KATHMANDU: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane has released a 20-page statement from the Bhairahawa prison, claiming he was imprisoned as part of a political conspiracy and out of vengeance.
Expressing confidence in receiving justice from the people, Lamichhane said his arrest was a result of targeted action against him.
In his statement, Lamichhane highlighted the influential role RSP played in parliament and during its time in government, arguing that even in the absence of a majority, the party’s lawmakers had become central to parliamentary function.
“It is difficult to imagine the parliament without our limited number of lawmakers,” he said.
He claimed that the Nepali Congress had once offered him the position of Prime Minister, but he refused to accept a premiership served on a silver platter.
That rejection, Lamichhane said, led to the current punitive actions against him. He also defended himself against allegations in the cooperative fraud case, claiming the legal proceedings against him were politically motivated.
“The 1,200-page report by the investigation committee, which was established to ensure savings are returned to depositors, was selectively and forcefully enforced only against me,” Lamichhane wrote. He added that charges had been filed against him that legally should not have been, describing the process as deceitful and coercive.
He further criticized those in power, accusing them of abusing the system. “There is no rule of law or good governance to be achieved by pleading or appealing to those in power who are themselves the source of disorder,” he wrote, calling on citizens and supporters to prepare for further struggle.
Lamichhane’s statement comes as RSP marks its third anniversary, amid growing political tensions and his continued detention on cooperative fraud charges.
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