The ruling party CPN-UML has announced plans to hold a rally and mass gathering in Kathmandu this Friday to ‘raise awareness against anarchy’.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will address the assembly.

Rajan Bhattarai, coordinator of the organising committee, said at a press meeting in Kathmandu that the assembly, organised by the UML Bagmati Province Committee, will be held at Durbar Marg. The mass meet is estimated to involve 100,000 party members.

The decision to stage a demonstration has faced criticism, with some questioning why a ruling party would resort to street protests. However, the UML has said the rally is intended to prevent ‘undemocratic forces’ from uniting.

At a press briefing on Wednesday, UML Deputy General Secretary Pradeep Gyawali said the party planned the programme to discourage anarchy and uphold democratic principles. “Anarchy and democracy cannot coexist. If we ignore anarchy, it will pave the way for undemocratic forces,” he said.

Gyawali also criticised former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal for allegedly instigating instability through his remarks and actions. “Dahal’s remarks are regrettable. Sometimes he talks about making the country like Bangladesh, and at other times his party is protesting against decisions made by his provincial lawmakers in Koshi,” said Gyawali. “The words he used in the Indian newspaper The Hindu recently are also deplorable.”

In an interview with Indian newspaper The Hindu earlier this week, Dahal claimed that Prime Minister Oli is ‘playing the China card’ in relation to his planned trip.

Dahal’s party CPN (Maoist Centre) had said they were in favour of identity-based nomenclature of Koshi Province even as the Maoist lawmakers in the provincial assembly voted in favour of naming the province as Koshi in March last year.

The rally will start at Bhadrakali and pass through New Road Gate, Bir Hospital, Ratna Park, and Tri-Chandra Campus before culminating in a mass assembly at Durbar Marg.

According to Bhattarai, the party initially planned to hold the event at Bhrikutimandap but moved it to Durbar Marg due to anticipated high turnout. “We expect around 100,000 participants, including members from the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley, sister wings, and other party committees,” Bhattarai said.