Government Reaches Eight-Point Deal with Dr KC on 27Th Day of His
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WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 229 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 35.3 C 4.5 C Sunday, October 11, 2020 | 25-06-2077 Bhairahawa Jumla Government reaches eight-point deal with Dr KC on 27th day of his hunger strike Both sides signed the agreement late on Saturday to address most of the demands of the agitating doctor. BINOD GHIMIRE KATHMANDU, OCT 10 The team negotiating on behalf of the fasting Dr Govinda KC had reached Singha Durbar at 9pm on Friday evening to hold conclusive talks with the government team, but the talks were over soon—without an agree- ment. Minister of Education Giriraj Mani Pokharel had apparently back- tracked on the agreements reached POST FILE PHOTO: KABIN ADHIKARI the previous day. Dr Govinda KC The coordinator of the government team phoned the minister. There was Hospital in Achham and increasing no answer. the PCR testing capacity, among oth- “It is the height of insensitivity ers. According to a statement issued from the government. It has become after the agreement, Dr KC will break apparent that KC’s life doesn’t matter his fast on Sunday morning. to the incumbent government,” said The government’s disdain for KC’s advocate Om Prakash Aryal, a mem- demands was obvious from the fact ber of KC’s talks team. that the government only formed a Saturday was the 27th day of talks team led by Education Secretary the 63-year-old social crusader’s Gopinath Mainali on Wednesday, the fast-unto-death. 24th day of his hunger strike that he POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC According to Dr Subash Acharya of started in Jumla on September 14. He Farmers thresh paddy at a field in Chhampi, Lalitpur. The Covid-19 pandemic spells a doom for Nepal’s economy this year but there is hope of a bountiful harvest despite shortages of chemical Tribhuvan University Teaching had agreed to come to Kathmandu fertilisers during plantation. Hospital, who is attending KC, his only if he would be allowed to contin- health condition is very poor. ue his fast at Tribhuvan University Late on Saturday, both sides signed Teaching Hospital. But police forcibly an eight-point agreement. The agree- took him to the National Trauma ment includes establishing govern- Centre. Only after widespread criti- ment medical colleges in different cism was he allowed to go to his pre- Tourism minister, who called Nepal coronavirus-free provinces of the country, providing ferred destination. free health services at Bayalpata >> Continued on page 2 country, tests positive for Covid-19 Yogesh Bhattarai is first minister in the Oli Cabinet to contract the virus after half a dozen close aides to the prime minister tested positive in recent weeks. had two tests within six days. On Thursday, Bhattarai had attended the Cabinet meeting at Baluwatar, raising concerns if he exposed other minis- ters to the virus. A minister, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told the Post that the seating arrangement for the Cabinet meeting “is safe” and that everyone sits at a safe distance. “The prime minister always sits at least five metres from the ministers who, too, sit maintaining distance from each other,” the minister told the Post. “Masks are mandatory.” PHOTO COURTESY: YOGESH BHATTARAI/TWITTER Bhattarai described Nepal as a coro- Minister Bhattarai (left) met with Indian ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra (right) on Friday. navirus-free country in February, a month after Nepal reported its first TIKA R PRADHAN & PAWAN PANDEY tested positive for the coronavirus on Covid-19 case. KATHMANDU, OCT 10 Saturday. A day after 175 Nepalis were evacu- “Last Monday when I tested for ated from Wuhan of China, from Yogesh Bhattarai, who once declared Covid-19, my result was negative. where the virus started, Bhattarai Nepal a coronavirus-free country to After that I participated in some pro- said that Nepal is free from attract tourists, has become the first grammes outside Kathmandu. But on coronavirus and called on related gov- minister in the Oli Cabinet to contract Saturday, I tested positive for the coro- ernment agencies to accelerate efforts Covid-19. Bhattarai, who was appoint- navirus,” Bhattarai wrote on to promote Nepal as a safe tourist ed the tourism minister in July last Facebook. destination. year, announced on Facebook that he According to Bhattarai’s post, he >> Continued on page 2 Victims of crimes continue to be at the receiving end of panchayat justice Most of them have no knowledge of legal proceedings while factors like lengthy legal process and financial burden drive them to seek justice from within the community, lawyers say. ABDHESH KUMAR JHA old was raped and a panchayat held. cases showcase the strong presence of SAPTARI, OCT 10 The panchayat head Jagbir Yadav, for- patriarchy in society. However, Anju mer ward-6 chairman of the rural Devi and her daughter have left their On September 14, a 17-year-old girl of municipality, called for a meeting home since and are currently living at Dakneshwori Municipality-7, Saptari after the victim and the accused were her maternal home in Thalaha, fear- was found dead in her house. She had allegedly “caught in the act” on ing for their safety in Bishnupur. allegedly killed herself. Earlier in the September 28. In villages of Province 2, local rep- day, she had been raped by four men. The meeting was held on October 3 resentatives who have been elected to She was called to a panchayat meeting and the Panchayat members prepared or have held public offices have been of village elders and was asked to “set- a document stating that the accused found to take an active part in tle the matter” outside the court of would pay Rs 1 million to the victim. panchayats. Anita Devkota, a women’s law and not to report the incident to The victim’s family refused and a scuf- rights activist based in Saptari, says police. For this she would be given Rs fle broke out. the police too encourage the practice. 55,000 as compensation. The victim’s mother, Anju Devi, “Before the pandemic, the District Also in September, in Bishnupur then filed a complaint at the District Police Office would be crowded with Rural Municipality, Siraha, a 16-year- Police Office, following which mem- people attending panchayat hearings,” bers of the panchayat who were she said. involved in covering up the Even when victims avoid panchayats crime were arrested along with and go to the police, they are advised a the accused. “settlement” rather than following the “We have arrested all those legal procedure, says Devkota. involved and have registered a “This is also a manifestation of how case for trying to cover up a rape the culture of impunity has got sys- case,” said DSP Shaligram tematic acceptance in the society,” Sharma, the district police said Deependra Jha, chief attorney in spokesperson. the province. Officials from Province 2 said “The middlemen, who see crime as the existence of the panchayat an opportunity to make money, have system even to this day and their been promoting such activities.” involvement in settling criminal >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL Victims of crimes continue to be at ... >> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 tims, justice delayed is justice denied.” Directorate, a division of Nepal Police, A panchayat meet is called in order SP Rajendra Prasad Dhamala of the in Rautahat, many cases of domestic to resolve societal disputes between Saptari District Police Office says violence have been resolved through the members of the society. In most of police have been carrying out commu- panchayats. Last year, 413 cases of the cases, the victim and the perpetra- nity outreach programmes through violence were registered at the direc- tor call in influential local people from various area police offices to acquaint torate, of which 110 were resolved various walks of life to resolve the the locals with the legal procedures. through panchayats. issue and to decide on the penalty for “We are also encouraging them to Historian Dr Pitambar Lal Yadav the guilty. These influential people or seek help from the local judicial com- says that the tradition of holding a the “panchas” are affiliated with vari- mittees on matters that don’t carry panchayat began with the formation ous political parties or are social serious criminal charges,” he said. of groups to resolve societal disputes. workers, business people, and village In case the police fail to register a However, they have increasingly elders, among others. case, the victim can always file a case begun hearing cases outside their Shanti Devi Seth of Bedhewa in through the Office of the Government jurisdiction. Tirhut Rural Municipality was physi- Attorney or at the High Court, as per “In the early days, Panchayat mem- cally assaulted by her neighbours, a the Criminal Procedure Code, accord- bers wouldn’t take sides. Rather, they POST PHOTO: ABDHESH KUMAR JHA father-son duo, in the second week of ing to lawyers. In Rautahat too, politi- would listen to the matters on the basis A crowd attends a panchayat hearing at the District Police Office in Saptari. Panchayat meetings are called in many villages of Nepal to resolve August. The 70-year-old had registered a cal leaders and elected representatives of facts, justice and merits,” said Yadav. societal disputes between the members of the society but of late in some parts they have also been settling criminal offenses, like rape cases. complaint at the District Police Office.