KATHMANDU, March 25: Eight prominent civil society leaders have strongly condemned the recent political activities of former king Gyanendra Shah, warning that his actions pose a threat to Nepal's constitution and democratic stability. In a joint statement on Monday, they also expressed concern over his attempts to reinstate the monarchy, backed by religious fundamentalists in India, which they believe could lead to lawlessness and political chaos in the country.
Those issuing the joint statement include Mohna Ansari, Kanak Mani Dixit, Rajan Kuikel, Reeta Pariyar, Charan Prasai, Sushil Pyakurel, Dinesh Tripathi and Hira Vishwakarma. The signatories emphasized that the 2015 Constitution, which established Nepal as a democratic republic, is a social contract that represents the aspirations of the people. Any attempt to undermine its principles, such as federalism, secularism, and democracy, would destabilize the nation and could cause irreversible damage to its progress.
The statement highlighted Gyanendra Shah’s ties to India’s political establishment, particularly the BJP and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath, who have publicly supported the idea of restoring monarchy in Nepal. The group argued that such a move would erode Nepal’s sovereignty and independence, drawing the country into the orbit of India's right-wing politics.
Furthermore, the statement reminded the public of Gyanendra Shah’s previous attempt at autocracy in 2005, when he dissolved Parliament and ruled by decree. The signatories warned that his return to power would lead Nepal back to the authoritarian regime of the Panchayat era, undoing the democratic gains of the past decade.
The group urged all political leaders and citizens to resist any efforts to revive the monarchy and reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding the constitutional values that have defined Nepal’s political landscape for the past ten years.
Read full text of the statement:
Why is former King Gyanendra visiting Bhutan?
A Warning to Gyanendra Shah Not to Attempt to Endanger the Constitution
Statement by Eight Citizens
Gyanendra Shah, the former king, has become politically active with the aim of reinstating the monarchy in Nepal. We, the undersigned, regard this as contrary to the Constitution, aimed at sowing lawlessness for the benefit of opportunists, and supported by religious fundamentalists in India.
The Constitution of Nepal (2015) is the product of a political and social contract among national communities, adopted by an elected Constituent Assembly. Its three foundational pillars—democratic republic, federalism, and secularism—must be upheld. Undermining any one of these will destabilize the nation, leading to confusion, political instability, and economic decline. Nepali society could take a decade to recover, and the number of citizens leaving the country for opportunities elsewhere would rise.
Gyanendra Shah’s political activism undermines the nation-building efforts of his ancestors and risks weakening Nepal politically and geopolitically, especially as the country’s foreign relations are at their most vulnerable. His campaign has attracted ultra-leftists, rightists, and opportunists without ideology, who hope to benefit from the chaos that would follow the collapse of constitutionalism.
The public is aware that Gyanendra Shah has lobbied India’s political establishment to restore the monarchy. This is the same New Delhi political class that has historically interfered in Nepal's affairs, including the 2015 blockade. It is also well known that political leaders in New Delhi are unhappy with Nepal’s Constitution and seek to establish a ‘Hindu state’ by undermining secularism. BJP Chief Minister Adityanath of Uttar Pradesh, a frequent host to Gyanendra, has publicly supported the return of monarchy in Nepal.
Any attempt to restore the monarchy with the backing of Hindutva fundamentalists would undermine Nepal’s sovereignty and independence. It is ironic that Gyanendra’s ancestor, Prithvi Narayan Shah, founded one of the oldest nation-states in the world, securing Nepal’s independence from imperial powers, while the present-day Gyanendra seeks to weaken the country for personal gain.
To recall, in 2005, Gyanendra Shah used the army to dissolve Parliament and assume autocratic rule, emulating his father Mahendra’s 1960 coup. He jailed political leaders and civil society dissenters, and his regime lasted only a year before being overthrown by the People’s Movement.
Despite the 2015 blockade by New Delhi and ongoing territorial disputes, Gyanendra Shah has remained silent but still seeks the throne. His authoritarian instincts, demonstrated in 2005, show that his return to power would lead Nepal back to royal autocracy, undermining the democratic progress made since the end of the Panchayat era (1960-90).
Had Gyanendra resisted the temptation to engage in politics, the Nepali public might have accepted a dignified place for the royal family outside of the Constitution. However, his recent political activities have dashed that possibility.
Everyone in public life must accept that Parliament is a product of the republican Constitution, amendable only through a two-thirds majority. Parliament is not the place to challenge the Constitution whimsically, and any unconstitutional language must be deleted from the parliamentary record.
While Nepal's democratic politics are weakened by corruption and divisions, we reject the narrative of reviving kingship, which would disrupt the path toward fresh leadership in political parties.
Over the past decade, Nepal has firmly established itself as a federal, secular republic, and the remaining challenge is to provide good governance and prosperity under the Constitution. We must recognize Gyanendra Shah’s attempts to exploit our democratic system for conflict and anarchy.
Signatories:
Mohna Ansari, Kanak Mani Dixit, Rajan Kuikel, Reeta Pariyar, Charan Prasai, Sushil Pyakurel, Dinesh Tripathi, Hira Vishwakarma