Student Organizations and Six Communist Parties Call for Successful Valley Shutdown on 29th Poush

Kathmandu: The United Student Organization and six communist parties have appealed to ensure the success of the Valley shutdown scheduled for 29th Poush. They claimed that the current broker-capitalist parliamentary system has failed on issues of national sovereignty, democracy, and people's livelihoods, expressing solidarity with the decision to boycott the upcoming elections.

The joint press statement issued today noted that the recently observed “Gen-Z rebellion” is not limited to demands for a new government or parliamentary elections but is centered on economic inequality, exploitation, oppression, corruption, unemployment, and a dependent system. However, they argued that hijacking this rebellion to promote old-style parliamentary elections goes against the very essence of the movement.

The statement highlighted that the growing privatization, commercialization, and mafia capture in the education sector has darkened the future of ordinary students. They argued that the current parliamentary system and elections held to perpetuate it cannot solve the urgent problems of students. The conclusion was that as long as education continues to be treated as a commodity, these problems cannot be resolved.

In this context, the joint student organizations and six communist parties expressed support for boycotting the election, stating that elections conducted at high cost cannot bring fundamental change to the lives of ordinary citizens and students, other than just “changing faces”. 

They also appealed to everyone to support, show solidarity, and cooperate by shutting down all educational institutions, transport, industries, businesses, and government/non-government offices during the Valley shutdown on 29th Poush.

The statement urged all youth and students to actively participate in election boycott programs and to align themselves with the campaign for a sovereign united people’s government and a new people’s constitution, free from the “broker parliamentary system.”

The joint statement was signed by Birendra Shah, President of All (Revolutionary); Manish Bhattarai, President of All Nepal Student Union; Mahesh Shrestha, Coordinator of All (Revolutionary); Sunita Budhathoki, President of Janpakshiya Student Union Nepal; Himanshu, President of Scientific Socialist Student Organization Nepal; and Mukti Gaire, Coordinator of Students Volunteer Nepal, among other leaders.