Kathmandu, November 25
The Miraj Dhungana group, accusing Prime Minister Sushila Karki of not giving them time to submit a memorandum, staged a protest in front of the Singha Durbar gate on Tuesday.
The group, which had decided on Sunday to begin continuous protests starting Monday, demonstrated on Tuesday with black armbands tied to their heads.
When the group attempted to enter Singha Durbar on Tuesday, there was a brief scuffle between Dhungana’s group and the police. The group, which had planned to get themselves arrested upon reaching the gate, was stopped by police.
On Monday too, after they failed to meet the Prime Minister at the Singha Durbar gate, the group expressed dissatisfaction. They had pasted the memorandum intended to be submitted to the Prime Minister, on the gate before leaving.
According to Harish Bhatt, one of the leaders of the “Garikhan Deu” campaign led by Dhungana, their plan for Tuesday was not just to meet the Prime Minister but to stage a protest in front of the gate.
“We had planned to reach Singha Durbar today and offer ourselves for arrest. We went there to protest accordingly. Now this movement will continue until our demands are fulfilled,” he said.
On Monday, this group along with other Gen Z leaders had pasted an eight-point joint memorandum on the Singha Durbar gate, covering various issues.
The memorandum demands the arrest of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and all those involved in the incidents of September 8 and 9; the formation of an all-party government to amend the current constitution; and the suspension of the announced elections.
It also demands freezing the movable and immovable property of leaders of all political parties and former MPs/ministers; forming a powerful Anti-Corruption eradication commission; permanently banning party-affiliated unions in government service; establishing a Gen Z Monitoring Commission; and providing immediate employment to families of martyrs and the injured.
Stating that they will not step down until their demands are met, the group is currently engaged in scuffles with police around the Singha Durbar area.
“We’ve been pushed back by police up to Anamnagar. But our friends are again attempting to move toward Singha Durbar. No matter what, the protest will be held there today,” Bhatt said.
