Why Nepalis think Modi is supporting the movement to restore the monarchy

“When there was a king in this country, the world treated us with respect,” Khusbu Oli said. “Now even the prime minister of India does not invite the prime minister of Nepal because the Indians do not trust him.”

Oli is a central committee member of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, which is leading the campaign to reinstate the last king of Nepal, Gyanendra Shah, who was deposed in 2008. The party also wants to make the country a Hindu rashtra.

The campaign drew attention in India after posters of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath were spotted at a pro-monarchy rally in Kathmandu on March 9. Later, Nepal’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli promised to “expose” New Delhi’s role in supporting the movement.

His sensational charge echoed recent allegations about India interfering in the domestic politics of other neighbouring countries such as Maldives and Bangladesh. Scroll spoke to politicians and civil society members in both Nepal and India to understand the factors fuelling this mistrust of New Delhi as a section of Nepalis clamour for the return of their king.

Suspecting an Indian hand

The similarity between the talking points pushed by the Nepalese pro-monarchy campaign and Indian Hindutva groups is difficult to miss. The monarchists in Nepal, like many Hindutva supporters in...

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