Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) central member Tosima Karki has admitted to taking part in the recent GenZ movement. Following the party’s decision to form a probe committee to investigate possible involvement of its members in incidents at Nakkhu Prison and other locations on Sept 9, Karki revealed that she had walked through police gunfire during the protests.
RSP Deputy General Secretary Bipin Acharya had earlier demanded action, saying that the involvement of senior leaders at Nakkhu and party cadres in vandalism elsewhere had tarnished the party’s image.
Karki has now called for a special convention of the party. A former lawmaker, she accused the leadership of attempting to sideline her for raising political issues aimed at strengthening and reforming the party. Through social media, she warned the leadership against silencing internal dissent and cautioned that she would expose internal matters if necessary.
“Whenever we raise issues responsible for the party’s transformation, we are bullied, silenced, and subjected to media trials. If the establishment dares, it should call a special convention,” she said, stressing that she was not intimidated by propaganda or internal pressure.
Following the GenZ movement, Karki had also presented a four-point proposal for restructuring the party, arguing that the RSP must undergo a transformation to genuinely lead the nation’s present and future.
“Now is the right time to review leadership, ideology, policies, and programs, and to restructure the party into a centrist political force demanded by today’s circumstances,” she said.
The RSP has recently faced a wave of resignations amid deepening disputes over party president Rabi Lamichhane’s leadership. General Secretary Mukul Dhakal was earlier expelled from the party, while lawmaker Sumana Shrestha resigned from her deputy general secretary post, later quitting the party altogether after the GenZ protests.
Shrestha accused the leadership of prioritizing the party and its leader over the country, saying: “The RSP refuses to admit mistakes and instead punishes critics through media trials. This is unacceptable.”
Following her exit, central members Hari Bhatts and Dr Prabhat Adhikari also tendered their resignations.
