Medical Entrepreneur Durga Prasai Admits Authenticity of Viral Photo with Nepali Congress Leaders, Vows Jail Time If He Gains Power

Kathmandu. Medical entrepreneur Durga Prasai has provided clarification regarding his viral photograph with Nepali Congress leader Arju Rana Deuba and leader Purna Bahadur Khadka. Following the circulation of the photo on social media, Prasai admitted the photo was genuine, claiming that if he gains control of the government, he will jail those very leaders first.

Prasai, who is also the coordinator of the National, Nationality, Religion – Culture and Citizen Protection Great Campaign and was released on Wednesday following a Supreme Court order, stated that he would not lie by claiming the photo was created by Artificial Intelligence (AI). According to him, the photo was taken about two and a half years ago during a meeting at some leader's residence.

Prasai, who operates his own school, claimed that the meeting took place when he went to inquire with Arju, who runs Ullens School, about bringing in foreign affiliations, and the photo was taken during that interaction. Prasai argues that taking photos with leaders is not a big issue. He recalled having taken photos with the current Prime Minister, former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, Home Minister Om Aryal, former Prime Ministers Girija Prasad Koirala, Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, and KP Sharma Oli. Stating that nothing wrong happens just by taking photos, he maintained that people should only be concerned with one's work and intentions.

After the photo became public and caused controversy, Prasai announced that if he gets the leadership of the country, he will first apprehend and imprison Arju Deuba and KP Oli. Furthermore, he stated that he would jail those who planned to set fire to Singha Durbar and the Supreme Court in the past, and only then would he amend the constitution and go to elections.

Prasai alleges that the old photo was deliberately made public with a new date while he was in custody. He termed the release of such a photo while he was detained as an ‘untimely musical performance’ (ill-timed action). He stated that for him, Arju, Sher Bahadur Deuba, or KP Oli are not the main concern; the condition of the country and the issues of the people are paramount.

Asserting that his main agenda is to increase the salaries of the proletariat, marginalized classes, civil servants, police, and army, he insisted that he is fighting for those common people.