Tinkune and its surrounding areas in Kathmandu turned into a battleground for hours on Friday afternoon after the pro-monarchist rally, led by Durga Prasai, began attacking police personnel on duty and indiscriminately vandalizing both public and private property. At least two people, including a journalist, were killed in the ensuing clashes, along with incidents of arson and vandalism. These acts of vandalism, arson, and looting have revealed the true character and intentions of those who formed a ‘Struggle Committee’ and launched a so-called ‘movement’ to reinstate the monarchy in the country, right from the very first day of their movement. The events have made it clear that their intention is to create chaos and spread large-scale unrest and lawlessness in the country’s federal capital. The royalist mob, incited by the organizers, committed heinous acts such as snatching guns from the police, pelting stones, setting fires to both private and public properties, vandalizing party offices, and looting shops. The extent of the anarchy was not seen in any previous political movement. Although the pro-monarchy protesters have claimed that the demonstrators turned unruly after the police targeted them with tear gas, images circulating on social media debunk their claims. A video of the so-called commander of the movement, Durga Prasai, driving his vehicle straight toward a police barricade erected in Tinkune, substantiates that the situation turned tense after protesters, led by Prasai himself, attempted to harm police personnel on duty.
Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has inspected the affected areas, where a journalist lost his life in a house set on fire by the royalist mob. Another individual also died in the ensuing clashes between the police and the agitating protesters, while several police personnel and protesters sustained injuries. The mob indiscriminately torched the offices of the CPN (Unified Socialist) and attempted to vandalize the CPN (Maoist Center) headquarter. Media outlets such as Kantipur Television and Annapurna Post also became targets. The true nature of the royalist movement was most evident in the looting of Bhatbhateni Supermarket. They even set fire to a vehicle belonging to the whip of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and burned down the Jadibuti Prashodhan Kendra, a government entity that produces herbal medicines, in the Jadibuti area, putting the entire neighborhood at risk of fire. In sharp contrast, a similar political rally organized by the Socialist Front in the Bhrikutimandap area concluded peacefully, although the number of participants was much larger than those in the pro-monarchy rally in Tinkune. Video footage circulating in social media shows that Durga Prasai, the commander of the movement, himself was responsible for creating the violent situation in the rally, as he attempted to breach the barricade and run over police personnel on duty while driving his private vehicle.
Hamro Kitab: For the book-loving society
The incidents that occurred on Friday clearly show that the pro-monarchy protest was different from a protest organized by a political party. Government authorities must act decisively to bring those responsible for the arson, looting and vandalism to justice. Reports suggest that the police have already arrested over 111 individuals responsible for the rampage. The government should conduct a thorough investigation and bring all those responsible to justice in order to ensure that similar incidents are not repeated in the future. Since former King Gyanendra Shah is said to be directly involved in organizing the protest, he should also be brought into the investigation process and punished accordingly. The government’s decision to revise his security details and other state privileges is a step in the right direction. As anarchic elements operating under the guise of reinstating monarchy and Hindu state attempt to rise, all republican forces should set aside their differences and demonstrate unity to neutralize such elements. Given that its vice president and general secretaries were directly involved in the March 15 violence, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party must also clarify its stance toward the violent protest. It is high time the ruling political parties understood that there is mounting public dissatisfaction with their failures and corruption in governance. They should work seriously toward improving governance and bring meaningful changes in the lives of ordinary people with due urgency to ensure that the mounting public dissatisfaction and frustration does not spill further into the streets.
