Pro-Monarchy protests grind on for third day

Over 400 km away, in the country’s capital Kathmandu, the police deployment around pro-monarchy leader Durga Parsai’s house was withdrawn on Saturday, a day after the government revoked the house arrest placed upon him and his followers. However, the police continued to arrest protesters en masse as they made their way to Saturday’s venue for a pro-monarchy programme in the city.

The government, meanwhile, continues to come under criticism — both from pro-republic factions and its opponents, as well as from human right groups. Former Prime Minister KP Oli accused the government of surrendering to anarchic forces; while the pro-monarchy groups said the centre is acting against the Constitution. Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission and other organisations also slammed the government for suppressing the right to assembly.

So far, Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has not revealed the further course of action — administrative or political — in the wake of expanding rallies in favour of monarchy. “There are signs of ethnic and communal activities on the rise in the country,” he said.