KATHMANDU: Lawmakers have strongly questioned the government over the rape and murder of three-year-old Garima Chaudhary in Bara during Monday’s meeting of the House of Representatives.
Lawmakers from both the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and the main opposition Nepali Congress drew the government’s attention to the investigation, the agreement reached with the victim’s family, and the publication of sensitive videos involving the victim’s family and the accused.
RSP General Secretary and lawmaker Bipin Acharya expressed concern over a video of Garima’s parents being recorded at the Home Ministry and later made public.
Speaking in Parliament, Acharya questioned the government’s decision to record and release the video while the investigation was still underway. He also raised concerns over the public circulation of statements made by the accused while undergoing a medical examination.
Acharya said the incident reflected a growing lack of sensitivity in both the state and society and questioned the direction in which society was heading.
Similarly, RSP lawmaker Shraddha Kunwar called for stricter laws and punishment for those involved in rape and violence against women. She said the legal provisions dealing with rape should be strengthened.
Kunwar also stressed that society should not teach only daughters about shame and dignity but should also teach sons about humanity and respect.
Nepali Congress lawmaker Pramila Kumari Gachhadar questioned the agreement reached between the government and Garima’s family.
She argued that the life of an innocent child cannot be valued through an agreement. According to her, the government has developed a tendency to call victims’ families to Kathmandu and reach agreements after street protests intensify, effectively attempting to bring such cases to an end.
Gachhadar demanded an end to the practice of settling serious criminal cases through agreements or compromises and called for legal action against those responsible.
RSP lawmaker Shahjan Khatun also urged the government to amend laws to ensure strict punishment for perpetrators of rape and rape followed by murder.
Referring to cases ranging from Nirmala Pant to Garima Chaudhary, Khatun said victims’ families continue to wait for justice and that the state must take such cases seriously.
She also raised concerns over the publication of videos and other sensitive material related to the accused and the victim’s family while the investigation remains ongoing.
Amresh Says Public Trust in Government Is Declining
RSP lawmaker Amresh Kumar Singh said growing incidents of disorder, instability, murder, violence and rape were weakening public confidence in the government.
Speaking in Parliament, Singh said the issue should not be viewed only through the incidents in Bara and Saptari.
He pointed to a series of incidents since the formation of the current government, including issues related to social and religious harmony, meter-banking, microfinance victims and doctors, arguing that the government’s influence and credibility among the public were declining.
Singh said ordinary citizens were suffering because of disorder, instability, violence, rape and various protests.
“When trust and confidence disappear from society, crime increases,” he said, stressing the need for serious discussion on the growing problems.
The questions raised in Parliament over the Garima Chaudhary case have intensified debate over the government’s agreement with the victim’s family, the sensitivity of the investigation process, the circulation of sensitive material on social media, and the adequacy of existing laws concerning serious crimes against women and children.
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