Kathmandu: Former King Gyanendra Shah has been fined by Kathmandu’s civic body due to damage caused to public property and the environment during pro-monarchy protests held in parts of the city the previous day.
The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balendra Shah sent a letter to Gyanendra at his residence in Nirmala Niwas, located in Maharjgunj on the outskirts of Kathmandu, demanding a compensation payment of NPR 793,000 for the damages incurred.
The fine is related to the alleged improper disposal of waste on streets and sidewalks, as well as damage to physical structures. The KMC issued the penalty notice on Saturday, referencing violations of the Waste Management Act, 2020, and the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Finance Act, 2021, according to the Kathmandu Post.
On Friday, parts of Kathmandu experienced unrest as pro-monarchy protesters threw stones, attacked a political party office, set vehicles ablaze, and looted shops in the Tinkune-Baneshwor area. The clashes between protestors and security forces resulted in the deaths of two individuals, including a TV cameraman, and left 110 others injured.
In the letter to Gyanendra Shah, which was shared with the media, the KMC stated that the protest, coordinated at the urging of the former monarch, had damaged various properties owned by the metropolis and adversely affected the capital’s environment.
Durga Prasai, who organized the protest, had met with Gyanendra Shah the day prior, where he received guidance to demand the restoration of the monarchy and a Hindu state.
Pro-monarchists have become more active since Democracy Day in February, when Gyanendra Shah declared, “The time has come for us to assume responsibility for protecting the country and fostering national unity.” They have been staging rallies in Kathmandu and other regions, seeking the reinstatement of the monarchy, which was abolished in 2008.
Earlier on March 24, a group of civil society leaders in Nepal criticized Gyanendra Shah for his increased political engagement, stating that it undermines the nation-building efforts of his predecessors and could potentially weaken the country on the global stage. Eight civil society leaders issued a joint statement expressing these concerns.
