Kathmandu, Dec 18: In a recent mistreatment of political leaders in Nepal, CPN (UML) Chairperson KP Sharma Oli was ill-treated by a general person on Thursday in course of the mid-hill campaign launched by the UML as ‘Sankalpa Yatra (resolution journey) for Prosperity’.
Mahesh Rai of Leguwa in Dhankuta punched the former Prime Minister when he along with a group of the party leaders, cadres and supporters reached Dhankuta as part of the campaign. The incident is going viral on social media.
Similarly, some months ago, Nepali Congress joint general secretary Mahendra Yadav was attacked with a khukuri. In 2051 BS, President Ramchandra Paudel was hit by a shoe hurled by then National Assembly member Golchhe Sarki.
These are some cases in point. Many Nepali political leaders have been mistreated.
The mistreatment of the leaders was fueled by many factors including growing frustrations among general people stemming from increasing corruption and inflation, experts observed. These frustrations have consumed the general people so much resulting in the mistreatment of people who are at the helm of affairs. Political leaders tend to make promises but they are not serious about implementing them, thus injecting frustrations among the general people, they said.
The list of political leaders who have faced ill-treatment by general people
Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’: In 2069 BS, incumbent Prime Minister Dahal was slapped by a man who was involved in the Maoist conflict. He also faced mistreatment in 2072 BS. Prior to that, in 2070 BS, an improvised explosive device exploded at Dhakkapur in Kanchanpur targeting the PM. In 2076 BS, he was also attacked by a shoe hurled by a person in Kathmandu in course of heading to attend the first memorial assembly of late leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari.
Madhav Kumar Khanal: Former PM and senior leader of the CPN (Unified Socialist) Khanal was slapped by a local Devi Prasad Regmi at an event in Sunsari district in 2067 BS.
Khagraj Adhikari: In 2067 BS, UML leader Adhikari was slapped by his party cadre.
Dr Baburam Bhattarai: In 2073 BS, former Prime Minister and head of the Nepal Socialist Party Bhattarai was attacked with a shoe hurled by a man.
Jhhaku Prasad Subedi: Maoist leader Subedi was attacked at a tea shop in Tinkune, Kathmandu while returning home after attending the Constituent Assembly meeting in 2069 BS.
Sushil Koirala: Late former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Koirala was attacked by his party cadre named Prabesh Basnet in Kapan, Kathmandu in 2069 BS.
Purna Bahadur Khadka: Incumbent Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Khadka was attacked with a sandal by the UML lawmaker Kamala Sharma in 2065 BS.
Dr Ram Sharan Mahat: former Finance Minister and NC leader Mahat was hit with a water bottle at an event in 2074 BS.
Ajaya Chaurasiya: NC leader Chaudhary was beaten up by his party leader Surendra Prasad Chaudhary.
Yogendra Yadav: Then state minister of Madhes Province Yadav was slapped by the NC Province Assembly member Pramila Devi Das.
