The CPN-UML has launched a unified rhetorical strike against the government following the arrest of Chairman KP Sharma Oli, labeling the move a calculated act of political vengeance. High-ranking party officials, including Pradeep Gyawali, Gokarna Bista, and Bishal Bhattarai, have collectively warned that the detention, purportedly linked to homicide charges, marks a dangerous descent into prejudiced governance that threatens national stability.
Vice-Chairman Gokarna Bista, speaking at the party’s central office, condemned the arrest as a mockery of democracy. Demanding Oli’s immediate and unconditional release, Bista urged party cadres to remain disciplined while standing firm for justice. He emphasized that the government is utilizing state machinery specifically to harass opposition leadership, a sentiment echoed by former minister Pradeep Gyawali, who pledged a robust response through both legal and political channels.
The controversy centers on the implementation of the Gauri Bahadur Karki Commission report, which leader Bishal Bhattarai dismissed as inherently biased. Bhattarai pointed out significant gaps in the report, noting its silence on certain incidents while selectively targeting the party chair. He argued that the commission's coordinator had demonstrated prior prejudice, making the subsequent arrest a formalization of a pre-planned vendetta rather than a pursuit of justice.
As the rift between the ruling coalition and the opposition widens, the UML is preparing for a nationwide campaign to break what they term a "strategic siege." The party has indicated that their resistance will extend to the parliamentary floor and the courtroom, signaling a period of intense political confrontation ahead.
