Former monarch joins campaign to reinstate Nepal as ‘Hindu State’

The decision to declare Monday a public holiday for the first time was met with nationwide protests, including some constituents from the ruling coalition, who refused to recognise the decade-long insurgency as “people’s war”.

Shah flagged off the event — ‘Let’s save dharma, nation, nationalism, culture and citizens mega campaign’ — from Kakarbhitta in eastern Nepal’s Jhapa district in the presence of a huge crowd cheering and applauding him.

The campaign is being coordinated by Durga Prasai, a central committee member of former prime minister KP Oli-led Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist Party.

The former king did not give any speech but his presence in such a campaign — the first one after monarchy was abolished 14 years ago — is being seen as significant at a time when the country’s political situation seems to be drifting towards instability and uncertainty. Prasai, who runs a specialised cancer hospital, said the current situation in Nepal has turned out to be “suffocating” for the people.

Although he did not directly call for return of monarchy, he said, “We never wanted, and we will not be a republic which will send more than 10 million Nepali youth to the Gulf countries to shed their blood and sweat.”

He has also been demanding that loans taken by farmers from cooperative banks and microfinance companies be waived off as their plight is forcing them to end their lives.

Shah, and representatives of different sects of Hindu religion, lit lamps to mark the proposed nationwide campaign.

The former king’s son Paras, daughter Prerana and niece Sitashma joined Shah, who has been camping in Damak, about 40 km from the venue, for the last six weeks.