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By Our Reporter

Durga Prasai’s upcoming meeting with Prime Minister Sushila Karki on December 8 marks a significant moment in Nepal’s pro-monarchy and pro-Hindu state movement. As coordinator of the “Campaign to Save the Nation, Nationality, Religion, Culture, and Citizens,” Prasai has positioned himself at the forefront of a political agenda that combines social, economic, and constitutional issues with the restoration of the monarchy. His recent arrest, which prevented him from organizing a nationwide protest on November 23, only seems to have reinforced his resolve and amplified the visibility of his demands.

Prasai’s agenda is broad and ambitious. On the social and economic side, he is pressing for the removal of individuals and business houses blacklisted by financial institutions, cooperatives, and microfinance companies. He is advocating for better treatment of transport operators, entrepreneurs, and landless squatters, as well as the release of individuals arrested during the Gen Z uprising in September. Banking reforms, separation of bankers from business operations, and better salaries for army, police, and civil servants also feature prominently in his list. These demands highlight a strategy that blends populist economic issues with his political objectives, aiming to appeal to both grassroots supporters and broader segments of society affected by systemic inefficiencies or perceived injustices.

Politically, Prasai is uncompromising. He is calling for a referendum to decide the restoration of the monarchy and the Hindu state and the potential abolition of provinces. He has framed these as not personal ambitions but as the will of the people and the working class. By threatening that the March elections cannot proceed if these demands are not met, Prasai is asserting leverage over the interim government, signaling that his movement is a force capable of influencing the political calendar.

Nevertheless, there is a division among pro-monarchy forces. One group argues that there should not be a referendum on the issue of reinstating a Hindu kingdom. They believe such a referendum could create division among the people and that republican forces—both domestic and foreign—might manipulate the process.

They further argue that the institution of monarchy was removed through a combination of foreign and domestic conspiracies, not by the will of the general public. Therefore, they say, the Hindu kingdom should be restored unconditionally.

Prasai’s statements also reveal frustration with the royalist camp. He criticized former King Gyanendra Shah for remaining passive and pointed out the double standards of other royalist leaders, both domestic and abroad, who have advocated for monarchy on social media but failed to support active mobilization in the streets. He frames himself as the only leader taking concrete steps to restore the monarchy, having even been jailed for his activism, and challenges others to join him in tangible action. His insistence on a referendum underscores his strategic approach: he wants legitimacy through popular mandate rather than relying solely on elite interventions or symbolic gestures from the former king.

The broader implication is that Prasai is attempting to redefine royalist activism in Nepal. By bringing both constitutional and economic issues to the table, he is positioning the monarchy and Hindu state agenda within a larger framework of governance, justice, and accountability. At the same time, his confrontational approach—issuing ultimatums and threatening to disrupt elections—reflects both his urgency and the weakness of existing royalist coordination. For his movement to succeed, Prasai will need not only government engagement but also cooperation from other royalist leaders who have remained passive or internally divided. Ultimately, the meeting with PM Karki will test the government’s willingness to engage with a movement that blends political activism with social and economic grievances. It will also determine whether Prasai can convert his activism into tangible policy influence and galvanize a fragmented royalist base. His recent arrest has added urgency to his agenda, but the challenge remains to transform a protest-driven campaign into a sustainable political force capable of affecting Nepal’s constitutional and electoral landscape.