Raja Aau, Desh Bachau: Curfew in Kathmandu as Gyanendra supporters clash with police
Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: The pro-China, communist-led government in Nepal, already rattled after the rousing welcome former King Gyanendra Shah received in the Himalayan country recently, on Friday clamped curfew in parts of the capital Kathmandu after violent pro-monarchists clashed with police.
The media reported that the pro-monarchists have coined a slogan as a rallying call: Raja Aau, Desh Bachau.
Several vehicles were torched as pro-monarchists, demanding restoration of monarchy and Nepal’s status as a Hindu Kingdom, clashed with the police, forcing officials to impose curfew in three areas of Kathmandu–Tinkune, Sinamangal, and Koteshwor.
According to reports, many police personnel and protesters were injured in the clashes. Local media reported that the situation deteriorated when the protesters attempted to breach the designated security cordon, and threw stones at police. In response, security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.
During the clash, protesters set afire a business complex, a shopping mall, a political party headquarters, and a media house building, leaving over a dozen police officials injured. The pro-monarchy Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and other groups joined the protest.
Thousands of monarchists, waving Nepal’s national flags and holding pictures of former King Gyanendra Shah, gathered in the Tinkune area, chanting slogans such as “Raja aau, desh bachau” (Let the King come to save the country), “Down with the corrupt government,” and “We want monarchy back,” as they demanded the restoration of the monarchy in Nepal.
Hundreds of riot police personnel were deployed across Kathmandu, and several youths have been detained for defying restrictions.
Nepal abolished its 240-year-old monarchy in 2008 through a parliamentary declaration, transforming the former Hindu kingdom into a secular, federal, democratic republic. Calls for the restoration of the monarchy have resurfaced after the former king appealed for public support in a video message broadcast on Democracy Day, February 19.
Earlier this month, when Gyanendra landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport after visiting religious places in different parts of the country, many supporters held a rally to support him.
Some of his supporters also carried placards of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adiyanath, who, as the chief of Gorakhpur shrine, is respected in Nepal where he has a sizeable following.
Reports indicated that a strong movement in favour of restoring the Hindu monarchy is gaining momentum in Nepal, due mainly to the widespread public frustration over rampant corruption and economic decline. While the king was once seen as a symbol of power and stability, Nepal has struggled to maintain that stability since transitioning to a republic in 2008. Over the past 16 years, the country has witnessed 13 different governments.
