Two people, including a journalist, have died, and more than 20 people have been injured in clashes between monarchy supporters and security forces in Nepal.
When the ‘show of strength’ of monarchy supporters began in Kathmandu on Friday, a video was made public in which the leader of this demonstration, Durga Prasai, was seen trying to break the barricades by driving a car at high speed.
In the video, he was seen breaking the police cordon and encouraging the protesters to move forward.
Gradually, footage of the crowd going out of control under his leadership also started becoming public.
Arson and looting started in shops, houses and offices of political parties in the surrounding areas.
Footage of police using force is also continuously coming. Eventually, curfew was imposed in the city. The death of two people has also been confirmed during the clashes.
Durga Prasai had said on Thursday, a day before the rally, that the establishment of monarchy and a Hindu state was his ‘dharma’ after meeting with former king Gyanendra Shah.
On the same day, he was also appointed commander of the monarchy party’s Joint People’s Movement Committee.
Durga Prasai became the face of the pro-monarchy movement
On Friday itself, the Republican-leaning Socialist Front held a demonstration in Kathmandu, in which several leaders addressed the people but the monarchy supporters failed to deliver their speeches after a clash between monarchy supporters and the police.
Rashtriya Prajatantra Party leader Dhawal Shamsher Jabra told the BBC, “The situation worsened when the police caught us while coming to the stage.” He said, “Plastic bullets and tear gas were fired on the stage itself. We will meet and decide what to do next.”
Though the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, which is also the fifth largest party in Parliament, has been raising the issue for years, many monarchy supporters were surprised by the head of a non-political organisation called ‘Save Nation, Nationality, Religion, Culture and Citizens’ being made its leader.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Prasai presented himself as the natural successor.
“Today, the general public says other parties or Durga Prasai- the King? Who will win?” Prasai said. That is what the times call for.”
Many have watched with interest how Prasai, a former Maoist and a central member of the UML’s last general session, has become the leading face of the monarchist movement in a short time.
Questions being raised on pro-monarchy leader
The damage to private and public property in the pro-monarchy agitation that erupted on Friday has raised questions about his leadership.
According to political scientist Krishna Pokhrel, monarchy supporters may have thought that in such a situation, ‘he can say anything, do anything and attract a lot of people’ and thus they put Prasai forward, believing that ‘a very big wave of people will rise and overthrow the system’.
Pokharel says, “But even in such a situation, Durga Prasad’s past does not indicate that he will participate in the long-distance race. His image is such that he can go anywhere and do anything.”
He says that although he can unite people by making ‘aggressive’ and strong statements for some people, he is ‘unable to give a good message to sensible people in general.’
Along with Prasai, cultural expert Jagman Gurung is also participating in the campaign to revive the monarchy as a coordinator.
Gurung says that Prasai was given the role of commander due to his important role in recent activities.
Prachanda said, ‘When mistakes happen, monarchy supporters raise their heads’
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Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) chief and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has said that when republican parties fail to live up to the expectations of the people, monarchy supporters try to raise their heads.
Prachanda said, “Such people were pushed into the dustbin of history because those who ran the republican system failed to live up to the expectations of the people. They have raised their heads.”
“We are seriously introspecting and learning from our mistakes and standing up for the people, the people and all of us.”
He warned against trying to take advantage of the generosity of the Nepali people and politicians.
He warned former King Gyanendra Shah that he was now facing the consequences of his past mistakes and that he should not make such mistakes in the future.
