KATHMANDU: Senior Vice Chair of CPN-UML, Ishwar Pokharel, has rejected claims that his party acted with political prejudice in the Patanjali land case.
Speaking at a program organized by the UML Okhaldhunga-Likhu-Kathmandu Contact Forum on Saturday, Pokharel said it was wrong to accuse the UML of bias and defended the legitimacy of investigations into the matter.
“If anyone within the UML has done wrong, they will come under the purview of investigation,” Pokharel said.
He said holding public office comes with the responsibility of public accountability.
“Any public representative must be subject to civic audit, and if any discrepancies are found, they must be held accountable regardless of their political position,” he said.
Pokharel also took a firm stand against hereditary rule, reiterating UML’s commitment to democratic governance.
“Our party firmly opposes governance based on birthright or dynastic succession. Leadership must emerge through democratic procedures and merit,” he said, underlining that UML does not support unelected forms of power either.
Highlighting the current political landscape, he explained that UML and Nepali Congress formed a coalition government to address national challenges, but anticipated a tough electoral competition between the two in upcoming elections.
Pokharel also noted that UML’s firm stance on national sovereignty has made it a frequent target of criticism and attacks.
“Our party has always stood firmly for nationalism, and we will continue to move forward by facing such challenges head-on,” he said.
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