Pro-monarchy activists active in streets, social media

Former King Gyanendra Shah’s visit to Bhutan at the invitation of Bhutanese King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuk in the first week of October has reignited discussions about Nepal’s monarchy. 

Bhutan is the last absolute monarchy in South Asia, and the warm reception extended to Shah has emboldened pro-monarchy activists and sympathizers campaigning for the restoration of both the monarchy and a Hindu statehood in Nepal. Though Shah has claimed his visit was personal and that the respect he received reflected honor for Nepal and its people, the political and diplomatic circles in Nepal have been abuzz with speculation.

The visit has given a much-needed shot in the arm to pro-monarchy forces. For a decade and a half since the abolition of the monarchy, Shah has maintained a low profile. Despite no longer being on the throne, the former king maintains connections with the public, particularly during festivals like Dashain. In his recent Dashain message, he expressed concern over people’s unfulfilled dreams of prospering in their homeland, stating that this has heightened his “restlessness”. He has also been continuing the royal tradition of offering Tika to the public during Vijaya Dashami. 

Despite his consistent silence on the monarchy’s future, his followers continue to rally around him. The pro-monarchy Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), the fifth largest party in the House of Representatives with 14 seats, is one of the leading political forces advocating for the restoration of Hindu statehood and monarchy. A senior RPP leader said that they have received information that Thimpu invited Shah on the suggestions of some Hindu forces in India who favor Nepal's return to Hindu statehood. Since India has a strong influence on Bhutan's foreign policy, there could have been some consultations, the leader claimed.

Social media has played a key role in promoting pro-monarchy sentiments. Since June 2024, a Facebook page named ‘Unified Nepal’ has gained 250,000 followers. The page has spent over $2,500 on sponsored content, and its posts have drawn substantial engagement. It has been posting contents highlighting the contributions of past monarchs like Gyanendra, Birendra and Mahendra. A study of social media pages suggests the presence of a broader digital ecosystem supporting the monarchy because these pages have similar comments in support of monarchy.

Street protests have also been intensified for the restoration of monarchy. In April, the RPP organized large street demonstrations in Kathmandu which were met with police suppression. Similar rallies took place in November last year, led by pro-monarchy businessperson Durga Prasai, who capitalized on dissatisfaction among citizens affected by micro-finance schemes. Scores of sponsored Facebook posts were used to mobilize the Monarchy supporters in both protests, data from the Facebook Library shows. 

Prasai’s demands for the restoration of the monarchy and a Hindu state reflect a broader sentiment among royalist forces that frustration with Nepal’s political establishment is creating an opportunity for their cause. For pro-monarchy activists, this is seen as a high time to push their agenda as Nepal continues to grapple with deep political and social changes. With new parties like the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) emerging to challenge the status quo, royalists believe that they too can exploit growing public disillusionment with major political parties.