# 2025 Nepalese pro-monarchy movement

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 of the Himalayan nation in the favour of welcoming the former King Gyanendra Shah. The people in the rally loudly raised the voice for the restoration of the monarchy in the nation.

## Background

The activists of the pro-monarchy movement became active since the democracy day in February 2025 when the former king Gyanendra Shah delivered a speech to the people of the country demanding support from the people for unity of the nation and its protection. In his speech, he stated
   "Time has come for us to assume responsibility to protect the country and bring about national unity."

## 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. The gathering was a spontaneous turnout of the people frustrated with the present government system in the country. The arrival of the former king in the city took place amidst of tight security. The major slogan chanted by the supporters in the gathering was
   "Come king, save the nation!"
According to the media reports, a resurgence fuelled in support of the pro-monarchy movement due to the dissatisfaction from the current political instabilities, corruptions and economic struggles in the nation. 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.
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 thousands to forty thousands from different sources. However, the monarchy supporters claimed that their number was around four lakhs. In the rally at least 1,000 police personnel and 400 traffic police were deployed to maintain law and order. According to media, no violence was reported in the rally. It was a peaceful rally.
In the pro-monarchy movement rally, a 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.

## 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. The current prime minister K P Sharma Oli as well as other top political leaders like Sher Bahadur Deuba of the republic system has taken the movement very seriously. The 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. 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.
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.
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.
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 cum 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".