PTI
Kathmandu
CPN-UML members on Saturday staged demonstrations in different parts of Nepal to protest against the arrest of party chair and former prime minister K P Sharma Oli.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Lennist) leader Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested early Saturday morning on charges of their involvement in suppressing the Gen Z movement of September 8 and 9 last year, in which 76 people, including around two dozen youths, were killed.
Hundreds of CPN-UML activists gathered at Damak municipality of Jhapa district in Koshi province, Pokhara municipality of Kaski district and Maitighar Mandala and Babarmahal of Kathmandu to protest Oli’s arrest.
The agitating cadres of CPN-UML and activists belonging to All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) chanted slogans against the newly-formed Balendra Shah government and Home Minister Sudan Gurung and demanded the immediate release of Oli.
In Kathmandu, the CPN-UML cadres staged demonstrations in Maitighar Mandala, Babarmahal, Naya Baneshwor, Singhdurba and Bhrikutimandap areas, where a large number of riot policemen were deployed.
Police baton charged and threw several rounds of tear gas shells to disperse the crowd as the agitating activists pelted stones.
A group of CPN-UML cadres also burnt the copies of probe commission report that held Oli and then home minister Lekhak responsible for the September crackdown on the Gen Z protest.
In Bhrikutimandap and Babarmahal areas, the CPN-UML cadres and students burnt tyres and chanted anti government slogans.
The student activists belonging to ANNFSU were also carrying placards with the slogans “Release K P Oli immediately”, “Stop political revenge” and “Maintain rule of law”, etc.
The pro-Oli cadres also demonstrated in front of Singhdurbar Secretariat South Gate, where they clashed with the riot policemen.
As they dismantled the security barricade installed by police, the security men used baton charge to disperse the crowd.
Kathmandu District Police Circle spokesperson Pawan Bhattarai said that seven CPN-UML activists were arrested as they broke the security barricade and tried to enter a restricted area near the Singhdurbar Secretariat gate.
The probe commission formed to investigate the incident surrounding the Gen Z movement has recommended legal action against Oli and Lekhak, among others, under criminal offence.
Nepal’s newly-formed government, led by Balendra Shah, in its first cabinet meeting on Friday, decided to immediately implement the recommendations made by the probe commission.
