- The Nepali Congress condemned recent police raids on newsrooms and journalist detentions, demanding accountability for these violations of press freedom.
- Opposition leader Gagan Thapa criticized the Prime Minister’s Office for executive overreach and bypassing established legal procedures during anti-corruption investigations.
- The party raised alarms regarding the erosion of the rule of law and the nation’s sluggish economic performance and weak investment climate.
- Plans were announced for cross-party consultations to build a coalition against government encroachment on democratic institutions and judicial independence.
Kathmandu, Nepal: The main opposition Nepali Congress has decided to step up its scrutiny of the government led by Prime Minister Balen Shah, raising serious concerns over recent state actions against journalists, the overreach of executive authority, and the erosion of the rule of law.
Speaking at a Central Working Committee meeting on Sunday, Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa declared that the party would strengthen its opposition role to hold the government strictly accountable. Thapa emphasized that good governance relies on institutional strength, statutory procedures, and constitutional limits rather than the personal authority of the prime minister.
Press Freedom Concerns Following Police Action
The opposition's heightened stance follows controversial police actions targeting media outlets and reporters. On Friday, law enforcement officers visited the newsrooms of Nepal Press, Naya Patrika, Diyopost, and Motivate News. Several journalists were taken to the Police Cyber Bureau for questioning, while officers reportedly sought out others.
Police officials claimed the journalists were summoned to clarify the factual and legal bases of their published reports. However, the Press Council Nepal challenged the legality of the operation, stating that journalists cannot be detained without a court-issued warrant. The Council reiterated that any grievances regarding published news must be handled through its established regulatory processes rather than direct police intervention.
In response to the backlash, Deepa Dahal, communications adviser to the Prime Minister, stated that the Prime Minister’s Office had not been informed of the raid beforehand. She added that upon learning of the incident, Prime Minister Shah instructed authorities to release the journalists immediately and cease actions inside newsrooms.
Thapa rejected the government's explanation, asserting that the release alone does not resolve the underlying issue. He demanded a full accounting of who authorized the operation and on what legal grounds. Furthermore, he questioned whether state machinery was being weaponized to expose confidential journalistic sources and intimidate the press.
Objections to Executive Overreach in Anti-Corruption Drives
The Nepali Congress also criticized the administration's approach to anti-corruption inquiries, pointing to instances where executive power appeared to bypass legal channels. Thapa highlighted reports that the Director General of the Department of Irrigation and the chief of the Sunkoshi-Marin Diversion Project were brought directly to the Prime Minister’s Office for questioning.
He cited a similar past incident involving passport printing controversies, where officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) were detained at the Prime Minister’s Office for extended periods.
Thapa argued that such practices undermine institutional authority and violate the principle of the separation of powers. While reaffirming his party's support for fighting corruption, he stressed that investigations must respect procedural law, preserve agency autonomy, and remain free from political interference.
Additionally, the opposition demanded the immediate release of several pending government reports, including the Home Minister's asset declaration and the findings of the investigation committees into the incidents of Bhadra 23 and 24. Thapa urged the government to implement committee recommendations, emphasizing that legal due process—not mere allegations—must determine guilt.
He also warned against executive or political encroachment upon the judiciary, calling an independent court system vital to preserving democratic norms.
Economic Concerns and Broader Political Outreach
Beyond governance and civil liberties, the Nepali Congress expressed growing concern over the national economy. Pointing to sluggish capital expenditure, declining private-sector confidence, and weak investment, Thapa urged the government to formulate clear, stable economic policies to stimulate growth.
To build a broader coalition against executive overreach, the party announced plans to initiate cross-party consultations with political groups, civil society, media representatives, and youth leaders. Discussions are planned with the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), CPN-UML, the Nepali Communist Party, and the Shram Sanskriti Party, alongside addressing the key demands raised by the Gen Z movement.
To coordinate its legislative strategy, the Nepali Congress has called a parliamentary party meeting for Monday at 8:30 a.m. at its Singha Durbar office.
While the party stated it would support government initiatives that serve the public interest, it reaffirmed its intent to firmly oppose any actions that violate democratic principles. The coming days in Parliament will test the opposition’s ability to translate this critical stance into effective political momentum.
