KATHMANDU: The Nepal government’s decision to gift two one-horned rhinos to an Austrian zoo and Crown Prince Paras’ controversial visit to the European nation in this connection has triggered protests at home and abroad. A group of Nepalis residing in Austria sent petitions to the country’s president, Heinz Fischer, Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, Vienna Mayor Michael Haeupl as well as the director of the Zoo Schonbrunn, protesting against Paras’ visit. “With the regime of King Gyanendra facing unprecedented international isolation, its members are desperate to visit any foreign land under any pretext,” the protesters united under the Forum for Democracy, Peace and Human Rights, wrote in the petition. “In a very surprising development, your government has invited Paras, the most notorious member of the royal family of Nepal, to visit Austria. The reason given is the handover of a pair of rhinos... an event that has no political significance is being interpreted by the royal regime as a positive gesture by Austria as well as the European Union.” Austria currently holds the presidency of the 25-member European Union. The European Union had criticised Gyanendra’s power grab last year and the holding of local elections last month in which just a few parties and less than 21 percent of the voters participated. Recently, Ireland proposed enforcing smart sanctions on Nepal to pressure the king into returning power to an elected government, a move that would prevent the royal family from setting foot inside Europe. “Paras’ visit contravenes the ideals of democracy, human rights and rule of law that Austria is committed to,” the protesters said. The incident came to light after this month when the Nepali media reported that the government had gifted two one-horned rhinos, an endangered species, to the Austrian zoo. The media reports also alleged that the state media had been falsely propagating that the crown prince had been invited by Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel. Interestingly, when the heir to Nepal’s throne arrived in Vienna on Monday, the only Austrian officials to receive him at the airport were the chairman of the zoo and Austria’s honorary consul-general to Nepal. The trip, according to Nepal’s media, will cost the cash-strapped country, Nepali Rs60mn ($846,000), an allocation exceeding the budget and forcing the finance ministry to make desperate attempts to divert funds from other allocations. The trip has also disrupted the flights of the national carrier, the Royal Nepalese Airlines. Since it possesses only two Boeings, one of which was pressed into the service of the royal entourage, the cash-strapped carrier had to postpone its Dubai flight to Sunday from Friday, the Kathmandu Post reported.– IANS