Act of seeking alternative to govt from street unacceptable: Ruling coalition

KATHMANDU: Senior leaders of the ruling coalition parties have said that any act of seeking alternatives to the democratic system and government through street protests is unacceptable.

Issuing a joint statement after a meeting at the Prime Minister’s official residence on Friday, they said the alternative to the government can be sought only through parliament and a fresh mandate.

Referring to the ongoing protest of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) against the arrest of its President Rabi Lamichhane, the ruling coalition said, activities such as gathering crowds to influence the investigation process and pressure the judiciary are contrary to democracy and the rule of law. “We strongly disagree with such activities. The government will implement all suggestions and directives from the parliamentary investigation committee on cooperatives,” the statement reads.

It also said the investigation process has begun based on the report prepared by the Parliamentary Special Investigation Committee on Misappropriation of Cooperative Savings.

The ruling parties also said that the activities promoting anarchy and political stability are inappropriate. “We firmly believe that in a situation where people’s representatives have created and are implementing a constitution prepared by them, solutions to emerging problems must be sought through democratic methods and processes. Accordingly, we have been emphasizing constitutional, legal and structural reforms based on consensus to establish a foundation for political stability,” the statement said. “In such circumstances, any undesirable activities that encourage anarchy, strengthen political instability, or affect the Nepali people’s aspirations for good governance and development, regardless of their name or form are inappropriate.”

The parties also said seeking alternatives to the democratic system and government through street protests is unacceptable in any sense. “The alternative to democracy is an even more advanced democracy, and the path to seeking government alternatives is through parliament and new public mandate,” the coalition partners said in the statement.

Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairperson KP Sharma Oli, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, Janata Samajbadi Party (JSP) Co-chairperson Renu Yadav, Janamat Party Chairperson CK Raut, JSP Nepal Vice-chairperson Rajkishor Yadav, Loktantrik Samajbadi Party Chairperson Mahantha Thakur and Nagarik Unmukti Party Chairperson Ranjita Shrestha Chaudhary signed the statement.