Nepal’s former PM Oli’s arrest draws criticism from political parties

KATHMANDU: (Mar 29) Nepalese political parties on Saturday criticised the newly formed Balendra Shah government over the arrest of former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli for the 2025 Gen Z protest crackdown.

Oli and Former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak have been arrested on charges of their involvement in suppressing the Gen Z movement of September 8 and 9 last year, in which 76 people, including around two dozen youths, were killed.

The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Lennist) Secretary Mahesh Basnet called the arrest of party chair Oli a "political revenge" and said that the Balendra Shah-led government is displaying prejudice.