Nepalese pro-monarchy movement is a movement advocating for the restoration of the earlier Hindu monarchy in the Himalayan nation of Nepal. On 9 March 2025, a large rally of the Nepalese peoples was organised in the capital city Kathmandu in favour of restoring the monarchy with the former King Gyanendra Shah as it's head.[1][2][3][4]
The activists of the pro-monarchy movement became active since the democracy day on 19 February 2025 when the former king Gyanendra Shah delivered a video speech to the people of the country demanding support from the people for unity of the nation and its protection.[5][6] In his speech, he stated
"Time has come for us to assume responsibility to protect the country and bring about national unity."
—Former king Gyanendra Shah
In the recent years, the popularity of the pro monarchy sentiments has been increased gradually. According to a nationwide survey conducted by Himalmedia in 2024, suggests that nearly half of the people favour "the reversal of the country’s secular status and reinstatement of the Hindu state".[7][8]
Description
According to the media reports, more than ten thousands Nepalese supporters of the former king Gyanendra Shah gathered outside the Tribhuvan International Airport in the national capital Kathmandu on 9 March 2025 to welcome him.[4] The gathering was a spontaneous turnout of the people frustrated with the present government system in the country.[9] The arrival of the former king in the city took place amidst of tight security.[10] The major slogan chanted by the supporters in the gathering was
"Come king, save the nation!"
Supporters of the movement
According to the media reports, a resurgence fuelled in support of the pro-monarchy movement due to the dissatisfaction from the current political instabilities, corruption and economic struggles in the nation.[4] The Nepalese peoples have been frustrated from the current republic government. In the time span of the past 17 years from the abolition of the monarchy, 13 governments have come in the republic but unable to solve issues of the people. The people of the country is still facing instabilities of the governments, corruptions and economic struggles.[1]
After the arrival of the former King Gyanendra Shah at the airport, a very large numbers of supporters descended on the road of the capital city Kathmandu to escort him to the Nirmal Niwas in Maharajganj which is his residence. The number of the supporters estimated are varying from ten thousand to forty thousand from different sources. However, the monarchy supporters claimed that their number was around four lakhs (400,000) .[11] In the rally at least 1,000 police personnel and 400 traffic police were deployed to maintain law and order.[9] According to media, no violence was reported in the rally. It was a peaceful rally.[12]
In the pro-monarchy movement rally, large numbers of Nepalese national flags were displayed and carried by the supporters. Apart from the display of the Nepalese national flags, a poster of the chief minister Yogi Adityanath of the Indian state Uttar Pradesh was also displayed in the rally. The display of the poster of Yogi Adityanath in the rally sparked as a topic for discussion among media and politicians.[13]
Impact
The CPN (Maoist Centre) suspended its a month-long campaign in the Teria-Madhesh region in the view of the intensified activities of the pro-monarchy movement in the capital.[14] The current prime minister K P Sharma Oli as well as other top political leaders like Sher Bahadur Deuba have taken the movement very seriously. They have condemned and criticised the movement for the restoration of the monarchy. They have also challenged the former king Gyanendra Shah to take part in election and prove his popularity in the established democratic system of the nation.[15] The nation's ruling and opposition communist parties are on alert and alarmed by the emotional connection of the people in favor of the former King Gyanendra Shah.[16]
After the pro-monarchy movement in the capital, the Kathmandu district administration office has enforced a two-month prohibitory order in the key areas of the government. According to the order, public gatherings of more than five persons has been banned for hunger strikes, demonstrations, protests and rallies.[15]
The pro-monarchy movement has sparked a wide way for discussions and analysis on the possibility of restoration of the monarchy and the Hindu kingdom in country, among international media, political leaders and academic scholars. Several views on the possibility and non-possibility of the restoration of the monarchy is being published by national and international media houses, news agencies, podcast channels and YouTube channels, etc.[17][18][19][20]
Similarly on 11 March 2025, the topic of the pro-monarchy movement in the capital, also sparked at the House of Representatives. The main opposition leader of CPN (Maoist Centre) party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' discussed in details about the issues of the pro-monarchy movement in his special address to the House of Representatives. He advised and warned "the pro-monarchy forces to seek their space within the democratic set-up otherwise a harsh revolution will be a response to them".[21]
After the eruption of the pro monarchy movement on 9 March 2025, the people of the country are conversing towards two groups the Joint People's Movement Committee led by Nabaraj Subedi and the Socialist Forum led by a four-party alliance. The supporters of the Joint People's Movement Committee are in the favour of the restoration of the constitutional Hindu monarchy, while the supporters of the Socialist Forum are in favour of the present republic system.[22]
Formation of Joint People's Movement Committee
The pro-monarchists have formed an organisation on 27 March 2025 called as Joint People’s Movement Committee to intensify the movement for the restoration of the Hindu monarchy in the nation. Nabaraj Subedi, an 87-year-old staunch supporter of the former King Gyanendra, has been made the convener of the Joint People’s Movement Committee. The prime demand of the organisation Joint People’s Movement Committee is the acceptance the 1991 constitution by the government or amendments in the current constitution to feature a constitutional monarchy with a multi-party system of parliamentary democracy and recognition of Nepal as a unitary Hindu Nation.[23][24][25] They have given a week time to the present government in Nepal to facilitate these features in the constitution.[22]
Joint People’s Movement Committee
Formation
March27, 2025;2 days ago(2025-03-27)
Founder
Nabaraj Subedi
Founded at
Kathmandu
Purpose
Movement for restoration of the constitutional Hindu Monarchy in Nepal
The inception of the committee was encouraged by the participation of the general people in the rally held on 9 March 2025 to welcome the former king Gyanendra Shah at the Tribhuvan International Airport in the capital city Kathmandu.[26]
Protests on 28 March 2025 in Kathmandu
On 28 March 2025, the groups Joint People's Movement Committee and Socialist Forum have separately organised huge public gatherings protests to counter each other in the favour of restoration of the constitutional Hindu monarchy and saving the present republic system, respectively.[27][28] The protestors of the Socialist Forum are gathering at Bhrikuti Mandap while of the Joint People's Movement Committee are gathering at Tinkune in the Kathmandu valley.[29] The security of the city has been tightened. Over 5000 security personnel has been deployed by the government in the valley to take care of the protests.[23][29] According to the media reports, the two groups are taking the today's movement as a show of their strengths.[30]
2025 Pro-monarchists protest
Rally of pro-monarchists protest
Date
March28,2025(2025-3-28) 11.25am–
Location
Tinkune, Baneshwar, Kathmandu
Goals
Restoration of the constitutional Hindu monarchy
Status
Violent
Lead figures
Nabaraj Subedi
Durga Prasai
Casualties
Death(s)
2
Injuries
45+
Arrested
105+
Damage
Offices of Kantipur TV channel and Annapurna Post Newspaper, office of CPN-Unified Socialists Party, 14 houses, several vehicles
According to media reports, several clashes erupted between the pro-monarchy supporters and the police personnel during the protests of the pro monarchy movement in the valley. It is said that the rally of the pro-monarchists began around 11.30am in the area of Tinkune in the city. The crowd of the pro-monarchists tried to move towards the Parliament House where prohibitory orders were in place. Then police personnel intervened with the protestors and also fired tear gas shells at the stage where the convener Nabaraj Subedi of the pro-monarchy movement, and other senior leaders of the pro-monarchists were seated. Then the convener Nabaraj Subedi got injured and consequently his supporters rushed towards him. After that the clashes between the police personnels and the pro-monarchy protestors started.[31] After the clashes, the pro-monarchy protests turned violent. The police personnel fired tear gas, blank rounds and water cannons to disperse the pro-monarchy protestors. Similarly the protestors in response pelted several stones on the police personnel and torched houses and vehicles. Several police personnel and pro-monarchy protestors were injured in the violence. The protestors chanted the slogans like "Raja aau desh bachau" which translates to "May King come to save the country", "Down with corrupt government" and "We want monarchy back".[32] After the conflict, curfew was imposed at 4.25pm in the valley by the government and it was lifted on the next day at 7am.[33][34][35][36] The troops of the Nepalese Army was called to look after the curfew imposed in the city. Over hundred of protestors were arrested by the police personnel.[32] The police personnel also arrested five royalist leaders Ravindra Mishra, Dhawal Shamsher Rana, Swagat Nepal, Santosh Tamang and Shepherd Limbu. The convener Nabaraj Subedi of the Joint People's Movement Committee, has been put under house arrest. Similarly the Nepalese police is also searching another prominent pro-monarchist leader Durga Prasai for arrested. He is also said to be the commander of the pro-monarchists.[37][38][39]
After the eruption of the violent clashes in the capital, the Nepalese prime minister K P Sharma Oli called an emergency cabinet meeting to discuss the security situation.[42]
According to media reports, the second protest, which was against the pro-monarchy movement led by the Socialist Forum concluded peacefully at Bhrukuti Mandap in the valley. This protest was also against the corruptions and irregularities involved in the present ruling government but was in the favour of the safeguard of present republic system in country.[43][44] They chanted the slogans like "Long live republican system", "Take action against corrupt people" and "Down with Monarchy".[32]
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