Kathmandu [Nepal], March 30 : Cadres and supporters of former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Monday continued to hit the streets, demanding his release.
Communist Party of Nepal- Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) cadres and supporters have continued to march in the capital Kathmandu, but the turnout has been minimal, with numbers diminishing day by day.
With most senior leaders absent from the streets while the cadres have been facing off with the police for the first three days, the protest of Monday saw a march to near the vandalised former parliament and then dispersed.
The agitation, announced from Saturday, was expected to mobilise party ranks nationwide. However, only a small number of supporters turned up, particularly in restricted areas, leading to several injuries among participating cadres.
Despite the protest being formally declared by the party's central leadership, top leaders and office bearers were largely missing.
Following Oli's arrest on Saturday morning, a secretariat meeting had assigned responsibilities, with General Secretary Shankar Pokharel publicly announcing protest programs and outlining parallel efforts for political dialogue and legal response.
However, none of the 17 office bearers, apart from Oli himself, were seen participating in the demonstrations. Similarly, leaders of sister and mass organisations, who were expected to lead street mobilisation, were also not visible.
On Saturday, protests were held from Baneshwor to Maitighar and in the Chabahil area of Kathmandu. By Sunday, participation had shrunk to around 200 people, mainly confined to the Babarmahal and Maitighar areas.
With senior leaders staying away and participation declining, concerns are growing that the UML's protest movement could weaken further in the coming days.
The cadres and supporters of Oli have been demanding an impartial investigation into the incidents that occurred on September 8 and 9, 2025. They called for the report prepared under the leadership of Gauri Bahadur Karki to be scrapped, terming it biased.
The party further demanded a fair investigation into acts of vandalism, arson, and looting during the protests, and called for legal action against all those involved. It also stressed the need for a serious probe into the alleged involvement of various non-governmental organisations.
UML has demanded the immediate release of Chair Oli, warning of further protests if their demands are not addressed.
The government has accused them in connection with deaths that occurred during the Gen Z protests on September 8 and 9, 2025. Authorities have filed charges related to homicide, leading to their detention for investigation.
Oli is currently undergoing treatment at the hospital, where doctors say he is dealing with several health conditions. He was admitted after experiencing irregular heart palpitations and has a medical history that includes two kidney transplants.
According to the hospital, he is also suffering from multiple conditions, including hydronephrosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid-related issues, and atrial fibrillation. Doctors have also detected gallstones.
Hospital authorities said Oli is currently receiving treatment under medical supervision at the hospital's Annex-1, bed number 501.
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