Balen's refusal to participate in a public debate with Oli

Kathmandu. After CPN-UML President KP Sharma Oli called Balen Shah, senior leader of Rashtriya Swatantra Party, and Gagan Kumar Thapa, Chairman of Nepali Congress, for a public debate, Balen responded. Balen has refused to stand on the same platform with Oli.

Balen responded to Oli's proposal that there should be a debate between burning the country and building it, saying that if he sits on the same platform with the murderer and his accomplice, he will not sit on the same platform saying that he will be considered to have joined it.

Responding to the message written by Oli on social media on Sunday morning, Balen said, "Standing on the same platform with the murderer of 76 children and his accomplices will mean that I am also involved in it." This means that he has rejected the public debate.

It is right that you have accepted yourself as the person who set the country on fire, but you knew where the houses of the leaders are, you yourselves burned 24 cardboard boxes to hide the terrorism that killed children on the 23rd, when will you accept yourself as a terrorist? Then let's talk about something else, standing on the same stage with the killer of 76 children and his accomplices will mean that I am also involved in it.'' Balen wrote.

• Sun, 25 January 2026