderous” language used against the late King Prithvi Narayan Shah by some “high officials.”

In a comment on his Facebook page, Gen. Rana (retired) said he and his fellow officers and men “unequivocally condemn the slanderous language used by what he termed ‘high government officials’ against the unifier of Nepal, His late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah.”

Rana also called upon the people—one and all—to bring back the institution of the monarchy. “I beseech one and all to rally around and restore the monarchy for a secure, prosperous Nepal,” he said.

He did not identify the “high government officials” by name, but his remarks—the first by any senior army personnel—come a week after Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli portrayed Prithvi Narayan Shah as intolerant of opposition and a mass killer.

“I believe it is a heinous crime to belittle His Majesty’s achievement in unifying Nepal and keeping it secure as a sovereign, independent kingdom. Without his selfless sacrifice, would we be proud Nepalese today?” Rana asked.

At the same time, the former Army chief also attacked the “highly corrupt and incompetent government officials,” holding them responsible for the anarchy and near-collapse of society.

“Because of the insurmountable difficulties facing our nation—brought about by highly corrupt and incompetent government officials—the very core of our society is collapsing rapidly. If this trend is not corrected immediately, there is a serious threat of anarchy prevailing within our society and country,” he warned.