KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 20

Various wings of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) hit the streets across the country, including in the Capital, protesting against the government after Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli decided to dissolved the House of Representatives.

Students and youth leaders, especially those supporting Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal, and senior leaders of the NCP protested calling the House dissolution an unconstitutional, undemocratic and autocratic move.

PM Oli called a Cabinet meeting this morning and recommended dissolution of the Parliament after internal rift in the party climaxed.

President Bidhya Devi Bhandari swiftly endorsed dissolution of the Parliament and the proposal to hold general elections on April 30 and May 10 next year.

Suresh Parajuli, central secretariat of All Nepal Independent Students’ Union, the NCP student wing, said they would continue the protests. “We will not stop until the PM’s coup against the constitution is rectified.”

Hundreds of supporters of the Dahal-Nepal factions joined the protest at Maitighar today at 3:00pm. The protesters later marched towards the House of Representatives at Baneshwor.

Some protesters even burned the effigy of PM Oli outside the Parliament. This continued until 6:00pm.

Similar, protests were held at Pokhara, Chitwan, Hetauda, Birgunj, Bara, Biratnagar, Morang, Gorkha, Achham and other places. Students in Pokhara also burned the effigy of PM Oli.

Meanwhile, leaders of the main opposition Nepali Congress also organised a separate protest outside the House of Representatives at Baneshwor.

NC leader Gagan Thapa, addressing the protesters, not only flayed the action of the government but also criticised the NCP as its internal rift was putting the country’s future and constitution at stake.

“Our constitution has not envisioned any such provision for dissolving the Parliament while there is a clear majority.” Criticising the president’s move, he said, “Her role as the guardian of the government is completely questionable as it clearly showed she only acted as per the interest of a certain section of the ruling party.”

Janata Samajwadi Party-Nepal and Bibeksheel Sajha party also took to the streets to protest against the Oli government’s move to dissolve the Parliament.