KATHMANDU, Mar 9 : Nepal’s former King Gyanendra Shah on Sunday arrived here amidst tight security, as pro-monarchy activists gathered at the airport to welcome him.
As soon as Gyanendra landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport from Pokhara on board the Simrik Air helicopter, hundreds of loyalists, including leaders and cadres of pro-monarchists Rastriya Prajatantra Party, started chanting slogans in his favour.
The crowd carried placards with slogans such as “We want our King back,” “Abolish federal republican system and reinstate the monarchy,” and “The King and the country are dearer than our life.”
Gyanendra, 77, returned to Kathmandu from Pokhara after visiting religious places in different parts of the country.
Hundreds of loyalists riding motorbikes carrying Gyanendra’s picture and national flags greeted him on both sides of the road outside the airport.
Dozens of riot policemen were guarding the Narayanhity Palace Museum, the erstwhile royal palace of the former king as there were rumours that Gyanendra would enter the palace along with his supporters.
However, no untoward incidents occurred as the crowd following Gyanendra headed towards Nirmal Niwas, the private residence of the former monarch on the outskirts of Kathmandu.
Hundreds of security personnel were deployed from the Kathmandu airport to the Nirmal Niwas to avert any untoward incident.
King supporters have been rallying in different parts of the country, including Kathmandu and Pokhara, for the past few days, demanding the reinstatement of the monarchy abolished in 2008 following the People’s Movement.
Manisha Koirala, a popular Bollywood actress who is also the granddaughter of the first elected prime minister B P Koirala, on her social media, requested all the Nepalese to gather at the Kathmandu airport to welcome the former monarch.
The pro-monarchists have become active since the democracy day in February when Gyanendra said, “Time has come for us to assume responsibility to protect the country and bring about national unity.” (PTI)
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