Kathmandu, March 29: The Communist Party of Nepal (UML) has announced that it will continue its protests today against the arrest of party chair KP Sharma Oli, with plans to submit memorandums to District Administration Offices across the country.
According to party secretary Mahesh Basnet, protest rallies will be held before delegations submit formal complaints at CDO offices at 12 noon.
Oli, a former prime minister, and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested early Saturday morning. An emergency meeting of the UML secretariat held shortly after their arrest had announced a series of programs demanding their immediate release. Protests were staged across the country, including in the capital, on Saturday.
Separate desk established at CDO offices to address complaints...
The UML has termed the arrests of Oli and Lekhak as “illegal” and politically motivated, vowing to challenge them through both political and legal means. The party has also expressed disagreement with the Gauri Bahadur Karki Commission, which was formed to investigate the incidents of Bhadra 23 and 24, and has called for the formation of a high-level probe committee.
To lead its political and legal response, the party has assigned responsibilities to three senior leaders: Vice-chair Bishnu Paudel will handle political dialogue and coordination; Vice-chair Ram Bahadur Thapa will coordinate with parliamentary parties; and Gokarna Bista will oversee legal defense efforts.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Sudhan Gurung has rejected claims of political vendetta, stating that the arrests mark “the beginning of justice.”
Both Oli and Lekhak are scheduled to be presented before the Kathmandu District Court today. A habeas corpus petition is also being prepared to be filed at the Supreme Court.
