CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel has said that Prime Minister Balendra Shah and Home Minister Sudan Gurung, who believe that political leadership should take responsibility when security agencies use force, should resign from their posts and clear the way for prosecution against them.
Addressing a press conference in Dang on Wednesday, Pokharel pointed out that Shah and Gurung had led campaigns and propaganda asserting that then-prime minister KP Sharma Oli and then-home minister Ramesh Lekhak must take responsibility for the use of force by security agencies during the events of September 8 and 9 last year. Therefore, he argued, the current prime minister and home minister must take responsibility for the Sunsari incident.
“Since the government accused the then prime minister and home minister based on the belief that political leadership must take responsibility for the use of force by security agencies, it cannot now punish security agencies for incidents that occurred during its own tenure while enjoying immunity itself,” Pokharel said.
“In that sense, either the current prime minister and home minister must apologize, saying they had not understood it at the time that the law does permit security agencies to use force, or they must resign from their posts and clear the way for prosecution. There cannot be double standards in governance,” he added.
Oli and Lekhak were arrested based on the report of the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led inquiry commission formed after the Gen Z movement. Pokharel claimed that the current prime minister arrested Oli out of vengeance without even studying the commission’s report and kept him in custody for 13 days, but did not even file charges after failing to find any evidence.
“The first step taken by the prime minister was driven by revenge. Successful leaders do not act this way; they study and make mature decisions. They do not make mistakes,” Pokharel said. "They arrested our Vice-chairman Bishnu Paudel under the pretext of money laundering, kept him in custody for 25 days, and released him on general bail after failing to gather evidence. This is an example of how weak and vindictive the government is."
Pokharel also questioned whether the prime minister and home minister would accept responsibility for the Sunsari incident.
“Will the prime minister and home minister take responsibility for the Sunsari incident or not? So far, four people have died. Will cases now be filed against them? Are they ready to stay in custody? The law is equal for everyone,” he said.
