KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress Chief Whip Basana Thapa has alleged that “state terror” drove a young man to set himself on fire, following the death of Ganesh Nepali.
Addressing the House of Representatives on Friday, Thapa paid tribute to Nepali and claimed that he had been forced to resort to self-immolation because of the state’s actions, accusing the authorities of remaining silent spectators.
Referring to the self-immolation of Prem Acharya outside the Federal Parliament building in New Baneshwor on January 24, 2023, Thapa questioned whether Prime Minister Balendra Shah still remembered the public statement he had made at the time.
She criticized the Prime Minister for remaining silent following the latest incident involving Nepali.
Thapa also alleged that instead of dispatching an ambulance promptly after Nepali set himself on fire, security personnel treated him “like a criminal” while taking him from the scene.
Accusing the government of prioritizing social media image over public welfare, she said the administration appeared more focused on online popularity than on protecting citizens’ lives and responding with compassion.
She added that it was deeply unfortunate that citizens felt compelled to set themselves on fire merely to have their grievances heard.
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