Sudhan Gurung Takes Helm as Home Minister, Vows Implementation of Probe Commission Report on Past Protests
Kathmandu. Following the general elections held on Falgun 21, the nation has received a new government as per the mandate of the House of Representatives.
With the formation of the new government on Friday under the leadership of Balen Shah, a senior leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, the country is now expected to have a stable government for the next five years.
In the past, when political parties including Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, and Maoist led the government for extended periods, there were increasing complaints about the rise of corruption and rampant misgovernance. Now, with a new government formed according to the aspirations of the younger generation, common citizens have heightened hopes for economic development and good governance.
Indeed, a new situation arose in the country following the 'Genji Movement' protests held on Bhadra 23 and 24, demanding control over corruption and good governance. During that protest, 19 promising young students attained martyrdom in New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, when the then-government suppressed the movement.
For that reason, the powerful government of the then-Nepali Congress-UML collapsed. Subsequently, the government led by Sushila Karki formed a commission of inquiry under the leadership of Gauribahadur Karki to ascertain the facts of the Genji Movement. That commission recommended filing criminal cases against the then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, and the then-Chief of Nepal Police, Chandrakuber Khapung, among others.
Coincidentally, before the commission's report was even released, Sudhan Gurung, who had strongly pressured interim government Prime Minister Sushila Karki and Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal demanding the arrest of Oli and Lekhak—the ones who suppressed the Genji Movement—has now become the Home Minister in the Balen government.
Gurung is the same person who had warned of nationwide protests if Oli and Lekhak were not arrested.
On Mangsir 21 last year, he wrote on the social networking site Facebook, “Now we are waiting to see if the Home Minister has the courage or not.”
Not only that, Sudhan had warned that if Oli and Lekhak were not arrested, there would be nationwide demonstrations, and Home Minister Aryal herself would have to take responsibility for it.
“Let’s see, if they don't keep their word this time too, there will be protests across the country, and the Home Minister herself will have to take responsibility for it,” Sudhan had written.
It was reported that due to this pressure from Sudhan, a rift had developed between Sudhan and the outgoing Home Minister Aryal in recent days. However, the questions Sudhan raised against Aryal at that time will now turn back on him.
This is because the commission has already prepared its report, and a new government has been formed. Now, the responsibility of implementing the report of the Gauri Bahadur Karki Commission has fallen on the shoulders of the Balen government and leaders like Sudhan Gurung.
However, Gurung alone cannot arrest Oli or Lekhak. This is because the decision to implement or not implement the report must be made by the Council of Ministers meeting. If the government led by Balen decides to move forward with the implementation process of that report, then Oli and Lekhak will be arrested under the leadership of Sudhan Gurung himself. Given Sudhan's stubborn nature, it appears that the then-Prime Minister Oli and Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak will naturally face increased tension now that Sudhan has become the Home Minister.
Only after the Council of Ministers decides will the police proceed with the investigation based on the report. During the investigation, the police collect evidence and send it to the government lawyer for prosecution. The government lawyer's office makes the final decision on whether or not to file the case in court. In such a situation, the Office of the Attorney General has the authority to instruct or not instruct the government lawyer's office.
Meanwhile, immediately after taking charge as Home Minister, Minister Gurung claimed that the Karki Commission's report would be implemented. Minister Gurung stated, “The report will be implemented as per the Prime Minister's directive. No one is exempt from that, nor should anyone be exempt. We must proceed based on the report.”
This specific news has been automatically translated by AI. As a result, there may be some inaccuracies or language errors.
