Nepal’s Home Minister Sudan Gurung has resigned amid public agitation and questions. It is becoming difficult for the Balen government to maintain a balance with the expectant public.
Yashoda Srivastava, Senior Journalist
The resignation of two ministers in Nepal may not be seen from the point of view of ‘countdown of the Balen government’, but it is natural to raise questions about the experience and maturity of the Balen government which came to power just 26 days before this incident. Protests and demonstrations against Sudan Gurung had intensified after revelations of other allegations like money laundering and business partnership with controversial businessman Deepak Bhatt, property acquisition etc. The demand for his arrest by filing an FIR against him at Naksal police station in Kathmandu was gaining momentum. Although Sudan Gurung had said on his social media platforms that he would not resign, he suddenly submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Balen Shah on Wednesday.
This is the second minister’s resignation in Nepal within 26 days. A few days before this, when Labor Minister Deepak Kumar Shah had resigned, Balen Shah was much appreciated. Deepak Kumar Sah was accused of installing his wife on the post of member in the Health Board. Deepak Sah has also gone to jail in a fraud case. While Deepak Sah’s resignation was praised for the clean image of the Balen government, Sudan Gurung’s resignation is being considered as the resignation of a minister who was only wearing the mask of being honest.
The image of Sudan Gurung had emerged as the hero who ousted the Oli government through the Zenji movement. There were countless allegations of corruption against the Oli government. Why only Oli? After the end of the monarchy, the people were fed up with all the governments that came to power in Nepal. In the Jen Ji movement, Oli escaped the beating by running into the army camp, while top leaders of almost all parties, former Prime Ministers and their wives became victims of Jen Ji’s anger. Since the public was fed up with all those governments, they were happy with the barbaric treatment meted out to such leaders. 76 youths lost their lives in this violent movement and important government buildings, malls and hotels worth billions of rupees like Hilton were set on fire in Kathmandu.
Amidst the political chaos, an interim government was formed under the leadership of former High Court judge Sushila Karki. This government promised to hold elections within six months and hand over power to the elected government. Sudan Gurung had a special role in the formation of the interim government and the selection of the Prime Minister. The president of this party is former journalist Ravi Lami Chhane. He contested the elections for the first time in Eastern Nepal in the last election and made a grand entry in the Nepal House of Representatives with twenty MPs and also became the Home Minister along with the Deputy Prime Minister in the Oli government, but due to the American citizenship dispute, he had to resign from the Minister and the House of Representatives due to the intervention of the High Court, although later after this dispute was resolved, he returned to the House of Representatives after winning, but remained away from minister or any other government post.
As Home Minister, Ravi Lami Chane had a very strict image. For the first time he attacked bureaucrats and political corruption. Oli government itself was shaken by this attitude of Ravi Lami Chhane, along with this, big leaders of other political parties were also shaken, because everyone’s hands are dirty in corruption, although Ravi Lami Chhane himself is facing the court in a big scam. Ravi Lami Chhane and his party’s image was cleaner than other parties in Nepal’s politics. This was the reason why Balen Shah, who was the mayor of Kathmandu, Sudan Gurung, who was the director of Hami Nepal social media platform, and leaders of many other parties joined this party very fast. Ravi Lami Chhane decided to appoint Balen Shah as the face of the Prime Minister.
Since the public was in a mood for change, when elections were held, the Rashtriya Swatantra Party got a one-sided victory from hill to plain. After the swearing in, the public was excited by the surprising decrees of the government every day and was hopeful of experiencing change. While holding the post of Home Minister, Sudan Gurung made headlines by ordering the arrest of former PM Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, but he also started being criticized within his own party. His interference in other ministries was also making the ministers uncomfortable. (These are the personal views of the author.
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