KATHMANDU: Advocate Bhimarjun Acharya has said that the formation of a judicial inquiry commission cannot be used as an excuse to shield individuals involved in arson, looting, and vandalism during last month’s Gen-Z protests.
In a statement posted on social media on Sunday, Acharya argued that Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal’s directive not to proceed with legal action until the commission submits its report was unjustified and could amount to an attempt to cover up the incidents.
“This looks like an effort to conceal the events,” Acharya said, adding that while the commission’s findings may have some relevance to the incidents of September 8 (Bhadra 23), they hold little value for the violence of September 9. “For crimes like arson and looting, the prevailing laws are more than sufficient. It is not right to use the commission as an excuse.”
Acharya further stressed that the primary reason citizens surrender some of their freedoms to the state is security. “The state’s first duty is to protect the lives and property of its citizens,” he said. “People must feel that the state is worth living in.”
His remarks come after Home Minister Aryal issued a written directive to the Nepal Police headquarters instructing them not to take action against those involved in the widespread destruction of government property during the Gen-Z protests.
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