REPORTERS CLUB EVENT: Social activist Binaya Jung Basnet has said that he will display unidentified and neglected dead bodies in front of the Parliament in Baneswor to get the attention of the government on the 18th of January.

Speaking at a press interaction program organized at the Reporters Club on Thursday, social activist Basnet has expressed deep grievance on the site of unidentified and neglected dead bodies.

Over the past 6 years, Basnet has been involved in organizing funerals for over 227 unidentified dead bodies performing their last rites. The government has not been paying attention to the situation.

Basnet said “the government has been disrespectful to the plight of the unidentified dead bodies. I have been trying to get the attention of the government toward this issue, but no one has acknowledged them, not the state or private institutions. I am really sad”

“In order to create awareness and responsibility toward the issue I am taking out a funeral procession from Lalitpur toward the Parliament Building in Baneswor, and I would put the bodies in open display for a few minutes for everyone to see. It is also an awareness to the Ministers and people in a high position to know that this type of death exists and to make them aware” he said.

According to Basnet the bodies will be kept on display in front of the Parliament house thereafter taken from Tinkune, Koteshwor, Singamangal, Gaushala to the Pashupati Aryaghat for the final rites. With the help of the Nepal Army, one of its units will help in the final rites along with the honor.

Participating in the funeral procession are famous Nepalese artists. The procession is said to begin tomorrow at 10 am concluding at 2 pm.

Artists that will be participating in the event are Deepak Raj Giri, Pal Shah, Manoj Gajurel, and Rekha Thapa. Noted political activist and Professor Dr. Surendra KC will also be a part of the procession along with Gyanendra Shahi.

Noted pop singer Dhiraj Rai will also be participating in the procession.

Basnet has also mentioned that he has received funds for the final rites and logistics from the administration of Patan Hospital, and Lalitpur Metropolitan Police.

Activist Basnet has been involved in providing respectful last rites to unidentified dead bodies.

“A single thought can change the life of a person, we have to help those unidentified,” he said. He has been receiving support for his cause from private individuals and artists, but he is dedicated and relentless for his service irrespective of whether the government provides assistance or not.

(Popular Nepali Pop Singer Dhiraj Rai)

Speaking at the press release popular singer Dhiraj Rai said ” was influenced by the work he did, and I have always been by his side. I am ready to help him in any which way. I will always be there to support him” he further clarified.

Reporters Club: The second round of the awareness and resurgence campaign of the Nepali Congress has been fairly successful in fulfilling its objectives of making the citizens informed said Former Minister and Senior leader of the Nepali Congress Arjun Narasingha KC. Speaking at a special interaction program organized by the Reporters Club along with its President Rishi Dhamala, KC stated that Nepali Congress will rise again, and this time we are restructuring right from the grassroots. We have had a history of providing leadership bringing prominent political changes in the country. Our vision has always guided Nepal in the most crucial of times he said.

Talking about whether the country was influenced by President Xi Jinping and his political thought, former Minister KC said, “China is an important neighbor, and as most countries have bilateral relations, it is normal for a country to have ties with its neighbor. But what is definitely unclear is whether the current Nepal Communist Party (NCP) is moving towards the line of centralizing total power as seen by their various activities in recent times, and their continued practice of attacking the democratic fabric of the country.

The current NCP government is imperious due to its majority and has been making decisions against the aspirations of the people of Nepal who provided the mandate. It has not been able to control corruption while they have been involved with numerous scams and law and order problems. Take for example the wide-body airplane procurement or the NCELL scandal where the corruption is in billions. While the government has been quiet on the bigger scams we hear a person committing suicide for taking a bribe of 2000 rupees, which is extremely unfortunate.

The law should not favor only those in power and be utilized against the feeble, there should be uniformity bringing everyone to book for committing crimes of any nature. This government has failed miserably in this aspect. There are countless law and order problems, unsolved crime cases related to violence against women, and creating a chaotic society of indiscipline, this government has not been able to address these major issues”.

Speaking further about the current closed-door program and the 6 point agreement between the two Communist parties of Nepal and China, former Minister KC said, “it is opportune for any country to have bilateral ties, and increase ties through a diplomatic channel”.

(Former Minister and Senior Leader of Nepali Congress Arjun Narasingha KC) 

“However to consider and practice a particular person’s intellection belonging to a different background of political structure, and a varied system altogether is dubitable which has to be taken with seriousness, there is a need to limit particular political orientation and practice diplomacy”. Nepal is a democratic country, with an independent judiciary and legislature, we have a democratic norm, and we cannot allow any scenario that poses a threat to our structure of government, its organs, and the constitution. Is the NCP trying to bring in a one-party rule in Nepal? That is the ultimate question here which we will have to wait and watch”.

President Xi Jinping is always welcome in Nepal, and we have a lot of respect for him as our Northern neighbor, there is no doubt that with China’s help Nepal can move forward developing technology, the Belt and Road initiative similarly taking us toward infrastructural development. We have to work toward these lines which are for the benefit of the nation, not for any particular ideology.

If we look into the recent incidents of the current NCP government, they have killed our party workers in Rolpa and Sarlahi, similarly they attacked our workers in Bardiya and Banke, this sort of behavior is unacceptable from the ruling party, they have to learn to be in competition in a democratic process, not try and centralize and usurp power.

The six-point agreement signed between the two parties with the presence of the Prime Minister was unsuitable for the image of the country that should not have taken place, as a Nation’s Prime Minister you have to think holistically for the entire country and avoid being involved in partisan politics. Finally, former Minister KC also extended his best wishes on the occasion of the Dashain, Tihar and Chatt festivals.

Reporters Club: The main opposition Nepali Congress party’s General Secretary Dr. Shashank Koirala has opined that “the constitution is in grave danger”. Speaking at a program in Diktel of Khotang District for the ongoing second round of Nepali Congress national resurgence and awareness program he stated that people should get together to save the constitution as it faces imminent danger.

Speaking at the program Dr. Shashank also stated that “Congress cannot be defeated, but we are in this position today due to various internal factions within the party”. The problems within the party and its leaders have led us to the destruction he said.

We have an age-old beautiful history, but due to internal competition and the rush to get party tickets we have not been able to perform.

We need to collaborate and end our internal dispute and move forward together if we need to be successful for the future. He also said that the work of Congress has not been publicized, “We have made an enormous impact on the leadership and decision making in the country”, but due to lack of publicity other political parties are taking the advantage.

The general secretary hoped that people will work together and make the party stronger ending internal factionalism and dispute.