Dragging Prez Bhandari into unnecessary controversies is inappropriate: Dr. Surendra KC (With Video)

‘GAGAN THAPA TRIGGERED CORRUPTION IN STUDENT UNION’

Political analyst Dr. Surendra KC has said it is not appropriate to drag President Bidya Devi Bhandari into unnecessary controversies.

President Bhandari has been tugged into a number of controversies including the procurement process of 180 million worth luxury cars—as costlier as cars used by Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Pope Francis—and a helicopter; use of the phrase ‘Mero Sarkar’ while presenting the government’s policies and programs for the fiscal year 2019/20; and her lavish lifestyle.

“The procurement process was the continuation of the decision made by the previous government. It was already readied somewhere and but arrived now. We cannot blame the incumbent government and the president for this,” said KC, talking to Rishi Dhamala in a television talk show Janata Janna Chahancha on Monday.

“Likewise, the president read the phrase ‘Mero Sarkar’ during the policies and programs presentation. She opened the document given to her by the prime minister and recited it,” he said adding, “but she was dragged into another controversy. It’s not appropriate.”

He also defended the president saying, “The president is an organization and it does not commit mistakes.”

“The present president (as an organization) is not like the previous president”—when the then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal stepped down from the position after President Ram Baran Yadav blocked his controversial move sack army chief General Rukmangat Katwal describing it as unconstitutional.

He, however, expressed disapproval toward some of the activities of President Bhandari.

“Yet, some of the activities of President Bhandari are not proper.”

“Spending a luxurious life, blocking the air and land traffic during the VVIP parade and giving special importance to state visits—these are her mistakes and not unbearable to the general public.”

“All people want is the president stop tormenting the public because she is also a daughter of an ordinary person.”

“If she is the president of the federal republic Nepal, then it should reflect in her behavior,” he added. “She should not show royal behavior.”

“If it is the government’s decision, the government should change it. If it’s her will, then she should reconsider it.”

‘GAGAN THAPA RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRUPTION IN NSU’

Dr. KC also accused Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker Gagan Thapa of triggering corruption in the student union. However, he refused to give details about his conducts.

“We made the student union and we fought for the country. The union had its own ideology then. But now, the union has failed to conduct elections for 15 years. If there is any place where corruption and anarchy have prospered, it is student union,” said KC.

“You have seen how corruption has flooded in Tri-Chandra Campus.”

Gagan Thapa and some other leaders of his generations are responsible for this,” he blamed.

KC also asked the students not to over-evaluate and iconize Thapa.

‘JUST A BREAKFAST’

KC, who was widely criticized for holding a breakfast meeting with gangster-turned politician Deepak Manange aka Rajiv Gurung, clarified that he only had one breakfast with Manange in Pokhara. “It was not a breakfast meeting,” he said.

“I had reached Fewa Lake for a shooting event of Canada Nepal. When I was there, Manange called me requesting me to have breakfast with him. He is a lawmaker and I took his invitation normally. So had one breakfast with him… it’s just it.”

Manange was elected to Province Assembly for the Gandaki Province as an independent candidate with the support from erstwhile CPN-UML from Manang (B).

Manange was serving a sentence for attempted murder before he was released on December 21 last year in accordance with the provision in the new penal code that allows the defendants deserving less than 10-years imprisonment to fight their case from outside the prison.

KC also requested the media not to make his visit with Manange a big deal.

“He invited me so I went. It’s not a big deal.

Moreover, KC also said the incumbent government led by Nepal Communist Party chair K P Sharma Oli has become unsuccessful.

“Talking and putting the promises into action are different things. The prime minister talks about railways and ships. But smaller problems such as the construction of bridges and management of dusty roads have been addressed yet.

“Instead he can say–development is a continuous process. We have expedited the development works that have continued from the past,” he added.

“Development is not a magic wand. It is not an overnight process,” he added.