A wave of pro-monarchy protests have rung across Nepal re-igniting debate over the country’s democratic system. The public is steadily losing confidence in the political leadership. The most violent of these protests took place on the 28th of March in Kathmandu’s Tinkune area, where two persons were killed and over 45 injured during clashes with security forces. Protesters vandalized public property, set vehicles ablaze, and looted businesses, prompting a swift and forceful police response. Corruption scandals, including the Lalita Niwas Land Scam and the Bhutanese Refugee Scam, have further eroded public trust in the government.
In response, the House of Representatives’ State Affairs and Good Governance Committee had directed the government to investigate the incident and pursue legal action against those responsible. The committee further recommended barring protests in the Tinkune area and urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to bolster law enforcement capabilities.
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (‘Prachanda’) has issued a stern warning, suggesting that legal proceedings could be initiated against anyone, including former King Gyanendra Shah, if evidence links them to the unrest. “No individual is above the law,” the prime minister stated in Parliament, emphasizing that efforts to dismantle the republican system would not be tolerated.
Nepal transitioned to a federal democratic republic in 2008, abolishing its centuries-old monarchy. Yet, public confidence in the new system has steadily declined due to persistent governance failures, corruption scandals, and slow economic progress. The monarchy’s symbolic appeal is being pushed again not necessarily due to a genuine royalist sentiment, but as an expression of frustration and a means to an end. Meanwhile, local government associations including the National Association of Rural Municipalities and the Municipal Association of Nepal have condemned the pro-monarchy campaign. In a joint statement, they reaffirmed support for the existing constitutional framework and called for accelerated implementation of key federal laws.
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