American Marconi Wireless News - Nepal: Crowd demands reinstatement of the monarchy

In Nepal, riot police used batons and tear gas to stop thousands of supporters of the country's former king from marching to the capital's center. The demonstrators, rallying for the restoration of the monarchy and Nepal's status as a Hindu state, faced police resistance as they moved from the outskirts of Kathmandu towards the city center. Minor injuries were reported during the clash. The authorities had previously banned protests in key areas of the city.

The protesters, expressing deep loyalty to ex-King Gyanendra, came from across Nepal, demanding the reinstatement of the monarchy, which was abolished in 2008. They criticized the government and political parties for corruption and poor governance. The monarchy's end came after the 2006 street protests against King Gyanendra's authoritarian rule led to the introduction of democracy. In 2008, Nepal's parliament declared the country a republic with a president as head of state. Since then, Gyanendra has lived as a private citizen with limited public support and little prospect of regaining power. Additionally, the demonstrators called for Nepal to revert to being a Hindu state, a status it lost in 2007 when it was declared a secular nation.