Does Nepal want monarchy back?

Nepal’s deposed king got a royal welcome in Kathmandu on Sunday with thousands of supporters flocking to the airport, according to several media reports.

Gyanendra, 77, was greeted by a large crowd that chanted slogans and carried placards in his favour.

The development comes nearly two decades after Nepal’s king was deposed after street protests and the country’s Parliament later voted to abolish the monarchy.

But what happened? And what do we know?

Let’s take a closer look:

What happened?

As per Indian Express, Gyanendra returned to Kathmandu from Pokhara – where he had been staying for the past two months.

Gyanendra, who has been visiting religious places across Nepal, touched down on board the Simrik Air helicopter.

He was greeted by the top members and workers of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) at the Tribhuvan International Airport.

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The RPP, founded in the 1990s by allies of the monarchy, remains the most powerful group supporting restoration of the monarchy.

CNN reported that nearly 10,000 of Gyanendra’s supporters turned out in a massive show of force.

As per Asia News Network, this included RPP chairman Rajendra Lingden Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal chief Kamal Thapa and other senior leaders.

Passengers, meanwhile, were forced to walk to and from the airport.

Hundreds of security personnel were deployed from the Kathmandu airport to the Nirmal Niwas – the private residence of the former monarch on the outskirts of Kathmandu.

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Hundreds of loyalists riding motorbikes carrying Gyanendra’s picture and national flags greeted him on both sides of the road outside the airport.

The crowd carried placards reading “We want our King back,” “Abolish federal republican system and reinstate the monarchy,” and “The King and the country are dearer than our life.”

The protesters were demanding the return of the monarchy as well as Hinduism as the state religion.

As per Indian Express, Gyanendra was hailed by his supporters particularly the youth.

Dozens of riot policemen were also guarding the Narayanhity Palace Museum, the erstwhile royal palace of the former king.

This, after rumours that Gyanendra would enter the palace along with his supporters.

However, Gyanendra went straight to Nirmal Niwas.

As per the newspaper, it took the former king nearly two-and-half-hours to travel the five kilometres from the airport to his residence.

Some of his supporters even chanted slogans against Prime Minister KP Oli.

This is a massive sea change from 2006 when Gyanendra was forced to give up power.

Gyanendra’s rise and fall

Gyanendra became Nepal’s king in 2002.

This, after his older brother Birendra Bir Bikram Shah and his family were massacred in the royal palace.

He ruled as the constitutional head of state without executive or political powers until 2005, when he seized absolute power.

He disbanded the government and parliament, jailed politicians and journalists and cut off communications, declaring a state of emergency and using the army to rule the country.

Nepal’s monarchy did not allow political parties to form until 1990, when a pro-democracy movement brought in elections and reduced the monarchy to a ceremonial role.

However, street protests in 2006 forced Gyanendra’s hand.

As per Al Jazeera, Gyanendra then handed the reigns to a multi-party government – which then signed a peace deal with the Maoists.

Thus ended the decade-long civil war which caused thousands of deaths.

In 2008, Nepal’s Parliament voted to abolish the monarchy.

Gyanendra stepped down and began the life of a commoner.

He has been living as a private citizen with no power or state protection.

Nepal, meanwhile, became a secular republic.

However, things haven’t been smooth sailing to say the least.

Frustration boils over

Since the monarchy was overthrown in 2008, the country has witnessed 13 governments take power.

Many Nepalis have grown frustrated with the republic, saying it has failed to bring about political stability and blaming it for a struggling economy and widespread corruption.

Supporters of the ex-king have been holding rallies in different parts of Nepal.

Pro-monarchists have come to life since democracy day in February Gyanendra said, “Time has come for us to assume responsibility to protect the country and bring about national unity.”

Those participating in the rally in support of the former king said they were hoping for a change in the political system to stop the country from further deteriorating.

“We are here to give the king our full support and to rally behind him all the way to reinstating him in the royal throne,” said Thir Bahadur Bhandari, 72.

“The country faces instability, prices are high, people are jobless, and there is a lack of education and healthcare facilities,” teacher Rajindra Kunwar told AFP. “The poor are dying of hunger. The law applies to the public, but not to politicians. That’s why we need the king back.”

Among the thousands was 50-year-old carpenter Kulraj Shrestha, who had taken part in the 2006 protests against the king but has changed his mind and now supports the monarchy.

“The worst thing that is happening to the country is massive corruption and all politicians in power are not doing anything for the country,” Shrestha said. “I was in the protests that took away monarchy hoping it would help the country, but I was mistaken and the nation has further plunged so I have changed my mind.”

Manisha Koirala, a popular Bollywood actress who is also the granddaughter of the first elected Prime Minister BP Koirala, on her social media, requested all the Nepalese to gather at the Kathmandu airport to welcome the former monarch.

As per Indian Express, Oli has dared Gyanendra to take the plunge into politics and contest polls.

Though royalist groups accuse the country’s major political parties of corruption and failed governance, Gyanendra has not commented on the calls for the return of monarchy.

But experts say the changes of Gyanendra returning to power in the near future are not good.

Political analyst Lok Raj Baral told AFP he did not see any possibility of the monarchy being restored because the institution had been “a source of instability”.

“For some disgruntled groups, it has become a retreat due to incompetence of politicians who have grown increasingly self-centred. This frustration has manifested in such gatherings and demonstrations,” Baral said.

With inputs from agencies