Nepal warns against criticism of king

Seven political parties plan street protests on Sunday against the 57-year-old monarch, who fired the government on Feb 1, seized power, jailed politicians and suspended civil liberties under the emergency rule.

"Nobody should resort to activities like shouting objectionable slogans, damaging private and public property in the course of organising demonstrations," the interior ministry said in a statement.

It said the government would take legal action against people who violate the law.

Gyanendra seized power saying the government had failed to quell an anti-monarchy Maoist revolt in which close to 12,000 people have died since 1996.

After widespread condemnation, the king lifted emergency rule but he continues to hold unlimited power, many political leaders are still in jails and civil liberties remain suspended.

Anti-monarchy rallies have been allowed on the outskirts of Kathmandu since the lifting of emergency rule last month but are banned in the city centre.

Seven centrist and leftist parties who have often bickered in the past have agreed to launch a joint campaign for democracy including the revival of parliament dissolved in 2002.

Earlier this month, Nepal's Maoist rebels said they supported the political parties in their campaign to restore democracy.

The government said the Maoist rebels might infiltrate the rallies and the political parties would be held responsible for any "untoward incidents" during the protests.

The Maoists want to set up a single party communist republic in Nepal, one of the world's 10 poorest countries.

Meanwhile, Nepalese army officials Friday said Nepal had not yet received any military assistance from India despite New Delhi approving a shipment following the lifting of emergency rule in the Himalayan kingdom.

India earlier this month decided to send to Nepal a shipment of arms it had delayed after King Gyanendra seized power on February 1.

"Despite India's announcement that it has partially resumed the aid suspended after the royal takeover in the kingdom, we have not yet received them yet," said Major General Kiran Shumsher Thapa.