KATHMANDU: KP Sharma Oli, former Prime Minister and Chairperson of the CPN-UML, has expressed his dissatisfaction over a trend of mocking people who speak in favor of patriotism, referring to such treatment as labeling supporters blindly loyal to party leaders as “jholey” (blind followers).

This marked Oli’s first public appearance after being ousted during the Gen Z protest. Following the protest, he stayed under army security for a week before renting a house in Gundu, Bhaktapur, as his Balkot residence had been burned during the unrest.

Addressing the program, Oli said that those speaking in support of patriotism have been targeted with misinformation.

“There is a growing tendency to spread falsehoods and confusion through social media, and anyone supporting patriotism is dismissed as a blind follower. Those spreading confusion are actively at work,” he stated.

The program was attended by his spouse Radhika Shakya, UML Vice Chair Astalaxmi Shakya, and UML leaders Bhanubhakta Dhakal, Mahesh Basnet, and Rajiv Pahari.

Security in the area had been significantly increased for the event. Oli also claimed that the UML-led government had achieved historic progress in national development during its tenure.