KATHMANDU, Sept 19 – Former Nepal prime minister K P Sharma Oli has rejected allegations that his government ordered security forces to open fire on protesters during the first day of the Gen Z-led agitation on September 8, which left at least 19 people dead.
“The government didn’t order to shoot at the demonstrators,” Oli said in a Constitution Day message, instead blaming “infiltrators” for the violence.
Oli, who was ousted following the youth-led protests over corruption and governance failures, leads the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist). He claimed the unrest was hijacked by elements seeking to destabilize the country.
The September 8 crackdown marked the beginning of demonstrations that eventually led to the fall of Oli’s government and the appointment of former chief justice Sushila Karki as interim prime minister.