I will breathe my last where my husband died, says Gangamaya Adhikari

KATHMANDU, July 1: Gangamaya Adhikari, who has been fighting for injustice for years, says that she will breathe her last where her husband died.

The 58-year old, a resident of Phujel village of Gorhka district, resumed her hunger strike on May 29 and now has been admitted in the Intensive Care Unit at Bir Hospital.

“I want to die at the place where my husband died. So I came to ICU,” said Gangamaya who is in her third hunger strike.

She has been seeking for justice for her son Krishna Prasad Adhikari, who was murdered by the Maoists during the decade long insurgency. Krishna Prasad was shot dead on June 6, 2004 when he was in Chitwan to visit his grandparents.

Her husband Nanda Prasad Adhikari died on 22 September, 2014, on the 334th day of his protracted hunger strike. He was in the ICU. After the death of his husband, she suspended her fast-unto-death but her husband’s body is at the morgue of Teaching Hospital in Maharajganj. Gangamaya says that his lifeless body is also waiting for the justice.

Adhikari’s heath condition is deteriorating day by day, according to doctors.

“Gangamaya’s health is in critical condition,” said Kedar Narsingh KC, a doctor at the hospital.

“We must all make efforts to save her. The government must listen to her heed,” he added.

A few leaders including Arjun Narsingh KC and human right activist Charan Prasai visited Bir Hospital on Sunday to take stock of Gangamaya’s health.

Prasai had joined a sit-in organized by Save Gangamaya Campaign in front of Prime Minister’s Office, Baluwatar last month.

A number of campaigns have been making serious efforts to draw government’s attention toward ensuring justice to Gangamaya and her family.

Last week, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) urged the government to be sensitive to save Gangamaya and book the fugitives.

But all the efforts made appear to fall in deaf ears as government is continuing to keep mum on the issue. And even some of the human right activists admit that they including the international level organizations have not made super-serious effort to save Gangamaya. It is perhaps because the government in 2006 June had unilaterally decided to close the case file of Krishna Prasad Adhikari citing it was a conflict-era case.

To worsen the case, Baburam Bhattarai led-government had even sent Gangamaya and her husband to Patan Hospital to declare them ‘mentally ill’. The couple was mentally and physically tortured there. They were later rescued by the human rights group.

The government says that it is serious to save Gangamaya’s life. However, no serious action has been undertaken to provide justice to Gangamaya.

Gangamaya, who has refused to cremate his husband until justice is done, is resolute and is not ready to quit even if she has to face death.

Gangamaya demands that the murderers of her son, Chhabilal Poudel, his son Parsuram Poudel and nephew Bhisen Poudel, Ram Prasad Adhikari and Januka Poudel be arrested.

Nanda Prasad, two days after his son’s murder, had filed a complaint with Chitwan police. On December 11, 2005, Krishna Prasad’s brother Nur Prasad registered a FIR accusing 13 persons of murder.

Of the accused, Sita Adhikari, Januka Poudel and Subhadra Tiwari were released on normal date. Bhishma Poudel, Himlal Adhikari, Ram Prasad Adhikari and Parshuram Poudel were released on a bail amount of 27,000 rupees per head while Meghanath Poudel, Kali Prasad Poudel, Chhabilal Poudel and Ram Prasad Adhikari were also released on normal date on Rs 20,000 per person bail amount.

The Supreme Court later ruled that the proceedings in the case be moved by keeping Chhabilal in custody. The accused is at large since.

Many governments changed and were aware of Gangamaya’s heed since the couple began strike in Janurary 2013, seeking justice to their son, but their calls for justice are yet unheard and seems to be fading away.