The beginning of the end for the monarchy

By January 2004, anti-monarchy rhetoric had started to pressure king Gyanendra to retract his decision to take over executive power and sack the government.

A page 1 Nepali Times report published 20 years ago this week had warned that if the king continued, he would push the parties and the Maoists closer and turn the country into a republic. And that is exactly what happened.

Excerpts of the article from issue #179 16-22 January 2004:

One month after the student unions affiliated to the political parties launched their agitation, the protests have taken a dramatic and radical republican tone.

The students appear to have the green light from their mentors in the parties to step up the rhetoric in a last-ditch attempt to pressure King Gyanendra to agree to retract his October Fourth move, and restore power to the peoples’ representatives. Student leaders who began their campaign by demanding that the king restore democracy are now openly calling for him to step down from the throne…

…The palace for its part doesn’t seem too worried about the street agitation or the insurgency escalating out of control. Does it know something we don’t? It could be pleased about recent military gains in the see-saw war as well as old rifts opening up between the NC and the UML…

Neither a republic nor a return to absolute monarchy are feasible at present, so the palace and the parties have to meet halfway. If the king decides to go it alone, it is sure to the push the parties and the Maoists closer and rush us towards a republic.

For archived material of Nepali Times of the past 20 years, site search: nepalitimes.com