‘Active support from India for restoration of monarchy…’, Nepali activists corner former King Gyanendra’s campaign

New Delhi: Amidst the ongoing movements for restoration of monarchy in Nepal, the civil society there has blamed India for it. Many so-called civil rights agencies of Nepal have said that former King Gyanendra of Nepal has the support of conservative and fundamentalist elements of India.

At the same time, the main party there, Nepali Congress, has also said that Gyanendra Shah is not suitable to become a constitutional monarch. For some time now, a movement has been going on in Nepal for the return of monarchy and restoration of the status of a Hindu nation. This campaign is getting public support.

A group of civil society activists in Nepal on Monday criticized former King Gyanendra Shah, saying that he was “becoming politically active with the aim of re-establishing the monarchy” and claimed that he has the support of religious fundamentalists in India.

Eight leaders of the civil society said in a joint statement, “Gyanendra Shah’s entry into political activism thwarts the nation-building efforts of his ancestors and threatens to weaken the country in front of its neighbors and the world.”

It is worth noting that just a few days ago, when former King of Nepal Gyanendra Shah returned to Kathmandu from his Pokhara visit, thousands of people gathered at the airport to welcome him. These people were shouting slogans like ‘Narayanhiti Khaali Gar, Hamro Raja Aunde Chhn’, that is, vacate Narayanhiti (the king’s palace), our king is coming.

Let us tell you that in February, former King Gyanendra had said, “The time has come for us to take the responsibility of protecting the country and bringing national unity.” After this, his political activism in the country increased. The civil society said in its statement that the monarchical faction is ready to put the country in danger politically and geopolitically at a time when Nepal’s foreign affairs and neighborly relations are at their weakest.

Nepal’s civil society unnecessarily upset with India
The statement points to India without any evidence and says that Gyanendra “has become politically active with the aim of re-establishing monarchy in Nepal, which we all believe is against the constitution, which aims to spread chaos for the benefit of opportunists and which is being carried out with the support of religious fundamentalists in India.”

In this statement of the civil society, they have claimed that Gyanendra “is lobbying with political elements in India to return to the throne in Nepal. This statement is supported by human rights activists Charan Prasai, Sushil Payakurel, journalist Kanak Mani Dixit, former member of National Human Rights Commission Mohana Ansari, senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi, civil society activists Hira Biswakarma, Rajan Kuikel and Rita Pariyar.

The civil society has warned that any move to return to monarchy with the support of Hindutva fundamentalists of India undermines the sovereignty and independence of Nepal”. It also said that Uttar Pradesh BJP Chief Minister Adityanath, who has hosted Gyanendra’s several visits to Lucknow, has “publicly expressed his desire for the return of monarchy to Nepal”.

Civil society says that if the former king had restrained his temptation to enter politics and understood his prestige, the Nepali people could have agreed to give the dynasty of the country’s founding king a respectable place in national life outside the constitution. But this period of Gyanendra’s political activism has ended that possibility.

No possibility of return of monarchy
Meanwhile, Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said that there is no possibility of return of monarchy in Nepal. He said that Gyanendra is not suitable to become a constitutional monarch.

At a program organized by the Bagmati Province Training Department, Deuba suggested that the pro-monarchy Rastriya Prajatantra Party should make the former king its president. Deuba said, “Even if the RPP makes Gyanendra its president, it will eventually regret it.” He added, “If the former king wanted to join politics, he could have formed his own party.” The ruling Nepali Congress party has said there is no need to change the current political system.