A faction of Nepal’s ruling communist party yesterday declared a nationwide strike to ramp up opposition against Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli for dissolving parliament and seeking fresh polls amid an economic crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The call to shutdown businesses, shops and educational institutions was part of protest campaign launched across the Himalayan nation, after Oli dissolved parliament on Dec. 20 last year, citing a lack of cooperation from other leaders of his Nepal Communist Party (NCP).
Nepalese Supreme Court judges hearing numerous petitions challenging the legality of parliament’s dissolution are expected to give a verdict this month. If they rule in Oli’s favor, elections have been scheduled in two phases, on April 30 and May 10.
Photo: AP
The call for a strike came after Oli earlier this week appointed senior officials to constitutional bodies, including commissions on human rights and investigations into abuse of authority.
Opponents in the NCP accused Oil of bypassing a requirement for appointees to be approved by the parliament.
“Declaring the strike is our compulsion to oppose the prime minister’s unrestrained move to avoid the due process of law to make the appointments,” said Nepalese Lawmaker Pampha Bhusal, who along with her colleagues declared the strike.
The streets in the capital Kathmandu were yesterday morning deserted and television channels reported that some protesters clashed with police, but there were no immediate reports of major violence.
“A taxi was set on fire and three other vehicles were vandalized in Kathmandu by protesters,” Police Officer Ashok Singh said, adding that more than 70 protesters had been detained.
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