As the top leaders of the pro-monarchy movement began a door-to-door drive seeking public support ahead of launching their “indefinite campaign” on May 29, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli Sunday asked his supporters to keep Kathmandu under their control on the day. Addressing a meeting organised by the state committee of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist), which Oli heads, he asked the party members to remain prepared to defeat the monarchists. “That day Kathmandu must be fully under your control from 11 am to 2 pm. You should remain prepared from this moment to handle the pro-monarchy supporters, for which you don’t have to wait for further instructions from the party,” Oli said, literally asking his cadres to physically confront the pro-monarchy activists, if need be. The pro-monarchy leaders are planning to launch an indefinite campaign on May 29, the day the monarchy was abolished in the country 17 years ago. Nepal’s political parties through a Parliament declaration abolished the 240-year-old monarchy in 2008 and turned the erstwhile Hindu kingdom to a secular, federal, democratic republic. Oli’s appeal is virtual reiteration of his call to party workers on March 26, – you must leap like tiger and attack the monarchist – which culminated on massive repression by the security forces on the pro-monarchy rally on March 28 in which at least two people lost their lives and over 20 people were injured. In another programme on Saturday, Oli had instructed his youth workers to crush leaders who are calling for the monarchy’s return. Top leaders of the movement for restoration of monarchy, including its convener Nabaraj Subedi; Kamal Thapa and Rajendra Lingden —both former deputy PMs – and Keshar Bista, a former minister, along with their supporters have been meeting people directly, urging them to participate in their indefinite movement beginning May 29 so that the “corrupt” regime is ousted and Nepal’s ‘Hindu Kingdom’ identity is restored.
