In a dramatic turn of events, riot police resorted to batons and tear gas to quell an immense crowd of tens of thousands of fervent supporters of Nepal's former king, as they attempted to march to the heart of the capital on Thursday. This massive gathering of protesters, wielding the national flag and chanting slogans in favor of former King Gyanendra, had congregated on the outskirts of Kathmandu with the intention of advancing towards the city center. However, their aspirations were abruptly thwarted by a formidable line of riot police, who not only blocked their path but also resorted to violent tactics, beating them mercilessly with bamboo batons and deploying tear gas and a water cannon. The confrontations resulted in minor injuries on both sides, amplifying the tense atmosphere that had engulfed the city.
Undeterred by the ban on protests in key areas of the capital that had been imposed by the authorities prior to the rally, the protesters exhibited an unwavering loyalty toward their former king and their beloved nation. As they stood their ground, their fervent voices reverberated through the air, declaring their unwavering devotion to both their king and country. "We love our king and country more than our lives. Bring back the monarchy. Abolish the republic," they chanted in unison, their determination resounding in every word.
These ardent supporters of the former king had traveled from various corners of Nepal, converging in Kathmandu with a singular objective: to demand the reinstatement of the monarchy that had been abolished in 2008. They accused the government and political parties of corruption and inept governance, laying blame at their feet for the nation's problems. Reflecting back on the historic events of 2006, where weeks of relentless street protests compelled then-King Gyanendra to relinquish his authoritarian rule and pave the way for democracy, the demonstrators expressed their disillusionment with the current state of affairs.
Two years after the transformational shift towards democracy, the newly elected parliament had taken a decisive step, voting to abolish the monarchy and establishing Nepal as a republic with a president at its helm. Consequently, Gyanendra had been relegated to a life of obscurity as a private citizen, stripped of any power or state protection. Despite his diminished stature, he still commanded a measure of support among the populace, although the likelihood of him reclaiming the throne was deemed implausible by most political analysts.
In addition to their fervor for the monarchy, the protesters also voiced their demand for Nepal to be reinstated as a Hindu state. This call reverberated throughout the crowd, as they yearned for the reversal of the declaration that had rendered the Himalayan nation a secular state in 2007, as per an interim constitution. Their conviction stemmed from a deep-rooted belief in the significance of Hinduism within Nepali culture and heritage, propelling them to demand the resurrection of their nation's former religious identity.
As the clashes between the protesters and the riot police escalated, reports of injuries began to surface, painting a grim picture of the situation unfolding outside the confines of Kathmandu. The clashes were a manifestation of the deep-seated divisions prevailing within Nepali society, with the supporters of the former king relentlessly fighting for their vision of the nation while the authorities deployed a heavy-handed response to maintain order.
The events that unfolded on that fateful Thursday in Kathmandu served as a stark reminder of the complex socio-political landscape that Nepal continues to navigate. The divide between those yearning for the return of the monarchy and the proponents of a republican system remains a potent force, bolstered by grievances over corruption and governance failures. The government now faces the daunting challenge of quelling the unrest, as the demands for the reinstatement of the monarchy and the reestablishment of Nepal as a Hindu state continue to simmer beneath the surface, threatening to engulf the nation in a fervent struggle for identity and power.
