KATHMANDU, March 31: The CPN-UML has announced a series of protest programs against the arrest of party chair and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.
The party claims the arrests were carried out with a spirit of political revenge and has decided to launch protests from the streets to parliament while also alleging police suppression during peaceful demonstrations.
Speaking about the decisions taken during the party Secretariat meeting held Tuesday, UML Secretary Mahesh Basnet said the party has prepared a protest schedule ranging from the ward level to the federal capital.
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According to the announced plan, large gatherings focused on the protest will be held at the district level until April 8. Demonstrations will be organized in all municipalities on April 11, followed by ward-level gatherings on April 15.
The party also plans to hold demonstrations in all provincial capitals on April 19, culminating in a massive protest in Kathmandu on April 24.
Basnet said the party will soon convene a central committee meeting to finalize additional protest programs. Alongside street protests, the UML will also advance citizen dialogue and parliamentary engagement.
Vice-chair Raghuji Pant, Deputy General Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai, and Central Committee member Min Bahadur Shahi have been assigned to lead all-party civic dialogues. Within Parliament, Vice-chair Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’and Secretary Padma Aryal will coordinate with other political parties to present the party’s stance against the government.
A parliamentary party meeting has also been called at the party office on Wednesday at 3 pm to discuss further strategy.
UML’s sister organizations and affiliated groups will also mobilize to support the protests. The party said these groups will organize their own programs while also raising concerns about alleged government interference in the activities of student and professional organizations.
To coordinate these efforts, a meeting of the party’s organizational coordination mechanism will be held at the party office at 11 am on Wednesday, the party said.
