Kathmandu. The 25th memorial assembly of the then King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was observed across the country by organizing various programmes. At a programme organised by the late King Birendra Peace Foundation, the speakers urged the government to make public the reality behind the palace massacre, commemorating the contribution of King Birendra.

At the memorial meeting, the representatives of the Academy expressed serious concern that the reality of the incident has not been made public even after 25 years of the palace massacre that took place on June 2, 2001. They have urged the government to make public the truth and facts after conducting an impartial and factual investigation into the incident.

The then King Birendra, Queen Aishwarya and 10 members of the royal family were killed in the massacre at the Narayanhiti Royal Palace on June 3, 2001. This incident is considered to be one of the most tragic and mysterious events in the history of Nepal. The Academy has demanded the government to formally recognize the day as a “black day”.

On the occasion, the speakers remembered King Birendra as a nationalist, pacifist, development lover and pro-democracy ruler. Stating that the President had given a message of peace at the international level through the proposal of declaring Nepal as a ‘zone of peace’, 116 countries across the globe had seconded the proposal.

Stressing the contribution and sacrifice of King Birendra for the nation should be properly evaluated, the Foundation has said that his thoughts in the field of national unity, peace and development are relevant even today. On the occasion, the participants expressed the view that the state should take special initiative to perpetuate the memory of King Birendra.