CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has stated that the demands raised by the Gen Z movement can be fulfilled within the current Constitution and parliamentary process.
Issuing statement through his secretariat on Thursday, he has said that the Gen Z movement's agenda is not against the democratic system and the Constitution and can be fulfilled within the current parliamentary process.
"The only alternative to democracy is a prosperous and more robust democracy, and the only alternative to a republic is a more robust republic. The demands of the Gen Z were neither against the democratic system and the Constitution nor in favor of dissolving House. We are confident that the demands they have raised can be fulfilled within the Constitution and the current parliamentary process," the statement says.
He has also stated that the Constitution has ensured the rights of Dalits, women, indigenous nationalities, Tharus, Muslims, Madhesis, Karnali, Far West, and other marginalized and oppressed classes and communities.
"The rights centered in Singha Durbar have reached the villages. This was not an ordinary achievement. When we discuss a new chapter in Nepal's political history today, we must remember this sacrifice of history and, based on it, resolve to move forward," he adds.
Dahal has said that the Gen Z movement demanded an advanced democracy instead of the status quo and an ad hoc governance system, but regressive elements infiltrating the movement are daring to reverse the achievements obtained through a sacrificial struggle through vandalism, arson, and destruction.
He has claimed that the current situation came about due to the government led by KP Sharma Oli. He has said that if the Maoist Center had not continuously warned the government, it would have advanced on a tyrannical path of oppression.
"Due to the situation created by this, the anger of the public, including the Gen Z youth, exploded. Instead of listening to the voices of the youth, a great loss of life occurred due to the massacre carried out by the government," he states.
He has said that those who attacked dozens of structures, including the Parliament building, Singha Durbar, the Supreme Court, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, and the offices of security agencies, were not Gen Z protestors.
"We believe that the Gen Z protestors cannot do such things, and the incidents were not carried out by them, and the incidents are not in line with their ideals. We express our regret over these unimaginable incidents and demand a high-level judicial investigation into the barbaric oppression, massacre, and incidents of looting and arson during the movement," he stresses.
He has added that the Gen Z has also raised their voice in favor of the same issues that the Maoist Center has been raising, such as a directly elected executive, a ban on lawmakers from becoming ministers, and an empowered commission to investigate the assets of high-ranking officials and leaders.
"It is a matter of pride for us that today the Gen Z has also taken to the streets with these fundamental issues. I want to remind you that after the Gen Z announced the movement, we supported it and warned the government not to use force against the movement. On the second day of the movement, the infiltration of undesirable elements began to appear, contrary to the organizers' prior declaration. The incidents of looting and arson that occurred in structures like Singha Durbar, which are historical heritages and pride of Nepal, by such elements, have become the most negative incidents in history. Who set fire to our party office, private residence, and common state structures and why, when the Gen Z youth and we were raising the same issues? We have to think about this seriously. Such incidents are contrary to the declared policy and ideals of the Gen Z, and it is unimaginable that they would do such a thing," he states.
