CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has alleged that a well-planned attempt is being made to weaken democratic political parties by spreading a false narrative of "new and old."
Speaking at an event organized on Thursday on the occasion of the 48th Pushpa Lal Memorial Day, Oli claimed that after failing to divide society in the name of religion, caste, and geography in Nepal, efforts are now being made to attack political parties through the debate over new and old.
"The talk of new and old in Nepal is an extremely wrong narrative. Attempts were made to divide people in the name of religion, caste, and geography, but they did not succeed," he said. "Now, attempts are being made to insert divisions into households, between parents and children, and between grandparents and grandchildren in the name of new and old."
Noting that even in established democracies around the world, old political parties continue to govern, he argued that there is no basis for the argument that old parties should be displaced only in Nepal.
"Are the Democratic and Republican parties in America new or old? There are the Conservative and Labor parties in Britain. The demand for new parties has not arisen there," he said. "A party is not old or new; it must update itself according to the times."
Noting that political systems and consequently political parties have evolved alongside human civilization, Oli said that a party-less system cannot be imagined in a democratic society.
"In this day and age, a party-less system cannot be imagined. Around the world, parties compete and parties govern,” he said.
Oli alleged that in recent years, attempts have been made to spread distrust in democratic institutions by constructing a false narrative that "parties and leaders have looted the country."
“Some people tried to create a false narrative that parties and leaders have looted the country. There can be differences of opinion, disputes among leadership, but it is the political parties that brought democracy and protected it,” he said.
"Who will bring democracy back? It is the political parties. These are the ones who must save the Constitution, and if necessary, amend it as well," he said. “All forces that want the return of democracy must unite against the forces that hijack democracy.”
