Protests Turn Violent in Nepal as Calls to Restore Monarchy Intensify
Kathmandu (The Uttam Hindu)- Clashes broke out between Nepali security forces and pro-monarchy activists in Kathmandu on Friday. Several policemen were injured in the violence, causing chaos in the city.
According to media reports, police fired tear gas and rubber bullets to control the situation, after which several houses, other buildings and vehicles were set on fire. Seeing the situation worsening, curfew was imposed in some areas. According to local media, the situation worsened when protesters tried to break the prescribed security cordon and threw stones at the police. In response, security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. During the clashes, protesters set fire to a business complex, a shopping mall, a political party headquarters and a media house building, injuring more than a dozen policemen. The pro-monarchy National Democratic Party (NDP) and other groups also joined the protest.
Thousands of monarchists gathered in Tinkune area waving Nepal's national flag and carrying pictures of former King Gyanendra Shah. They raised slogans such as "King come, save the country", "Down with corrupt government" and "We want monarchy back" and demanded the restoration of monarchy in Nepal. Hundreds of police personnel have been deployed in Kathmandu, and several youths have been detained for violating restrictions. Nepal abolished the 240-year-old monarchy through a parliamentary declaration in 2008. This transformed the nation-state into a secular, federal, democratic republic.
The demand for the restoration of the monarchy started to rise again after former King Gyanendra appealed for support from the public in a video message broadcast on Democracy Day on February 19. Earlier this month, when Gyanendra landed at Tribhuvan International Airport after visiting religious sites in different parts of the country, several pro-monarchy activists took out a rally in his support. The protesters were heard raising slogans such as 'Come back king, save the country', 'We want monarchy', and 'Vacate the royal palace for the king'. Political pundits believe that a major reason behind this sentiment in favor of monarchy in Nepal is public frustration with widespread corruption and economic decline. One reason for this is also the stability of governance. The king was once seen as a symbol of power and stability, Nepal has struggled to maintain that stability since the transition to a republic in 2008. In the last 16 years, the country has seen 13 different governments.
