Intensifying its crackdown on pro-monarchy protests that erupted in Nepal, the Nepal government has put the leaders supporting the protests, including former King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Nepal Rashtriya Panchayat Chairman Nav Raj Subedi, under a travel ban.
Subedi has been accused of coordinating the protests. Besides, the Vice-President and the General Secretary of the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) have also reportedly been put under house arrest.
As per reports, the Nepalese government led by Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli has also reduced the security cover of the former king and has revoked his passport. The strength of personnel in the former king’s security has been reduced from 25 to 16. In addition to that, the Kathmandu Municipal Corporation has imposed a fine of 7.93 Nepali rupees on the former king on Saturday (29th March) for the damage caused to public property during the violent protests.
PM Oli reportedly called a meeting of all parties on Sunday, March 30, around 6 pm to discuss the protests. The Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, which is supporting the pro-monarchy protests, was not invited to the meeting. Meanwhile, the Parliament witnessed a major ruckus between the ruling party and the opposition due to which the Parliamentary meeting was delayed by two hours. The Sunday session of the Parliament was not broadcast live.
Violent pro-monarchy protests have erupted in Kathmandu in recent days. The protesters, demanding the restoration of the monarchy, clashed with the security personnel, resulting in a curfew being imposed in several parts of the city. Two people, including a protester and a video journalist, lost their lives in the violence. Several people, including security personnel, were also injured. The protesters have given the Nepalese government an ultimatum till 3rd April. The RPP had warned the Nepalese government against arresting the former king, saying that such an act would further aggravate the protests. Around 112 people, including RPP leaders Dhawal Shumsher Rana and Ravindra Mishra, have been detained by the police.
The ruling Nepali Congress has held the former king responsible for orchestrating the Friday pro-monarchy protests in the Tinkune area. “We reviewed the activities carried out on Friday in the name of pro-monarchists and the Home Minister presented the details of the incidents, after which we came to the conclusion that the violent activities were deliberately planned with the motive of imposing a totalitarian rule and the former King should take all the responsibility,” Nepali Congress spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat reportedly said.
