Oli says he is in Nepal, urges ‘Gen Z’ groups to preserve constitution

In an open letter, ousted Nepali premier KP Sharma Oli on Thursday said that he is still in Kathmandu. He urged protesting Gen Z groups to preserve the constitution and not abolish it.

The open letter has come after days of speculation about his whereabouts and rumours that he had fled to Dubai. He resigned on Tuesday after massive protests over longstanding grievances against the country’s leadership. He will continue as the caretaker prime minister until the formation of the new government.

In the letter carried by Nepali outlet Setopati, Oli said that he was staying at the Shivapuri barracks of the Nepali Army.

Separately, the Nepali media have reported that several other senior politicians, such as former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, Madhav Kumar Nepal, and Jhalanath Khanal, and Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh, are staying at army facilities in and around Kathmandu.

Oli calls upon Gen Z groups to preserve constitution

Amid calls by some groups to seek a solution to the ongoing crisis outside the ambit of the constitution, Oli said that the current constitution and political system is a conclusion of intense struggle and should be preserved.

Before the current constitution that was brought through “countless sorrows and sacrifices”, there was a time “when we were not allowed to speak, were not allowed to gather, were not allowed to question”, said Oli in Nepali.

Oli further said, “By fighting against that dark situation, we brought this bright system. If you are able to raise your voice today, if you are able to protest, it is because of this very system. Today, an attempt is being made to massacre this system, and it is necessary for you to be sensitive to this.”

Oli said that the most important thing to him was the preservation of the constitution.

“This system, which has given you the right to speak, to walk, and to question, is the main goal of my life to save. I believe that there can be no compromise on the issue of the system,” Oli further said.

Previously, it has been reported that the youth groups have deep divisions about the future of the country. The Kantipur newspaper has reported that while one side wants the country to remain a democracy, another wants it to become a monarchy.