KATHMANDU: Victor Paudel, a former close aide of then-Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah and administrator of the popular social media page Routine of Nepal Banda, has criticised supporters of the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), saying they are following the same path as supporters of traditional political parties.
Paudel made the remarks on social media, expressing dissatisfaction with the activities of RSP supporters, particularly their criticism and abuse of people seeking help to locate relatives missing in the Bhotekoshi flood in Rasuwa.
“People are not in their right state of mind when their relatives are missing or have died in a flood. They neither eat nor sleep properly. When they seek help but receive no response or assurance, it is normal for them to vent their frustration and criticise the government,” Paudel wrote.
“But blind supporters of the RSP and the government have instead rubbed salt into the wounds of families already suffering,” he added.
Paudel also argued that the “blind followers” of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN (Maoist Centre) were among the reasons those parties are in their current state. He said RSP supporters, whom he referred to as “Ghante,” were now following the same path.
Paudel had campaigned for Balendra Shah when Shah contested the Kathmandu mayoral election. A photograph of Shah kissing Paudel on the cheek at Paudel’s wedding ceremony had also gone viral on social media. However, since Shah became prime minister, Paudel has not been formally associated with Shah’s team.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shah had also warned that the government would take a tough stance after RSP supporters began posting abusive comments on social media targeting flood victims.
In a social media post on Saturday, Shah described those who make unnecessary comments about people in distress, humiliate them or seek to cause them further pain as “criminals.” He said the government would take a tough stance against such individuals.
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