Royalty in the News

Since Sunday, the Nepali capital of Kathmandu has been the site of numerous protests to reinstate the country’s monarchy. The Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N), a small political party, has been fueling these rallies.

AP Photo/Binod Joshi

In 2008, the monarchy was abolished after Maoists came to power and forced the unpopular King Gyanendra to abdicate. Nepal became a secular republic once that happened. The protesters say the people were not consulted on whether to keep the monarchy or not.

“Our main objective is to ask for a referendum on the Hindu state and the fate of the monarchy,” party leader Kunti Kumari Shahi told AFP.

On Monday, there was a general strike in which stores and schools were closed and vehicles were not seen on the road. About one thousand chanted “Establish Hindu rule” and “We don’t want a republic.”

On Tuesday, demonstrators clashed again with police as they blocked the road leading to Singhadurbar, the complex that houses key government offices including the prime minister’s office. While the police say there were little disturbances, party leaders say about 200 were arrested.

This is the first time Nepal’s monarchists have been able to protest. The country still suffers from instability ever since King Gyanendra gave up his autocratic powers in 2006 and was dethroned two years later. A new constitution is to be written by May of this year, but Nepal’s political parties cannot come to an agreement.

The RPP-N has only four members in the 106 seat Parliament.