By Binod Prasad Adhikari
Kathmandu [Nepal], July 10 (ANI): The Balen Shah-led Nepal government has faced criticism from Nepal’s opposition leaders as well as within the ruling party after a 25-year-old motorcycle rider allegedly self-immolated near the Department of Passports building in the national capital, with lawmakers questioning the authorities over the incident and demanding accountability.
Opposition Nepali Congress lawmaker Basana Thapa raised questions over the government’s response, asking why there was silence over the incident and accusing the administration of mishandling issues related to evicted squatters and economically vulnerable citizens.
“Prime Minister (Balendra Shah), it is time to take off the dark glasses. Citizens do not feel safe just by painting the green buses of Sajha Yatayat blue. Security is felt when the state provides justice, creates jobs and maintains good governance,” Thapa said.
The victim, who sustained around 60 per cent burns on his body, was admitted to the Burn Department of Bir Hospital in Kathmandu.
The incident occurred after Kathmandu’s Metropolitan Police officials allegedly locked his motorcycle and imposed a fine while he was collecting goods.
A week before the incident, the 25-year-old had reportedly messaged his nephew saying that metropolitan police had seized his motorcycle and fined him NPR 1,000.
On Thursday, police again locked the wheels of his motorcycle, and the victim allegedly refused to pay the fine as officers were preparing to remove the vehicle.
The victim’s family blamed repeated fines and pressure faced by economically vulnerable workers for worsening his distress.
Videos circulating on social media showed the injured man being taken to hospital, with allegations that he was made to walk by police personnel after the incident.
The Nepal government had planned to shift him to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi for further treatment but later postponed the move following doctors’ advice that his condition was too unstable for transfer.
The government had arranged an air ambulance and announced that all medical expenses would be covered.
The rider, originally from Mugu in north-western Nepal, had been living in Kathmandu while preparing to seek foreign employment in Dubai and studying for government service examinations.
His death has triggered protests on the streets and sparked a debate in Parliament, with lawmakers questioning the government’s handling of issues affecting young and economically vulnerable citizens.
During Friday’s parliamentary session, members from both the ruling and opposition parties criticised the government over the incident and called for greater accountability.
Ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Asika Tamang said the incident reflected wider challenges faced by thousands of self-employed youths in Nepal.
“This incident is not just the tragic end of one person. It is also a serious signal to draw the state’s attention to the practical problems faced by thousands of self-employed youth. It should not be about creating unnecessary suffering for the youths. It is the responsibility of the state to make its working environment safe and comfortable,” Tamang said.
Opposition lawmakers criticised the government over the incident, with CPN-UML parliamentarian Ain Bahadur Mahar accusing the state of failing to address citizens’ grievances.
“The government should stop doing stunts. The state has led citizens to self-immolation; it should prevent them from reaching those situations. Whether they are squatters or Ganesh Nepalis, the state is forcibly pushing citizens to the brink of death. The current leadership should take responsibility for this,” Mahar said.
Amid mounting criticism, Nepal’s Home Minister Sudan Gurung defended the government’s actions in Parliament, stating that the incident took place under the jurisdiction of the local government and not the federal administration.
“We have a three-tier government. One is the federal government, one is the provincial government and the other is the local government, the place where the incident occurred. The traffic did not lock the wheels at that place. Is there a video showing the traffic locking the wheels? It was the municipal police. I want to ask my honourable members from the opposition party, whose local government is it now? Is it the Rastriya Swatantra Party? Whose provincial government is it now? Is it the RSP? The two-tier government is with you. Who made these rules and regulations? You made the laws; we are following that law,” Gurung said.
Following the incident, the government formed a five-member committee headed by Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Govinda Thapaliya to investigate the matter.
Announcing the committee in the House of Representatives, Gurung said, “To investigate the case, we have formed a five-member committee under the leadership of DIG Govinda Thapaliya. Three Metropolitan Police officers have been taken into custody to further investigate them and we will investigate the case impartially.”
The committee is expected to examine the circumstances leading up to the incident and investigate the role of police personnel involved. (ANI)
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