The government has invited Durga Prasai, who has been campaigning for the restoration of Nepal as a Hindu state, for talks. This follows his calls for new protests for the cause.

Prasai has made several provocative statements against Prime Minister Sushila Karki, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal, Kathmandu mayor Balendra Shah, and Gen Z leader Sudan Gurung, among others.

The decision comes on the heels of a high-level security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Karki on Saturday. “We have already invited him [Prasai] for talks,” Home Minister Aryal told the Post. The chief district officer of Kathmandu was instructed to call Prasai for dialogue.

Kathmandu CDO Ishwar Raj Poudel, however, did not respond to calls made by the Post.

Prasai, in interviews with various media channels, claims that thousands of people will come out on the streets and block major highways, in what he terms a fresh agitation for the restoration of Hindu state that will start on Monday after the Chhath festival.

The Saturday meeting reviewed the planning and strategy of Prasai's agitation. The meeting concluded that several right-wing and anti-Gen Z groups might support Prasai’s agitation.

From right-wing groups, and pro-Hindu and pro-monarchy campaigners to all those against the recent Gen Z uprising could infiltrate Prasai’s protest, a senior security official said. The meeting decided to ramp up security arrangements and intelligence gathering while pursuing talks with Prasai.

In a statement on Saturday, the Ministry of Home Affairs said that the government is actively working to create the atmosphere for elections and has urged all sides to not to do anything to disturb the lead-up to timely polls.

The ministry said that the government is ready to address everyone’s legitimate demands, concerns, and interests, and called for resolution of outstanding issues through dialogue.

The ministry has noted that its attention was drawn to the announcements by various individuals and groups for sit-ins, rallies, and demonstrations on social media.

The ministry referred to the September agitation, which turned deadly, and stressed that the organisers need to be cautious, as interest groups might use the occasion to create instability in the country.

While elections are set to be held on March 5 next year, political parties doubt the government’s commitment to the polls. Hundreds of inmates fled from various prisons during the mayhem of September 9. Over a thousand pieces of weapons were looted by mobs on the same day. Both these factors could pose a threat to holding of free, fair and peaceful elections.

Amid the challenges, Prime Minister Karki convened a meeting where the authorities decided to form a two-pronged strategy to deal with a potential crisis if Prasai’s agitation goes out of control.

Prasai spearheaded a similar kind of agitation in March in Kathmandu where at least two people were killed. This background has alerted the government and the security agencies to Prasai’s fresh call for agitation. “Alongside security arrangements, we have also taken an initiative for talks,” said Home Minister Aryal.

Initially, the CDO will hold talks with Prasai. “If needed we will also be involved later,” he added.

Home Secretary Rameshwar Dangal, and the chiefs of Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the National Investigation Department attended the meeting with Karki and Aryal, which lasted nearly two hours.

According to the prime minister’s secretariat, the security chiefs presented their assessments of the situation and discussed possible security challenges.

Aryal said that the government had conducted a detailed review of the security situation. “We are aware that some groups are preparing to hold demonstrations. Everyone is free to express their political demands responsibly,” the prime minister’s secretariat quoted Aryal as saying in a press note issued after the meeting. “We have kept the door for dialogue open. We will seek solutions through talks.”

Aryal added that the government is open to dialogue with relevant parties to address their political demands. Major political parties have accused the government of failing to maintain law and order in the aftermath of the September unrest.

Minister Aryal said that the security situation was thoroughly discussed at the Saturday meeting.

The meeting is said to have made an in-depth analysis of the upcoming protest and the security risks they pose.

“Now, everyone needs to engage in dialogue. Even those who take to the streets, in fact, want dialogue,” Aryal told reporters after the meeting. If dialogue can happen right away, there is no need for protests, he stressed.

Even if people feel the need to take to the streets, while exercising their democratic right, they must ensure that the rights of others are not violated, said Aryal. “Public property must not be damaged. Private property must not be harmed. There should be no violence. Protests must be non-violent.”

Anyone who claims to lead the country in the future must act politically, said Aryal, urging such forces to demonstrate political culture.

The ministry made an appeal on Saturday that while raising their demands, protesting parties must not infringe on the rights of the people—to live peacefully, to access uninterrupted public services, and to participate in the elections. It also urged all to contribute to communal harmony while refraining from disrupting public and national security.

Meanwhile, police on Saturday detained 50 members of a group named Gen Z United for staging a demonstration at Maitighar without obtaining permission from the local administration.

According to Kathmandu Police, the protesters were taken into custody for questioning as they attempted to demonstrate without approval, and there were concerns about possible clashes with other Gen Z groups. The group had been staging protests for the past two days.

Gen Z United representative Madan Karki claimed they had sought permission from the Kathmandu District Administration Office to hold the demonstration, but were denied.