UML leader Mahesh Basynet speaking at an interaction programme in Kathmandu, on Tuesday, December 19, 2017. Courtesy: Reporters Club
Lawmaker Mahesh Basnet has expressed deep concern over the recent violent incidents during the protests, including an arson attack on his own residence. Writing on social media, he described the clashes among Gen Z youths in front of Army Headquarters as not only tragic but also a dangerous sign.
Basnet criticized the rejection of potential interim leaders such as Balendra Shah, Durga Prasai, Harka Sampang, Kulman Ghising, and even 73-year-old former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, saying such attitudes could push the movement toward failure. He warned that growing instability might ultimately lead to dangerous calls like “Bring Back the King” or “Invite Foreign Armies.”
As an alternative, he suggested appointing an experienced and capable family member of those who lost their lives in the protests as prime minister, arguing this would be the most just solution. Otherwise, he cautioned, the movement risked becoming trapped “like a leopard caught in a snare set for a rabbit.”
Citing the story of Gautam Buddha losing a childhood friend at an early age, Basnet urged Gen Z not to let their struggle remain an incomplete tale. He concluded by expressing hope that Nepal’s hard-won democratic achievements would not slip backward into regression.
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