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The Maoists, through support from the seven parliamentary parties (SPA),<ref name="The_Worker_10">{{cite web |title=A Public Appeal of the CPN (Maoist), People's Liberation Army and United Revolutionary People's Council |work=The Worker #10 |url=http://nepal.singlespark.org/?id=worker10xk |accessdate=December 24 |accessyear=2006}}</ref> arranged a mass uprising against the reign of King Gyanendra. The royal government used various means to quell the uprising. Frustrated by lack of security, jobs and good governance, thousands of people took to the streets to demand that the king renounce power outright, but the royal government turned even more ferocious and continued its suppression, including daytime curfews amid a Maoist blockade. Food shortages took effect. Soon there was a plan to hold a march with over one million people into the city center and encircle the royal palace. The security forces turned brutal. Thousands were injured and twenty-one people died in the uprising.
Foreign pressure continued to increase on King Gyanendra to surrender power. On [[April 21]] [[2006]], Gyanendra announced that he was giving up absolute power and that "Power was being returned to the People". He called on the seven party coalitions to name a Prime Minister and that elections would be held as soon as possible. Both the U.S. and India immediately called on the SPA to accept this proposal. Many Nepalese protesters, however, still carried out rallies in numerous cities and vowed to continue the stir until they would achieve complete
Parliament has since reassembled and stripped the king of his power over the military, abolished his title as the descendent of a Hindu God, and required royalty to pay taxes. Furthermore, several royal officials have been indicted, and the Nepalese government is no longer referred to as "His Majesty's Government", but rather as the "Government of Nepal". An election of the constituent assembly to rewrite the constitution has been declared unanimously to be held in the near future, with the possible abolition of the monarchy as part of constitutional change.{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
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