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Nanda Prasad asked for Rs 2 billion to end hunger strike: DPM Gautam
Published on Sunday, 28 September 2014 14:37 Nepalnews Hits: 3576
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Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, Bamdev Gautam has said that late Nanda Prasad Adhikari had asked for Rs 2 billion as a pre-condition to end his hunger strike-unto-death.
Deputy PM Bamdev Gautam. (File Photo)
Deputy PM Bamdev Gautam. (File Photo)
“It was not possible for the government to pay such a huge amount of money. We tried for several times to end his strike. But his demands kept on increasing. That’s why we could not save his life,” Gautam said addressing a meeting of Social Justice and Human Rights Committee of the Legislature-Parliament on Sunday.
DPM Gautam further claimed that the government could not take further action against the alleged murderers of Adhikari’s son, Krishna Prasad, in absence of adequate evidence.
“Despite our wish, we could not bring the culprits to legal net and it led to the tragic death of Nanda Prasad,” conceded DPM Gautam.
Among the alleged culprits, one has already died during armed conflict, while another one is living in Britain, the DPM said. “We have legal complications to proceed a case against the second culprit, as allegation against him has not yet been vindicated by Nepal’s court of law. The other alleged culprits, too, were released on bail due to the lack of sufficient proofs.”
Some human rights activists approached Adhikari and his wife Ganga Maya urging them to continue with the strike, the DPM recalled. “The activists said if former prime ministers visit the agitating couple, they might agree to end strike. All former PMs went to visit the couple. Instead, Nanda Prasad shouted and yelled at former PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal. PM Sushil Koirala and I also went there to convince the couple. But we could not succeed.”
The DPM said all necessary medicines were offered to Adhikari couple to save their lives. “We made every effort to save them. All medicines were administered. The drugs were very expensive but they did not reach his body from the veins. Even one day before his death, we requested him to end strike. Ultimately, Nanda Prasad died on 22 September.”
DPM Gautam said efforts are on to save the life of Ganga Maya, Nanda Prasad’s wife, who is still on hunger strike at Bir Hospital, Kathmandu.
“It is not possible to feed Ganga Maya through mouth. Therefore, we have arranged nutritious saline water for her to be administered with the help of medical staff.”
Nanda Prasad’s family has refused to collect his body from the mortuary of Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, added the DPM. “In such a situation, the body is still lying at the hospital.”
Nanda Prasad and his wife Ganga Maya were on a hunger strike for the past 11 months demanding legal action against those involved in their son Krishna Prasad's murder.
The then Maoist outfit allegedly kidnapped and murdered the couple's 17-year old son in Chitwan on June 6, 2004.
Adhikari couple filed a criminal case at Chitwan district police against the culprits. However, a legal action against the perpetrators could never proceed properly amid the Maoists’ threat and obstruction.
The then Khil Raj Regmi government took the accused into custody and forwarded a legal action against them. However, the arrests met with strong protests from the Maoist leaders, due to which the legal process could never go further.
