Kathmandu: Leaders and supporters of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) gathered at Bijulibazar on Saturday to kick off what the party has termed a “decisive movement” demanding the restoration of the monarchy and Nepal’s status as a Hindu state.
Hundreds of RPP cadres and royalist supporters joined the demonstration early in the day, with party chairman Rajendra Lingden expected to lead the protest march. The rally, organized amid heightened political tensions, is set to proceed from Bijulibazar toward Baneshwar, with protesters announcing plans to deliberately enter restricted areas despite legal prohibitions.
According to the party’s public strategy, RPP demonstrators are prepared for mass arrests, signaling their intent to escalate the movement and challenge the government’s restrictions on protest zones.
The protest comes amid renewed calls by royalist factions for the return of a constitutional monarchy, an issue that has gained traction in recent months as the country grapples with political instability and public dissatisfaction with the current republican system.
Security personnel have been deployed in key locations to manage the rally, as authorities brace for possible confrontations if the protesters attempt to breach restricted areas.
This protest marks the latest in a series of royalist mobilizations organized by the RPP, a party that has long advocated for the monarchy’s return since it was abolished in 2008 following a decade-long civil war and the subsequent establishment of a federal democratic republic.