Old video of President Paudel criticizing PM Oli goes viral

Kathmandu, December 25 — A viral video clip featuring President Ram Chandra Paudel's old statement about Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is currently circulating on social media. In the clip, Paudel questions whether KP Oli had been jailed due to his actions, stating that Oli was imprisoned for 14 years not for democracy but for a murder case.

The video, which has ignited debates on social media, is circulating amid the indictment of Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane in a cooperative case. Supporters of Lamichhane have been voicing their disapproval, arguing that Lamichhane was unjustly harmed in a vendetta.

However, the video is not recent. It was recorded four years ago when Paudel made this statement in his home district of Tanahun. At that time, Paudel, who was a senior leader of the Nepali Congress, had been detained by the police for breaking a restriction while attending the inauguration of the Buldikhola Bridge in Byas Municipality. After being detained for three hours, Paudel strongly criticized Oli, who was then the Prime Minister.

In the video, Paudel not only mentions that Oli had served 14 years in prison for a murder charge, but he also questioned the claim that Oli had been imprisoned for democracy. Paudel remarked, “Who said Oli was jailed for democracy? He was jailed for a murder case. Was this for democracy? I don’t believe it.”

Paudel also criticized Oli’s nationalistic stance, claiming that Oli had secretly conversed with Indian intelligence officials during his tenure as Prime Minister. Paudel mentioned that at one point, Oli had met with the chief of India’s RAW (Research and Analysis Wing), Samant Goyal, for a private consultation.

The video also touches on the historical context of the Jhapa Uprising, which led to Oli’s imprisonment. Paudel’s comments reflect the broader disagreement between the political leaders, as the uprising was part of a resistance against the Panchayat regime in the 1970s.

At the time, communists, including Oli, had protested the repression under the Panchayat system, which Paudel criticized for not being democratic.

Despite their differences, both leaders, who have played significant roles in Nepal’s political landscape, hold prominent positions today—Oli as a four-time Prime Minister and Paudel as the current President of Nepal.