As the former king returns from the west of the country to the capital, thousands of supporters attend parent supporters rally at the airport.
A large crowd greets the former king of Nepal in the capital Kathmandu, calling for the restoration of his abolished monarchy amidst the dissatisfaction with the nation’s state.
An estimated 10,000 supporters of Gyanendra Shah gathered near the main entrance of Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport when they arrived from a trip to western Nepal.
“Free the palace for the king. Return to the king and save the country. Live our beloved king for a long time. We want a monarchy,” the crowd chanted.
Passengers were forced to enter and exit the airport, with hundreds of riot police blocking peaceful protesters from entering the premises.
Gyanendra, 77, was crowned crowned in 2001 after his brother Birendra Bir Bikram Shah and his family were killed in mass murders that wiped out most of the royal family in mass murders.
He ruled until 2005 as the constitutional head of state without enforcement or political power, saying he was acting to take absolute power and defeat the anti-Moon Maoist rebels. The king disbanded the government and parliament, imprisoned politicians and journalists, blocked communication, declared emergency situations, and used the troops to control the country.
The move sparked huge street protests and forced Gyanendra to hand over to the multi-party government in 2006. The government signed a peace agreement with Maoists, ending a decade-long civil war that caused thousands of deaths.
In 2008, Gyanendra resigned from the throne after the parliament voted to abolish Nepal’s 240-year-old Hindu monarchy, transforming the country into a secular republic.
However, since then, Nepal has had 13 governments, and many of the country have been unhappy with the republic. They say they were unable to blame it for political stability and the struggling economy and widespread corruption.
“Politician incompetent”
Rally participants said they hope that changes in the political system will stop the country from getting worse.
“We are here to give the king our full support and rally behind him to revive him on the royal throne,” 72-year-old Thir Bahadur Bhandari told The Associated Press.
Among the thousands was Kurraj Shrestha, a 50-year-old carpenter who took part in the 2006 protest against the king, but changed his mind and now supported the monarchy.
“The worst thing that’s happening in the country is massive corruption, and all politicians in power don’t do anything for the country,” Shresta told the Associated Press. “I was in a protest that took the monarchy in hopes it would help the country, but I was wrong and the nation plunged further, so I changed my mind.”
Gyanendra has not commented on the monarchy’s call for return. Despite growing support, Gyanendra is slightly likely to return to power.
Political analyst Rok Raj Baral told AFP news agency there was no chance that the monarchy would recover as the agency was a “source of instability.”
“For a dissatisfied group, it has become a retreat due to the incompetence of politicians who have grown increasingly self-centered. This frustration has manifested in such gatherings and demonstrations,” he said.
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