Kathmandu, Sept 9: Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, coordinator of the Nepali Communist Party (NCP), has claimed that the Gen Z protests turned violent because of state suppression and the infiltration of suspected elements allegedly mobilised to create unrest.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Prachanda said the movement initially reflected young people’s concerns over freedom of expression and good governance. However, he described the looting and arson targeting Singha Durbar, the Parliament building, the Supreme Court and other heritage and government properties on September 9 as a “black day” in Nepal’s democratic history.
He said legitimate grievances of young people and criminal vandalism must be treated as two separate issues.
“Legitimate youth grievances and the planned acts that turned them into violence, looting and destruction are not the same thing. Treating them as one would do justice neither to history nor to the truth,” Prachanda said.
He called for an impartial, independent and fact based investigation to establish the truth about the events. He also urged the government to immediately implement the study report prepared by the National Human Rights Commission rather than leaving it shelved, and to bring those responsible to justice.
Prachanda said the formation of a new government had not met citizens’ expectations. Problems such as rising prices, unemployment, a sluggish economy and youth migration, he said, remain unresolved.
He also accused the current government of attempting, in the name of constitutional amendment, to weaken key achievements of Nepal’s political transformation, including the federal democratic republic, inclusion, secularism and civil liberties.
Prachanda warned that his party would strongly oppose any such attempt.
People’s News Monitoring Service
Login to add a comment