Transferred from Sundarijal to the Police Training Centre in Kathmandu, BP Koirala gets a visit from the king's emissary. He argues why it is important for him to meet the king, and the things he would like to discuss with him. But it doesn't look like a meeting is imminent.

27 May-28 May
[No entries]

Sunday, 29 May
Police Training Centre (Detention Camp)
Dr Mrigendra Raj Pandey examined me. He took almost one hour to do so. He seems to suspect heart trouble. He doesn't tell the patient what he suffers from, perhaps not to alarm him. But by the kind of advice he gave me-not to do any physical exercise, not to bathe in cold water, to avoid anything that promotes weakness, etc, to avoid fat in food, to eat a little at a time but frequently, and by the nature of the questions that he asked me, I could gather in his opinion my heart condition is not OK.

He said that he would consult some of his colleagues and determine the kind of investigation before he would prescribe treatment. He has taken my case seriously. As he was departing he told me by the way that he himself was not perfectly all right and had given up hectic schedule of work, and a very limited no. of patients, like me etc. I inquired about his wife + asked him to remember me to her. I am a little worried as a result of his demeanor, altho he told me to take things easy. An hour before he came, I had a further attack of blackout in my left eye. My vision from the left eye was gone for about 15 minutes after which it again started reappearing slowly. This is the 3rd attack since the last two months. Fortunately Dr Mrigendra Raj came after that, so I could tell him about this attack also.

In the evening immediately after dinner at about 7:45 pm General Malla (of Royal Guards) visited me on behalf of the king with a message that since a meeting between the king and myself at the juncture wouldn't be good to either party, the proper channel would be Malla through whom I could communicate whatever I have in mind to the king in full trust. I told Malla that I would like to discuss things with the king face to face without any intermediary. Malla's points of talk: (i) He is king's envoy, (ii) I therefore could trust him fully (iii) A direct meeting between us would be harmful for both of us because interested parties could make capital out of it. (iv) Any abrupt change in the present system would create more problems than solve them (v) That this visit to me should be kept strictly private, nobody, not even my family members, should get an inkling of it. (see 28.5.77)

(from 29.5.77)
My points: (i) There are interested parties in the seat of authority which don't want any understanding between us. There are foreign powers, too, interested in keeping us apart. Hence I don't want to conduct talks through anybody. I know most of them who are in the king's favour wouldn't take long to betray the nation if it suits them. So far as the king is concerned he has vested interest in the nation's progress, because his survival depends upon it. Therefore I can be frank with him, but I don't trust others to always keep the interest of the country at heart. I don't mean to suggest that I don't even trust Malla. I do trust him. But the question is not whether I have specific message to convey to him-I want to discuss various issues with the king (ii) My regret has been that the late king and myself couldn't meet as a result of machination of foreign powers (ie India) and the then PM who was India's man (iii) Even today in the cabinet there are people who can't be depended on, some of them are members of our party (iv) The king's primary responsibility is to forge a national unity and I can be of help to him (v) The king is a well-meaning person + is dedicated to the idea of national economic development but inspite of this the development is heart-breaking today-no general mass enthusiasm has been generated for it. We could do it. (vi) The king needs real support-the support of his courtiers is no support, we can provide real help to him (vii) India's designs are not good but to meet this challenge we have 1st to be really united (viii) We can't afford to antagonise India, we can more than anybody perform a role here nationalistic but friendly with India (ix) I don't suggest that the king take a reverse gear and abruptly introduce a new political system-democratisation should be a kind of process which could take couple of years to complete-i.e. reversal through imperceptible stages-phasing out + phasing in. I have pol. plan for this purpose, but I will discuss it only with the king. (x)The king has emphasized even in his latest direction of gau pharka that the system could absorb new ideas and is amendable. This is an escape clause-which will be helpful when the process of democratization starts (xi) I want that there shouldn't be an unnecessary delay in our meeting because situation is likely to develop which may make it more and more difficult for us to meet + evolve united national forumla for the solution of various problems (xii) As it is by my trial + the response to it by my (see 27.5.77)

(from 28.5.77)
friends + reaction to it here has created an unfavourable atmosphere-which would go on worsening (xii) The trial itself has created a situation-I had to defend myself in terms which are not conducive or a favourable atmosphere for talks. I did take a stand in my defence which I wouldn't have otherwise taken in the interest of a proactive meeting with the king.

Malla was with me for about half-an-hour, Malla stressed that this meeting must be kept secret. When I told him that IG (Police) himself had brought Malla to me, he said that IG knew how to keep his mouth shut. About ? an hour before Malla came the sentry posted at the gate of my camp had been withdrawn. He came back ? hour after Malla left me. When I asked him if he would see me again he said unless I had anything specific to convey to the king he wouldn't be coming. In case I wanted to see I him I should send word to him through the IG.
My 1st reaction after he was gone was of frustration. The king perhaps doesn't want to do anything soon + later the situation may not so develop as to necessitate a meeting between us. Therefore I have to be prepared to be in prison for a long long time - considering my health it may be too long.