Democracy has no 'reverse gear' says Nepal PM Oli as he takes dig at pro-monarchists

Kathmandu, Mar 16 (PTI) Taking a dig at pro-monarchist groups in Nepal, Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Sunday said democracy, like a "highway", has no "reverse gear", only the occasional sharp turn demands a momentary shift back, as he emphasised the importance of moving forward.
     Last week, hundreds of supporters of former King Gyanendra Shah organised a rally to welcome the former monarch in the capital. As soon as Gyanendra, 77, landed at the Tribhuvan International Airport on Sunday last from Pokhara after visiting religious places in different parts of the country, his loyalists started chanting slogans in his favour. The rally was intended to demonstrate support for the reinstatement of monarchy in Nepal.
     Speaking at the Women Leadership Summit 2025 here on Sunday, Prime Minister Oli pointed to the recent protests by the pro-monarchist groups and said, "We always need to move forward. There should be no turning back. The reverse gear is sometimes applied only when there are sharp turns on the road. There is no back gear on the highway and democracy is our highway.”
     The former king's 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.
     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."
     Prime Minister Oli also underscored the need for equal participation of men and women in every sector of society.
     Oli highlighted that Nepali culture has long revered women as powerful deities capable of shaping the world, making their active engagement in leadership and development essential.
     "A chariot cannot move ahead with only one wheel, so we have to take the entire society forward with equal participation of men and women," he said at the event organised by the Industry, Commerce, and Supplies Ministry in collaboration with the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI).
     Reflecting on Nepal's strides in empowering women, Oli pointed to the appointment of women in key positions, including the President, the Chief Justice, and the Speaker of Parliament. While commending this progress, he emphasised that more must be done to propel women into leadership roles in education, entrepreneurship, and politics.
     "We should push ahead women in education, entrepreneurship, political leadership and other important sectors," he said.
     Meanwhile, Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies Damodar Bhandari reiterated the government's commitment to industrialisation in partnership with the private sector. He assured that ongoing economic reforms aim to boost domestic production and encourage the use of locally made goods in government institutions.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)