Kathmandu (TDI): Tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in Nepal on Thursday, calling for the restoration of the ousted monarchy and reinstatement of the former king as head of state.
Waving flags and chanting slogans, the demonstrators marched through central Kathmandu, also demanding the revival of Hinduism as the state religion.
Just a few hundred meters from the pro-monarchy protesters, their opponents, who supporting Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, had gathered at the exhibition grounds to celebrate Republic Day, according to AP.
A clash between the two groups was feared and trouble was expected in city, therefore, riot police kept them apart while authorities had allowed them to protest only on different times.
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The monarchy was ousted in Nepal, the country was turned into a republic and the monarch was replaced with a president in 2008.
“Bring the monarch back to the throne and save the nation. We love our king more than our lives,” the estimated twenty thousand protesters demanded with a few playing traditional drums and musical instruments.
The pro-monarchy supporters had announced they were resuming their demonstrations from Thursday.
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In their last big march on March 28, two people including a TV cameraman, were killed when demonstrators stormed buildings and set them ablaze while police fired bullets and tear gas on the protesters. Several marchers apprehended on that day are still behind bars.
There has been intensifying demand in recent months for Gyanendra Shah to be brought back as monarch and Hinduism to be reinstated as a state religion.
Royalist groups allege the main political parties in Nepal of corruption and failed governance and argue public is frustrated with politicians.
Massive street demonstrations in 2006 forced Gyanendra to quit his authoritarian rule, and two years later the parliament abolished the monarchy.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
