Royalists’ rally lacked any political norm: Analysts

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Mar. 31: Political parties and security experts have stated that the violent demonstration on Friday was not a political movement, but rather an apolitical act driven by a violent mindset and a desire for abrupt change in the system. 

The rally had no clear goal or direction, which is why it deteriorated to violence. Whoever joined Friday’s movement were not politically indoctrinated activists, the experts and leaders have opined.  

Security expert Dr. Indra Adhikari said that the government must make a new deal with the former king, which could be of any nature, to define his boundaries and scope.

The Friday rally was misled by the wrong people with wrong mind set creating hatred among the system (federal democratic republic).  

Because of the irresponsible individuals and leaders who have criticized the republican system, irresponsible persons like Durga Prasai are inciting the public with such activities, he said. 

"The majority of the protesters were not politically aware or trained cadres like that of a major political parties. If they were, they would not have resorted to looting or arson of private homes and properties. There was no control or command in that movement," she said. 

This particular demonstration could have framed separate image and message if it had been led by particular political parties, as even the Rastriya Prajatantra Party has not officially joined that movement, even though Dhawal Shumsher Rana and Rabindra Mishra participated in it, said Dr. Adhikari.     

She also said that those who took to the street being completely irresponsible, must be brought to the book. 

Leaders of the major political parties have also termed the violent demonstration of the pro-monarchy group at Tinkune area of Kathmandu on Friday as non-political and criminal in nature. 

CPN (Maoist Centre) general secretary Dev Prasad Gurung said that the rally organised giving a political cover by the royalists was actually a violent and a criminal act. “They resorted to violence, set private buildings on fire, burnt vehicles and looted shops in the name of organising a political rally. How can a political group lock a man inside a building and set fire to it? It is sheer crime,” Gurung said.

Pradip Gyawali, former foreign minister and deputy general secretary of the ruling CPN (UML), also echoed Gurung. Gyawali said that the Tinkune demonstration of the royalists was not a political movement, but a criminal act. 

It was a mob as the pro-monarchy forces intended to create anarchy, chaos and spoil the peaceful environment, he said.

Terming the rally non-political, Gyawali said that those who were arguing that they would make Nepal like Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, had participated in the programme and they resorted to violence and looting.

When asked whether the rally turned violent in lack of a leader to command it, Gyawali said, “Gyanendra is the leader as he instructed to organise the programme, but it turned into a violent mob of criminals.” 

CPN (Unified Socialist) leader Ram Kumari Jhankri who was in the forefront during the 19-day April Uprising of 2006, termed the royalists’ rally of Friday a crowd of non-political individuals.

“It was a crowd of thoughtless and programmeless persons who had no political ideology. They had gathered to express their personal and familial angers. Moreover, it was a rally without a commander,” she said.

Recalling how she and others had initiated the April 2006 uprising with just 25-30 persons but without resorting to violence, she said, “Even then, some individuals used to incite the crowd to move towards the Narayanhity Palace, but we used to divert them towards Ring Road or Kalimati to avert violence. 

We had thoughts, ideologies and clear goals and led the people accordingly. But on Friday, there was no commander, the one which was supposed to lead the rally, ran away in the middle, which resulted in the violence, killing and looting later.” She said the participants of the rally were so merciless that they locked Avenues cameraperson Suresh Rajak inside the building and set it on fire, killing him.  

She further said that the people came to the street not to show love to former king Gyanedra, but to fulfil their petty interest like not to pay the bank loans. When asked his view on the incident, NC joint general secretary Bhisma Angdembe said that the party had already expressed its views. In a statement issued on Friday evening, the Nepali Congress condemned the incidents terming it violent.

However, Gurung said that the violent demonstration of Friday had served as a big blow to the former king and his supporters. “They may not be able to raise their heads as a political force after the violent and terrifying activities they exhibited in their rally on Friday.  Now they cannot say that they are a political group,” he said. 

Likewise, former AIG of Nepal Police Bigyan Raj Sharma said that state mechanism seemed incapable to discern the extreme manifestation of monarchists' movement that led to human and material losses. According to him , the government did not anticipate that the monarchists' rally would escalate to such an extent, resulting in significant damage.

In particular, they believe that the authorities overlooked Prasai’s aggressive behaviour, which led to a tragic end, said Sharma. Former AIG Sharma argued that since political parties’ movements have been organized and disciplined, the government assumed the monarchists' would follow a similar pattern but failed in its assessment.

Meanwhile, the Joint People's Movement Mobilisation Committee, formed for the restoration of the monarchy said in a statement Friday night, "We want to make it clear that the government must take responsibility for the unrest caused by infiltration and repression, which occurred without even allowing time for the leadership to arrive at the programme venue." The committee has alleged that the government orchestrated infiltration to create a chaotic environment in the movement.