By IRNA
New Delhi : Hundreds of supporters of Nepalese King Gyanendra waved flags and chanted slogans in the capital Katmandu on Monday to protest against plans to abolish the Himalayan nation’s centuries-old Monarchy.
It was the first such public demonstration in support of the largely unpopular King since 2006, when he was stripped of his powers and forced to give up his authoritarian rule and restore democracy, Zeenews portal reported here.
“Save the nation! We love our king!” chanted about 1,500 protesters who marched through central Katmandu, blocking traffic for hours.
They gathered outside the Prime Minister’s office and waved the green, yellow and white flag of the monarchist National Democratic Party, which organised the rally.
They were protesting the decision last month by Nepal’s seven main political parties – including Communist former guerrillas – to turn the kingdom into a republic after elections expected no later than mid -April.
“How can these so-called main political parties decide for the entire nation to remove a 240-year-old Monarchy from the country?” asked Kamal Thapa, leader of the National Democratic Party.
Hundreds of riot police kept a close watch on the protesters, but there was no violence.
Gyanendra, previously a constitutional Monarch with mostly ceremonial powers, seized control of the country in February 2005, claiming the government had failed to quell a decade-long Communist insurgency.
The move was met by widespread protests against his authoritarian rule and he was forced to step down and relinquish most of his powers in April 2006.
In December, the political parties agreed to make Nepal a republic as soon as a Constituent Assembly – charged with rewriting the constitution and shaping Nepal’s political future – was elected.
Polls were to take place no later than the Nepalese New Year in the second week of April.
The National Democratic Party has yet to register for the upcoming poll.
The Communist rebels gave up their armed revolt last year and joined a peace process after more than 13-thousand people died in the fighting.
They entered Parliament in January 2007 and joined the government three months later, but withdrew in September demanding electoral reform and the immediate removal of the king.
Since then Nepal has faced a deepening political crisis.
The Maoists rejoined the coalition government last week.
For centuries, Nepal’s monarchy held absolute sway over the country.
Gyanendra’s ancestors have been traditionally considered reincarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu, to be venerated by their subjects. However, that wasn’t the case for Gyanendra.
His tumultuous reign began in 2001 after a palace massacre, in which the Crown Prince was accused of gunning down KING Birendra and much of the royal family, before killing himself.