KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 30
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) staged an agitation in Baluwatar, Kathmandu, this afternoon to protest the arrest of Rabi Lamichhane, party president and former home minister.
Lamichhane was arrested on allegations of cooperative fraud and organised crime. Police, in the meantime, escalated erecting barricades in various places in Kathmandu and detained dozens of demonstrators in Baluwatar's restricted area.
A total of 51 people have been detained thus far, according to Superintendent of Police Nawaraj Adhikari at Kathmandu's District Police Range. The detainees have been transferred to Maligaun Police Circle, Durbar Marg, and Maharajgunj.
On the one hand, Lamichhane remains in custody, accused of embezzlement and misappropriation of cooperative funds; on the other, party leaders have been holding meetings with the Prime Minister and Home Minister. Lamichhane was arrested by police on October 18 in Kathmandu and taken to Pokhara for questioning regarding the implementation of a parliamentary special investigation committee's report and remains in Pokhara for further statement.
The RSP began protesting immediately after Lamichhane's arrest on October 19, claiming that it was a politically motivated vendetta. Party members have ignominiously criticised the Prime Minister and the government.
Lamichhane, who served as home minister during the CPN-UML, CPN-MC and RSP alliances, told reporters gathered at the Pokhara court on October 20 that "KP Oli is the most hostile and corrupt leader of all, and it is unfortunate that he is the country's prime minister."
He further said, "As long as KP Oli is in power, such crimes and corruption will persist, and Nepal will never be rebuilt. As he provides political protection to the party's corrupt, cooperative thugs, standing on the foundation of corruption and fabricating others as frauds."
RSP Vice President Dolprasad Aryal (DP) and Chief Whip Santosh Pariyar spoke with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak on Monday. Aryal met with Home Minister Lekhak alone in Singhadurbar, while Aryal and Pariyar went to Baluwatar to meet the Prime Minister.
A member of the Prime Minister's secretariat stated that Aryal and Pariyar paid a visit to the Prime Minister in Baluwatar on Monday evening. "We do not know the specifics of what was discussed during the meeting."
Vice President Aryal confirmed that he met with Home Minister Lekhak and that their discussion was about Tuesday's protests and law and order.
