Hungry for 20 Days: Dr. KC accuses the government of trying to kidnap him

KATHMANDU, July 19: Dr Govind KC has accused the government of trying to kidnap him instead of fulfilling the demands for which he has been on hunger strike. “The government is trying to kidnap me. Fulfill the demands first, I will end my hunger strike,” said Dr. KC from Karnali Academy of Health Sciences in Jumla where he has been staging a hunger strike for the last 20 days.

He made such an accusation after the government sent a Nepali Army helicopter to Jumla on Thursday morning to airlift him to Kathmandu for medical treatment. Dr KC has been diagnosed with Premature Ventricular Complexes (PVCs) because of the hunger strike.

According to Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel, the decision to deploy Nepal Army helicopter to airlift Dr. KC to Kathmandu was taking during an emergency cabinet meeting organized at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar on Wednesday night.

Minister Pokharel said that the House of Representatives would take a decision regarding the Medical Education Bill following due legislative process while the remaining issues would be finalized by the Medical Education Commission.

Following the decision of the central government, a team led by Karnali Province Chief Minister, Mahendra Bahadur Shahi and Home Minister, Naresh Bhandari met Dr KC on Thursday morning and briefed him about the central government’s decision.

However, Dr KC refused to comply with their request stating that he wont give up the hunger strike or travel to Kathmandu for treatment until his demands are fulfilled by the government.

Following the government’s attempt to airlift Dr KC, students of the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences, supporters of Dr KC who have traveled to Jumla in the recent weeks, locals and civil society members took to streets demanding the government to fulfill his demands. They asserted that they won’t allow the government to airlift Dr KC to Kathmandu unless his demands are fulfilled.

Following the escalation in the area between Dr KC’s supporters and government officials, the provincial government has deployed Nepal Police and Armed Police Forces in the academy’s premises.