KATHMANDU: Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has called on members of the Gen Z movement to turn their focus toward calming the unrest, warning that destructive elements may have infiltrated the protests.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Bhattarai said the movement risked turning from a revolution into a counter-revolution as state institutions have come under attack. He noted that Parliament, Singha Durbar (the executive headquarters), the courts, and other key sites of governance and democracy had been set ablaze.
“The wolves in sheep’s clothing may already have entered your movement,” Bhattarai cautioned. “Perhaps without realizing it, you could not prevent them, and as a result, the Parliament that makes laws, Singha Durbar that implements them, the courts that interpret them, and even the offices of political parties and leaders who have fought for democracy have been set on fire. Surely, that was not your intent.”
Appealing directly to the young protesters, Bhattarai urged: “Dear Gen Z friends, maybe now is the time to engage in extinguishing the fire.”
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