KATHMANDU: CPN (Maoist Centre) chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that the recent Gen-Z protests represent the continuation of agendas the Maoist movement left incomplete.
In a special message on the occasion of Constitution Day, Prachanda recalled that the constitution, promulgated ten years ago, was an achievement born out of the sacrifice of thousands of martyrs and the struggle of millions of citizens.
However, he stated that the protests of September 8 and 9 had made it clear that further amendments and revisions to the constitution are necessary. “The demand for a directly elected executive, which the Gen-Z raised, was also our differing position at that time,” he said, arguing that the current electoral system excludes ordinary people from meaningful participation.
Prachanda expressed grief over the death of more than 70 youths during the two-day protest, calling the government crackdown a “massacre.” He alleged that the arson and vandalism on September 9 at Singha Durbar, the Supreme Court, and the Parliament building were not part of the Gen-Z movement but a conspiracy by regressive forces.
Calling for national reconstruction, he urged all parties and citizens to unite and demanded the government form an independent and impartial commission to investigate the incidents. He also admitted that the Maoists had their shortcomings in the past, saying, “The alternative to democracy is a more advanced democracy.”
Prachanda stressed the need for stronger unity among democratic forces, extending Constitution Day greetings while stating that protecting democracy and the constitution was integral to safeguarding national sovereignty.
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