Pro-monarchy demonstrations have erupted across Nepal, demanding the restoration of the monarchy in the country. Demonstrations including bike rallies and sloganeering are being organised by the supporters of the former King of Nepal Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev. Disappointed with the current government led by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, the protestors led a motorbike rally from Babar Mahal to the erstwhile Royal Palace on Durbar Marg, chanting the slogan ‘Narayanhitki Khai gara, hamra raja aaudai chhan’ (vacate the Royal Palace, we are bringing our king back).
Pro-monarchy protest in Nepal sparks nationwide call to restore the monarchy@MollyGambhir brings you this report by @murarka_saloni #Nepal #NepalProtests pic.twitter.com/MeQxddg0bL
— WION (@WIONews) March 7, 2025
Speaking on the 75th Democracy Day on 19th February, King Gyanendra Shah sought public support for advancing the country to the path of unity, progress and prosperity during a pilgrimage in Galeshwar Dham and Baglung Kalika. He said that he gave up the throne in 2008 after Nepal was declared a Republic not out of weakness but to witness peace in the country.
On Tuesday (4th March), the King received a grand welcome in Pokhara with people chanting slogans in his support. He unveiled a statue of former King Birendra Bikram Shah Dev in Pokhara on Thursday. In a rally taken out in support of the monarchy in Kathmandu on Wednesday, the members of the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and the ‘Save the Nation, Culture and Dharma’ campaign also participated. The RPP reportedly announced the cancellation of all its scheduled programmes to offer a grand welcome to the former king on his return from Pokhara, where he has been staying for the past six weeks, to Kathmandu on 9th March.
PM Oli dismissed the possibility of restoration of the monarchy
Prime Minister Oli, who is also the chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), has been facing criticism from people for the alleged corruption of the government and its failure to fulfil the promises of improving the economy and infrastructure of the country. Oli found himself in the middle of a controversy recently after some people were arrested for raising slogans against him, and the press passes of two journalists were suspended for asking questions to him.
Speaking at a programme in Mahottari, Oli dismissed the possibility of the restoration of monarchy in the country. “Some people are shouting slogans to reinstate monarchy these days, which is not possible,” the PM said. He advised the former king to form a political party and contest elections. “If the former king thinks that he is popular, he has the freedom to establish a party and contest the election by honouring the constitution, “said Oli.
Speaking during his birthday celebrations on Friday, the former Prime Minister of Nepal and Chairman of the CPN-Unified Socialist, Madhav Kumar Nepal, also ruled out the possibility of restoration of the monarchy. “Monarchy has become a history of the past, so there is no possibility of its reinstatement,” said Nepal.
Chairman of the CPN-Maoist Centre, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ also voiced a similar sentiment against the demands of the restoration of the monarch warning the former king against doing any ‘foolish’ things. Describing the former king’s rule as autocratic, Prachanda, who led the Maoist insurgency against the monarchy and served as the three-time Prime Minister of the country, said that the people of Nepal snatched power from the king. “The people had snatched power from the king by fighting against his autocratic regime and they know how to safeguard it,” he said.
The Oli government and its leanings towards China
After assuming the office of Prime Minister in July 2024 for the third time, Oli has openly shown his leanings towards China. He strengthened relations with China as opposed to the country’s traditional ties with India. In December 2024, Oli signed an agreement under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with China. During his second tenure as the Prime Minister, Oli updated the map of Nepal to include its ‘disputed territories’ with India.
Following the footsteps of China, PM Oli’s political party laid claim over certain territories in India. In September 2020, the Communist Party of Nepal along with the Unified Nepal National Front launched a campaign named ‘Greater Nepal’ laying claim over the cities of Dehradun and Nainital in Uttarakhand. It also claimed certain parts of Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Sikkim. This came months after the Nepalese government brazenly included Indian areas of Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh, and Kalapani in its new political map causing a huge uproar in India. It cited the Treaty of Sugauli Nepal signed in 1816 between the East India Company and the then-ruling establishment of Nepal to claim the Indian territories.
In July 2020, PM Oli, who is a communist, made a controversial claim saying that India had created a fake Ayodhya while the actual birthplace of Lord Ram is located in Birgunj village of Nepal. He claimed that Lord Ram was not Indian but Nepalese. Notably, the Prime Minister’s claims did not find support even with the opposition parties in Nepal which rejected his claims as baseless and unproven.
The ousting of the monarchy after the Maoist insurgency
Following the Maoist insurgency in Nepal, the king was suspended from exercising his powers on January 15, 2007, and an interim legislature was formed. On May 28, 2008, the kingship was officially abolished by the first constituent assembly and Nepal was renamed as the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. In the first government formed after the abolition of the monarchy in Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ was elected as the Prime Minister by the Constituent Assembly in August 2008. Even since being declared a Republic, the political scenario in Nepal has been turbulent with no Prime Minister being able to serve for a full term of five years. Nepal has had 8 politicians serve as Prime Ministers since 2008 with some of them being re-elected.
