India Attributes Unrest To Shock

India attributed the civil unrest in Nepal to peoples' difficulty in coming to terms withthe palace killings and rejected reports of any hestitation on New Delhi's part to recognise the new monarch.

"The late king Birendra was honoured, loved and revered by the people ofNepal. They are finding it difficult to come to terms with what is absolutely a huge tragedy,"Indian ambassador to Nepal Deb Mukherji told a select group of visiting Indian journalists.

Asked what the Indian mission's assessment was about the massacre, he said, "an inquiry commission has been set up. Letus wait for what the report says."

Mukherji, however, said the question of India hesitating to accept the new monarch does not arise.

"Both the president and the prime minister have sent their condolence message to the new king and assured theNepalese government of our total support in their hour of crisis" said theIndian envoy.

Mukherji had earlier in the day signed the condolence register at theNarayanhity palace.

Asked about the large number of Indians stranded in Nepal due to the curfew, he said the mission was not aware ofsuch reports but the Indian government would operate additional flights, if necessary.

He also clarified that the Indo-Nepal border has been sealed from theNepalese side and not the Indian side in view of the ongoing developments. 

No Indian establishments have been attacked anywhere in Nepal while someIndian television reporters were picked up due to what the Nepalese authorities perceived as untruereporting, the ambassador said, adding they were later let off.

He, however, said there were some minor sloganeering against India and blamed the ultra-left maoist rebels for the same.

Denying that diplomats were kept away from king Birendra's funeral as also the enthronement of the new monarch,Mukherji said as per local practice, funerals were a private affair and new monarchs are enthroned before the funeral of theirpredecessor.

"The formal coronation can take place anytime down the years," he said.