KATHMANDU: CPN-UML has accused the interim government of steering the country toward “unnecessary bitterness, tension, and confrontation” instead of focusing on conducting elections.

Speaking after a Secretariat meeting held in Gundu, Bhaktapur, on Friday, UML Deputy General Secretary Pradeep Gyawali said the party held serious discussions regarding the government’s recent actions.

“On one hand, the government—under the Home Minister’s pressure—releases those who attacked and killed police officers and looted weapons. On the other, it restricts peaceful political demonstrations and imposes travel bans on leaders. This clearly shows the government is not working toward elections but pushing the country toward instability,” Gyawali stated.

He said the party has critically reviewed the government’s conduct and reaffirmed that the voices raised by the Gen Z movement on September 8 (Bhadra 23) were legitimate.

He added that the party had carefully reviewed the events surrounding the Gen Z movement. “The concerns raised by Gen Z youths on September 08 were natural. They had assured that their protest would remain peaceful and would not breach prohibited areas. But when those lines were crossed, it created a painful situation,” Gyawali noted.

The UML has demanded a thorough investigation into the incidents of September 08-09, calling it a “serious assault on democracy, the constitution, and history itself.” The party also expressed deep concern over the government’s ongoing actions.

“The country needed unity and calm, but instead, this government has chosen a path of restriction and hostility,” Gyawali said, adding that those who claim to have formed the government are now “speaking the language of violence.”