Martyrs’ family leader escalates threat against RSP lawmakers

Ganesh Prasad Chaulagain, treasurer of the Gen Z Martyrs’ Family Welfare Society, has escalated his threats against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) General Secretary Bipin Acharya and parliamentary whip Krantishikha Dhital.

Speaking at a press conference at the Reporters Club in Kathmandu on September 17, he referred to an earlier warning that the families would drag both the RSP lawmakers out of Parliament and said their response would now be more severe. 

“We had said earlier that we would drag them out of Parliament. Now we will bury them underground,” Chaulagain said.

The remarks came after Acharya’s comments in Parliament about representatives of the martyr families. Chaulagain objected particularly to Acharya’s description of them as “अराजक”, or disorderly. He demanded that Acharya withdraw the statement and publicly apologise.

Chaulagain also challenged lawmaker Acharya to have him and other members of the martyr families arrested, saying they regularly roam around Singha Durbar between 10 am and 4 pm.

“If you have the courage, arrest us,” Chaulagain said, addressing Acharya.

Acharya had raised the issue of threats against lawmakers in Parliament on the same day. He said threats to drag lawmakers out, burn their homes or cause bloodshed over their political statements should not be tolerated and called for action against those making such threats.

Chaulagain also reiterated demands for an apology from lawmaker Dhital over her remarks concerning the Gen Z Martyrs’ Memorial Day programme, where she termed the commemoration a “concert.”

Representatives of Gen Z martyr families and injured protesters attended the September 17 press conference. They accused RSP lawmakers of making disparaging remarks about those who were killed and injured during the movement and demanded that the statements be withdrawn.

The exchange has since added a new escalation to the dispute, with both sides demanding that statements attributed to the other be withdrawn.

Read also: Martyrs’ families threaten RSP whip Krantishikha amid dispute over a memorial