Deposed Nepal prime minister K P Sharma Oli on Saturday criticised the Karki-led interim government for "biased and unconstitutional practices" and also made sarcastic remarks against India albeit without naming the neighbour.
Addressing a public meeting, the first after he was forced to resign three months ago following a Gen Z-led protest, Oli claimed that his Communist Party of Nepal - Unified MarxistLeninist (CPN-UML) would rise again to steer the country.
The former prime minister, known for his China leanings, made sarcastic remarks against India, albeit without naming the southern neighbour, while addressing the CPN-UML's 11th general convention.
"When we promulgated the Constitution in 2015, some elements didn't like that, as we took a stance which invited sharp reactions. When we have reached an agreement (with China) to convert the land-locked country into a land-linked one, many couldn't digest that," Oli said.
"Many didn't like our efforts to stand on our own by opening up connectivity by joining North with South," he said.
"Some couldn't take it easy when we tried to protect our border and made sovereign claim on our own territory," he said, in an apparent reference to the controversy over Nepal's May 2020 revised political map including Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura territories, regions India maintains belong to it.
"Big trees standing on the roadside don't get hurt by stones thrown at it, it is the smaller trees that get hurt," said Oli. "But even after facing so many blows, our party can withstand (it), I don't know where its strength comes from?"
Oli had resigned on September 9 following violent protests by the Gen Z group against his government over corruption and a ban on social media. Sushila Karki became prime minister on September 12. At least 77 people had died on September 8 and 9.
President Ramchandra Paudel then dissolved the House of Representatives (HoR) as per the prime minister's recommendation and announced fresh elections to be held on March 5 next year.
The UML chair, for the first time after three months of his ouster, expressed condolences to those killed -- the youth, security personnel and the general public -- in his inaugural message to the party's convention being held at Sallaghari in Bhaktapur district.
Oli, however, demanded action against those responsible for the destruction during September's Gen Z protests, in which government buildings, private and public properties as well as party offices and houses of political party leaders were damaged. -- PTI
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