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The Federation of Nepali Journalists has warned the Civil Aviation Authority to immediately withdraw the clarification sought over the news published in the Annapurna Post national daily.

The FNJ concluded that asking for clarification in an illegal way is objectionable and against the constitutional concept of press freedom, reads a letter signed by FNJ General Secretary Roshan Puri.

The federation has warned the CAAN to withdraw the clarification asked in an illegal way by respecting the constitutionally-guaranteed rights to expression and press freedom.

Objecting to the news published by AMN outlets, including the Annapurna Post national daily, the CAAN on August 18 had sought clarification from Simrik Air Chairman Capt Rameshwar Thapa, who also chairs the Annapurna Media Network (AMN).

ALSO READ: Editorial: CAAN should come clean

The authority has been widely criticized for its move to ask for clarification for the news published in the national daily.

The FNJ said that its serious attention has been drawn over the clarification sought by the CAAN over the news published in the Annapurna Post national daily under the Annapurna Media Network among other media outlets.

“There are prevailing provisions and methods for seeking legal remedies if anyone has grievances or is dissatisfied with the news materials published in the media outlets. The responsibility of the news published in any of the media outlets rests on the shoulder of the editor,” the federation said, adding,” It cannot be justifiable from any point of view to ask clarification from a person by the state body who is not in the editorial team by curtailing the editorial freedom.”

The clarification letter states that AMN has repeatedly disseminated news, analyses, and comments that gravely undermine flight safety. The letter further points out that despite Capt Thapa’s role as the head of an airline company responsible for upholding flight safety, he seems to have misused his publishing rights through his media outlet, engaging in misleading and rumor-spreading activities.

ALSO READ: CAAN move condemnable

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 12. 93 points to close at 1,998.28 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 1. 50 points to close at 382. 62 points.

 A total of 4,163,872-unit shares of 272 companies were traded for Rs 1. 40 billion.

Meanwhile, Laxmi Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd and Kutheli Bukhari Small Hydropower Limited were the top gainers today with their price surging by 10. 00 percent.

Likewise, Menchhiyam Hydropower Limited was the top loser with its price dropped by 7. 99 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 99 trillion.

The Parliamentary Hearing Committee unanimously endorsed Bishowambhar Prasad Shrestha as the Chief Justice.

A meeting of the Committee held in Singha Durbar on Monday made a decision to unanimously endorse the name of Shrestha.

Janata Samajbadi Party lawmaker and Committee member Prakash Adhikari informed that the name of Shrestha has been unanimously endorsed as the Chief Justice.

“The Parliamentary Hearing Committee unanimously endorsed Shrestha as the Chief Justice. Now, the government will make preparations to administer the oath of office and secrecy,” he said.

Shrestha had presented his action plan before the Committee.

Prior to this, the Committee had addressed the complaints it received against the proposed Chief Justice.

As per the constitutional provision, the recommendation for the appointment of Chief Justice shall be made by the Constitutional Council and it requires to be endorsed by the Parliamentary Hearing Committee before the President makes appointment to the post.

Shrestha has been taking charge of the acting Chief Justice since August 5 after erstwhile Chief Justice Hari Krishna Karki was retired due to age-limit.

The Constitutional Council on August 3 had nominated the senior-most Judge of the Supreme Court Shrestha (63) as the Chief Justice.  

The Committee on August 9 had sought complaints, if any, against the proposed Chief Justice, and it had received three complaints.  

The complaint was required to be in decent language and supported by evidence.

Born in Doti in 1959, he had joined the government service as the section officer in 1981.

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police recorded the statements of former prime minister duo Baburam Bhattarai and Madhav Kumar Nepal in connection with the Lalita Niwas land grab case.

The statements of the former prime ministers were recorded at a time there were rumors that the CIB was preparing to submit the investigation report without interrogating Bhattarai and Nepal.

Meanwhile, taking to Facebook, Bhattarai said that he informed the CIB about the truth after various questions were raised regarding the decision taken by his cabinet.

“I have fulfilled my duty by giving truthful information to the CIB as per my public commitment regarding the questions related to the decision taken by his Cabinet in the Lalita Niwas land scam during my tenure,” he said.

He expressed his belief that this case will be a milestone to end all types of corruption and irregularities.

The Bhattarai’s Secretariat said that Bhattarai responded to all the questions against him by calling the CIB officials at his house.

Four years ago, a case was filed against the then prime ministers Madhav Nepal and Baburam Bhattarai in the Lalita Niwas land grab case.

The hearing of the case has not been held yet.

ALSO READ: ApEx Explainer: Everything you need to know about Lalita Niwas scam

During the Madhav Kumar Nepal government, Bijay Kumar Gachhadar of the Nepali Congress served as a Minister of Physical Infrastructure and Deep Basnyat was the secretary at the ministry. It was during their tenure that they decided to fraudulently register plots of land in the names of numerous individuals and fake tenants.

The Nepal Cabinet had made a decision to expand the prime minister’s residence and construct a road within Lalita Niwas by compensating individuals who had illegally occupied the land. This agenda was brought by Gachhadar in the Cabinet. It has been found that the Nepal Cabinet made three different decisions in three separate meetings, providing an opportunity for the accused parties to engage in the scam.

All of the decisions were against the law. Several members in the Nepal Cabinet have stated that Lalita Niwas-related matters were never discussed during meetings, indicating the potential direct involvement of former prime minister Nepal.

The probe committee identifies Shova Kanta Dhakal and Ram Kumar Subedi as key individuals involved in the scam, labeling them as ‘land mafias’. From the early stages of the scam, these individuals have been implicated, as they still hold over 15 ropanis of Lalita Niwas land in their names, even after selling 30 ropanis of land to others.

The proprietor of Bhatbhateni Supermarket, Min Bahadur Gurung, and his family are owners of more than 29 ropanis of Lalita Niwas land. They acquired the land from Dhakal and Subedi. Furthermore, the duo also sold approximately five ropanis of land to former election commissioner Sudhir Kumar Shah.

When Bhattarai was prime minister, his Cabinet decided to transfer around three ropanis of land of Nepal government to ‘Pashupati Tinkinchha Guthi’ but the Trital-led committee had been unable to find about this Guthi. Neither the ministry officials nor the Guthi stakeholders know about the existence of this Guthi, raising suspicion against Bhattarai in the land grab case.

The gold is being traded at Rs 110, 300 per tola in the domestic market on Monday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 109, 750 per tola.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,390 per tola today.  

The Socialist Front, comprising four political parties, has decided to hold meetings in all the seven provinces starting August 25.

A meeting of the Front held on Monday morning at the central office of CPN (Unified Socialist) Party in Baneshwar decided to hold meetings in all the seven provinces, said CPN (US) Vice-Chairman Pramesh Hamal.

The first provincial meeting of the Front will be held in Birgunj of Madhes Province on August 25, Butwal of Lumbini Province on August 29, Dhangadhi of Sudurpaschim Province on August 30, Surkhet in Karnali Province on August 31, Pokhara in Gandaki Province on September 1, Hetauda of Bagmati Province on September 9 and Biratnagar of Koshi Province September 11.

Hamal said that it was decided to form the provincial front through the same provincial meetings.

Today's meeting also reviewed the government's performance, contemporary political developments, and discussed ways to garner support for the anti-corruption campaign launched by the current government.

The Front consists of CPN (Maoist Center), Janata Samajbadi Party, CPN (Unified Socialist) and Biplav-led CPN.

The Nagpanchami festival is being celebrated today by worshiping the Naga or serpent god, with many pasting pictures of a Naga on the front door of the house as per Hindu tradition.

This festival is celebrated every year on the fifth day of Shrawan Shukla as per the Lunar calendar.

There is a religious belief that by hanging a picture of a serpent in the house will avoid harm from snakes and scorpions, as well as from the incidents of fire and lightning, according to Prof Dr Debmani Bhattarai, a theologian and a member of the Nepal Calendar Determination Committee.

The practice of Naga worship is believed to have started from the Vedic period. According to Vedic beliefs, Naga is considered the king of snakes.

Naga temples in Kathmandu valley at Nagpokhari, Taudaha and Nagdaha are thronged with devotees on this day.

The decision of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) to seek clarification over news published in a daily is an attack on freedoms of speech and expression, so it is condemnable. 

On Aug 18, CAAN sought clarification from Simrik Air Chairman Capt Rameshwar Thapa, who also chairs the Annapurna Media Network (AMN), regarding news materials published by AMN outlets, including the Nepali daily Annapurna Post.

While CAAN’s concern for flight safety is justifiable, the manner in which it has engaged with the media raises important questions about the compatibility of regulatory authority with the principles of press freedom and democratic governance. It also goes against the principle of editorial freedom. It is imperative that the principles of press freedom, enshrined in Nepal’s Constitution, are upheld.

The 2015 Constitution guarantees every Nepali citizen the freedom of expression and thought. Article 17 of the Constitution explicitly protects the press’ right to function independently, question authority, and ensure a transparent democratic society.

While CAAN’s concerns may be rooted in the well-being of air travel, the approach taken to seek clarification has raised concerns about overreach and potential violations of press freedom. The constitutionally-guaranteed rights of freedom of the press should not be overridden by any regulatory body’s actions. 

The CAAN move of seeking clarification seems to be a clear violation of these rights and could be perceived as an attempt to stifle media criticism and accountability. Questions arise whether there exists a legal basis to restrict the publication of opinions, comments, and reports concerning policy errors related to air services. While dissatisfaction with media coverage is a legitimate concern, there are established legal avenues such as the press council and courts for seeking redress.

The media’s role as the fourth estate within the democratic system is to ensure transparency, accountability, and checks and balances. It is not only the watchdog of executive, legislative, and judicial actions, but also a platform for citizens to question government decisions and policies. Thus, the media's ability to question the activities of bodies like CAAN should be safeguarded, especially when matters of public safety and accountability are at stake. If CAAN has any objection to the news content, it should approach Press Council Nepal and other regulatory bodies. 

It is essential to recognize that the editorial discretion for finalizing content rests with the editor. Moreover, it’s noteworthy that not only Annapurna Post but also other prominent national and international media outlets, including the BBC, have reported on the adverse impact experienced by citizens living in remote regions of Nepal due to CAAN’s directives. Regulatory agencies must recognize the role of the media in upholding democratic values, promoting accountability, and fostering public discourse. 

To maintain a delicate equilibrium between regulatory authority and press freedom, open communication, adherence to democratic norms, and a commitment to transparency are essential. In a thriving democracy, the actions of regulatory bodies should withstand public scrutiny without suppressing the media’s right to question and criticize. It is through such respectful engagement that Nepal can uphold democratic principles.