Two decades ago, protesters ousted a king. Now they want to bring him back
Thousands of supporters of Nepal 's former King Gyanendra Shah have rallied in Kathmandu, demanding the reinstatement of the abolished monarchy and the return of Hinduism as the state religion.
The demonstration, estimated at 10,000 strong, blocked the main entrance to Tribhuvan International Airport on Sunday upon the ex-king's arrival from a tour of western Nepal.
Chants of "Vacate the royal palace for the king,""Come back king, save the country," and "Long live our beloved king. We want monarchy" filled the air.
Arriving and departing passengers were forced to navigate the blockade on foot.
Hundreds of riot police were deployed to contain the protest, preventing demonstrators from entering the airport.
No violence was reported.
Gyanendra relinquished his authoritarian rule in 2006 following widespread protests. Two years later, parliament formally abolished the monarchy, and Gyanendra vacated the Royal Palace.
However, growing disillusionment with the republic has fueled a resurgence of pro-monarchy sentiment.
Many Nepalis blame the republic for the country's political instability, economic struggles, and pervasive corruption.
Since the monarchy's abolition in 2008, Nepal has seen 13 governments come and go. Rally participants expressed their hope for a systemic change.
'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,' 72-year-old Thir Bahadur Bhandari said.
Among the thousands was 50-year-old carpenter Kulraj Shrestha, who had taken part in the 2006 protests against the king but had since 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."
Gyanendra has not commented on the calls for the return of monarchy.
Despite growing support for the former king, his chances of immediately returning to power are slim.
Gyanendra became the king in 2002, after his brother and family were massacred in the 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.
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Reuters
29-05-2025
- Reuters
Nepal's royalists demand restoration of monarchy dumped 17 years ago
KATHMANDU, May 29 (Reuters) - Thousands of supporters of Nepal's former king rallied in the capital Kathmandu on Thursday, calling for the restoration of the constitutional monarchy that was abolished 17 years ago, amid rising unhappiness with successive elected governments. Flag-waving protesters marched into the city centre from different directions shouting: 'Our king is dearer than lives ... king come back and save the country,' as riot police stood guard but did not intervene. At a similar rally in March, two people were killed and several injured. The 239-year-old monarchy was voted out in 2008 following weeks of bloody street protests. The last king of the Himalayan nation, 77-year-old Gyanendra, has lived with his family in a private house in Kathmandu as a commoner since being toppled. He has not commented on Thursday's demonstration but expressed sorrow at the violence that killed two people in March. Demonstrators are also calling for the country of 30 million people, wedged between China and India, to become a Hindu state again, a status it lost with the monarchy. 'Governments formed in the last 17 years have failed to deliver on their promises of development, creation of jobs and improvement of the living conditions of people,' said 35-year-old street vendor Rajendra Tamang. 'Thousands of young people are forced to leave the country in search of work as they see no hope here,' he said. Millions of young Nepalis are working in the Middle East, South Korea and Malaysia, mainly at construction sites, and the money they send home is a key source of income for Nepal. Supporters of the government staged a separate but smaller rally nearby in support of the republican system that replaced the monarchy. The three major political parties that jointly control nearly 200 of the 275 seats in parliament say the monarchy was consigned to history and cannot be restored. All three jointly campaigned against the monarchy and voted it out in 2008 and say their faith in the republican system was unshakeable. The Rastriya Prajatantra Party, which is campaigning for the monarchy, holds only 13 seats in parliament. A two-thirds majority or 184 lawmakers is needed to change the constitution, which was adopted in 2015, turning Nepal into a federal democratic republic. The royalists say their protests will continue until the monarchy is restored.
The Independent
29-05-2025
- The Independent
Tens of thousands demonstrate in Nepal seeking restoration of ousted monarchy
Tens of thousands of protesters demanding the abolished monarchy be restored and the former king be made the head of state of the Himalayan nation demonstrated in Nepal Thursday. The protesters, waving flags and chanting slogans, demanded the return of the king and the restoration of Hinduism as a state religion as they marched through the main circle in the capital, Kathmandu. Just a few hundred meters (feet) from the pro-monarchy protesters, their opponents, who are supporters of the Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli, had gathered at the exhibition grounds to celebrate Republic Day. There was fear that these two groups could likely clash and create trouble in the city. Hundreds of riot police kept the two groups apart and authorities had given them permission on different times to take out their rallies. Nepal abolished the monarchy and turned the nation into a republic in 2008, bringing in a president as the head of the state. 'Bring king back to the throne and save the country. We love our king more than our lives,' the estimated 20,000 protesters chanted with a few playing traditional drums and musical instruments. 'We are going to continue our protests until the centuries-old monarchy is brought back and the country turned in to a Hindu stage for the interest of the country,' said Dil Nath Giri, a supporter of the former king at the rally. The pro-monarchy supporters had announced they were restarting their protests from Thursday. In their last big protest on March 28, two people including a television cameraman, were killed when protesters attacked buildings and set them on fire while police fired bullets and tear gas on the protesters. Several protesters arrested on that day are still in jail. There has been growing demand in recent months for Gyanendra Shah to be reinstated as king and Hinduism to be brought back as a state religion. Royalist groups accuse the country's major political parties of corruption and failed governance and say people are frustrated with politicians. Massive street protests in 2006 forced Gyanendra to give up his authoritarian rule, and two years later the parliament voted to abolish the monarchy. Gyanendra, who left the Royal Palace to live as commoner, has not commented on the calls for the return of monarchy. Despite growing support, the former king has little chance of immediately returning to power.
The Independent
11-04-2025
- The Independent
Bollywood film about anti-caste icons delayed after protests from Brahmins
The release of a Bollywood film chronicling the lives of two 19th-century anti-caste reformers in India has been delayed following protests from upper caste groups who have accused it of defaming their community. India 's film certifying body, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), demanded multiple edits to caste references and imagery in Ananth Mahadevan's film Phule, portraying the journey of couple Jyotirao and Savitribai Phule, after several organisations in the western state of Maharashtra claimed the film defamed Brahmins. Savitribai Phule was also a pioneering figure in India's women's rights movement and opened the first girls' school in India in 1848 along with her husband Jyotirao Phule. Brahmins are considered to be seated at the top of Hinduism 's rigid caste hierarchy, historically referred to as the custodians of religious knowledge. According to the last available census, nearly 80 per cent of Indians are Hindus, practice Hinduism and follow the caste system. The Phules fought for the right to education and equality for Dalits – those who were treated as 'untouchables' under the Hindu caste system. The film, starring Pratik Gandhi and Patralekhaa, was originally cleared by the CBFC with a U-certificate, which means that it was suitable for all age groups. But following pressure from Brahmin groups such as the Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Samaj and the Parshuram Aarthik Vikas Mahamandal, the board has now asked for significant alterations, including the removal of caste-specific terms referring to Dalit communities who have historically been marginalised under India's caste system and given the most menial and stigmatised jobs to perform in society. The CBFC has also demanded the toning down of certain dialogues and visuals in the film. Phule was earlier set to be released on 11 April. Its new release date is now 25 April. However, it remains unclear if the filmmaker will make the changes asked by the CBFC and whether those changes will compromise the historical accuracy or dilute the film's message. The Independent has reached out to Mahadevan for comment. The decision to remove caste-specific references from Phule has drawn criticism from some historians and activists, who say it risks whitewashing history and downplaying the lived experiences of marginalised communities. Mr Mahadevan also insists the film is historically grounded and not agenda-driven. 'Many letters and notices have come from different Brahmin organisations. There is some misunderstanding after the trailer was launched. We want to clear those doubts so that there is no hassle in viewership,' he said in an interview with Midday. 'When I met the representatives [of the Akhil Bhartiya Brahmin Samaj] and told them about how we've shown that [certain] Brahmins helped Jyotiba Phule set up 20 schools, they were happy. When Phule opened the Satyashodhak Samaj, these Brahmins were the pillars. I'm a staunch Brahmin. Why will I [malign] my community? We have only shown the facts. It's not an agenda film,' he added. The Satyashodhak Samaj, founded by Jyotirao Phule in 1873, was a reformist movement that challenged caste discrimination and advocated for equality, education, and social justice for marginalised communities. The Independent has reached out to the CBFC to explain the rationale behind its decision to demand changes to caste references and depictions in the film, and whether these revisions were influenced by external objections from community groups. In 2017, the release of the National Award-winning Marathi film Dashkriya also faced disruption after a Brahmin group, the Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasabha, objected to its portrayal of the Brahmin community, claiming it showed them in a 'bad light'. Some theatre owners in Maharashtra temporarily halted advance bookings amid fears of unrest, despite the film already being cleared by the censor board and having screened at multiple festivals. The postponement and censorship of the Phule have sparked concern among historians and activists about the historical erasure of Dalits. Critics argue that removing caste-specific references dilutes the historical reality and undermines the film's core message – to confront caste injustice and honour the Phules' legacy of challenging oppression and demanding social reform. 'The irony is palpable: A film about a couple who battled caste supremacy is being censored to satisfy the very social order they opposed,' wrote Neeraj Bunkar, a PhD research scholar at Nottingham Trent University, in The Indian Express. 'The CBFC, meant to be a neutral arbiter, is often dominated by Brahmin or Savarna voices. In a nation where over 80 per cent of the population are Dalit or OBC (Other Backward Classes), why is portraying their oppression – and the Phules' resistance – so contentious?' Dalit-themed films in India have frequently faced pushback from both the CBFC and certain social groups. More recently, Santosh, a critically acclaimed Hindi-language film by British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri, was blocked by India's film censorship board over its portrayal of police misogyny, caste discrimination, and Islamophobia. Despite winning international awards and praise, including a Cannes debut and a BAFTA nomination, the film faces a ban in Indian cinemas due to the CBFC's demand for sweeping cuts deemed 'impossible' by the director. Shudra: The Rising (2012), directed by Sanjiv Jaiswal, which explored the brutal oppression of Dalits under the Hindu caste system, also encountered massive resistance at the time. Hyderabad-based professor Kancha Ilaiah Shepherd, a social activist and author told The Federal: 'How can the CBFC ask to remove caste-related references in the film when Phules' struggle was against caste and Brahmin communities' inhuman practices of his time?' Maharashtra's opposition also criticised the CBFC for recommending cuts to the film and accusing the board of applying double standards and attempting to sanitise history. 'India's censor board did not object to a single scene from propaganda movies like The Kashmir Files or The Kerala Story. But it was quick to make objections to films like the Phule biopic. It shows the mentality of the board,' said Jayant Patil, a local politician. 'History cannot be erased, it can only be learned from. Whatever is shown in the movie Mahatma Jyotirao Phule is a historical truth – truth cannot be denied or altered. Among the social reformers of this country, the names of Mahatma Phule and Savitribai Phule stand at the forefront. What is true must be shown,' Jitendra Awhad, another local opposition politician said. X users in India also pointed out the inconsistencies in how films rooted in history are treated by the authorities, particularly the CBFC and, by extension, the current political establishment. One user wrote on X: 'Mahatma Phule liberated crores of people in this country. He was India's first revolutionary who fought against the caste system. If Chhaava m ovie can be released, even promoted by the BJP government, then what is the problem with Phule's film who hails from the same region?' The user was referring to Chhaava, a recent historical film. Both films, Chhaava and Phule, are based on figures from Maharashtra, yet the user pointed out that the latter is facing censor cuts, while the former was released without such hurdles. Onir, a renowned Bollywood filmmaker, besides many others, came out in support of Phule. In a comment on Instagram, he wrote: 'What a shame … that the CBFC has to bend to Brahmanical backlash … Dalit sentiment / historical truth does not matter … the status quo to support the power structure has to continue unquestioned.'
