UML Vice President Bishnu Paudel Arrested, Party Plans Nationwide Protest

Kathmandu. With the election review and party reorganization campaign ongoing, the arrest of UML Vice President Bishnu Paudel has created a 'stir' within the UML. While a limited number of UML leaders and cadres consider Paudel's arrest and investigation to be natural, the UML's institutional decision is contrary to this.

 Leader Paudel was arrested on Monday evening while in Surkhet for a party program. After being brought to Kathmandu following his arrest, the Department of Money Laundering Investigation has now initiated an investigation. The Special Court had already granted permission on Tuesday to keep him in custody for seven days for investigation.

Paudel, who has been in politics for the past 36 years, is a leader who has served as a minister and member of parliament multiple times. It was based on a letter from the department that the police arrested Paudel. However, UML top leaders have been stating that Paudel's arrest is vindictive and illegal. Paudel himself is a leader involved in the party reorganization campaign. 

During that time, leaders including Paudel, another leader Badal, Prithvi Subba Gurung, and General Secretary Shankar Pokharel were in Surkhet when Paudel was arrested. Although UML has stated that it will engage in political and legal resistance against Paudel's arrest, it has not yet announced protest programs.

UML to protest politically against Bishnu Paudel's arrest

The UML reorganization campaign, which started on Jestha 30th from Bagmati Province, has so far been completed in Bagmati, Koshi, Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim. Gandaki, Madhesh, mass organizations, contact, and central departments are yet to be covered.

UML had formed a 15-member task force under the leadership of Vice President Ram Bahadur Thapa 'Badal' for party reorganization and suggestion collection. Based on the report of that task force, UML was preparing to make decisions including changes in party leadership. Accordingly, UML had gathered in various provincial gatherings. UML had collected suggestions from provincial and district leaders on Jestha 30th from Bagmati Province, Ashar 2nd from Koshi Province, Ashar 4th from Lumbini Province, Ashar 6th from Sudurpaschim Province, and Ashar 8th from Karnali Province.

The task force's schedule includes collecting suggestions and discussing party reorganization with Gandaki Province on Ashar 11th (Thursday), Madhesh Province on Ashar 13th, the capital on Ashar 16th, contact coordination on Ashar 17th, mass organizations on Ashar 18th, and department chiefs and office bearers on Ashar 19th.

'All programs will proceed according to the schedule. There will be no changes,' says UML Publicity and Publication Department's Niraj Acharya, 'The campaign initiated by the party will not be stopped.'

According to Acharya, the party can schedule nationwide 'bhandafour' (exposure) programs as needed, as per the secretariat's decision. 'When and where the exposure will take place has not been decided yet. The secretariat and central office can decide by holding a meeting,' said publicity department chief Acharya.

On Tuesday evening, the CPN UML Central Secretariat meeting held at Chairman KP Sharma Oli's residence in Gundu decided to launch an exposure campaign in protest of Paudel's arrest.

UML deems Vice President Bishnu Paudel's arrest vindictive, decides to hold nationwide exposure

'The party will strongly protest both politically and legally against the illegal arrest made under the pretext of money laundering with the malicious intention of taking political revenge, without any objective facts and evidence,' said General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, quoting the secretariat meeting's decision. 'The meeting has heartily called upon all party ranks and justice-loving people to conduct a nationwide political resistance and exposure campaign against such autocratic, vindictive, and discriminatory actions of the state machinery.'

Not only the secretariat but also the UML parliamentary party meeting has decided to strongly protest in the parliament against the vindictive behavior of the government towards Paudel. 'Since leader Paudel was arrested in a vindictive and illegal manner, we will strongly protest from parliament,' said UML Chief Whip Ain Mahar, 'The government has insulted leader Paudel by arresting him without facts and evidence.'