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Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said the government is highly sensitive regarding the March 28 incident that took place in Tinkune of Kathmandu, causing the loss of lives and property.

He said this during a  meeting with the delegation from the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) at his office today.

The eight-member delegation led by General Secretary Ram Prasad Dahal submitted a memorandum to the Minister, concluding that media houses and media persons were targeted during the demonstration. He demanded a fair investigation into the incident. 

Receiving the memorandum, Minister Lekhak said an anarchic and violent mob was responsible for the violence. "The group was just intended to commit a crime." 

It was not associated with any ism or principle, according to him who further elaborated that the destructive mob demonstrated violence and as a result, media and the journalists bore the brunt of it. "The government is very much sensitive over the incident."

The government is determined to find out facts surrounding the arson on a house with journalists, assaults on media houses, according to the Home Minister.

"The death of journalist Suresh Rajak in the fire is the high concern of the government and it is serious about the injured media persons as well. The government is thinking about what can be done for the relief of the victims," he said.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said the government would provide necessary support to the family of journalist Suresh Rajak, who was killed in the Tinkune incident on March 28.

During the meeting held at the official residence of the Prime Minister at Baluwatar on Monday, Prime Minister Oli urged the family members to perform last rites of Rajak, adding the government would pay attention to make necessary arrangements for Rajak's widow employment. 

Paying tribute towards journalist Rajak who lost his life in the fire incident that occurred in Tinkune in the course of a demonstration by the royalists, the Prime Minister expressed condolences to the bereaved family members.  

He added that a process to take stern legal action against the guilty ones has already begun by carrying out investigation into the incident. 

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has briefed the Parliament about his impending official visit to Thailand and his participation in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit.

Addressing a meeting of the House of Representatives today, he said that Nepal's prime minister is making an official visit to Thailand for the first time after 65 years of establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

PM Oli is paying an official visit to Thailand from tomorrow, Tuesday.

Prime Minister Oli said that this visit would be significant in the context of no official visit having taken place to Bangkok, which is the 'gateway' for Nepalis to countries other than the immediate neighbouring countries.

During the visit, PM Oli will hold meetings with the King of Thailand and his Thai counterpart. Two MoUs related to tourism and culture will be signed during the visit.

Similarly, six MoUs will be signed between the non-governmental sectors in the presence of the Prime Ministers of the two countries.

On the occasion, PM Oli said that he would hold discussions with eminent businessmen of Thailand and address a programme to be organized at the Asian Institute of Technology.

Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to address the BIMSTEC Summit on April 4. Similarly, according to PM Oli, he will hold sideline talks with the leaders of the member countries coming to participate in the Summit as far as possible.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said that the then King Gyanendra Shah who is involved in criminal activities will not be spared.

He said that while speaking at the meeting of the House of Representatives on Monday.

Saying that pro-monarchy protesters had committed a criminal act on March 28, the Prime Minister said that the former King will not be spared.

“Those involved in the criminal activities will not be exempted from punishment. The former king also will not be spared,” PM Oli said.  “Shouldn't those who say they will become the King again and destroy the system make their views public on all these incidents?” he questioned.

The Prime Minister said that the administration was informed that two political programs will be held in Kathmandu on March 28, highlighting that they would be peaceful.

“The Socialist Front under the leadership of the political parties which have good presence in the Parliament held a demonstration in a grand manner. They made public their views, warned the government and expressed their commitment to the system and Constitution,” he said, adding,” The demonstration was peaceful and I would like to thank the organizers. I believe that this is the way to strengthen our federal democratic republic.”

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He went on to say that the venue at Tinkune was given to another group to hold the protest. “But there was suspicion and confusion about who the organizer was. There were grounds for suspicion about the objectives of the program. The confusion was that among the organizers, there were some leaders of the political parties present in the House,” the executive head of the state said.

“The organizers did not hold protests like they said to the administration. The crowd began to stage the demonstration in a different form and started chanting slogans against the government. The administration tried to control the mob, but they assaulted police personnel, snatched their weapons and even robbed a departmental store,” PM Oli added.

Two persons including a photo journalist at Avenues Television Suresh Rajak died during the violent demonstrations in Tinkune.

The protesters vandalized media houses- the Annapurna Media Network and Kantipur Television. They also set on fire the office of Annapurna Post. Glasses of windows in the buildings were broken in the incident.

They not only caused damages to the media houses and private properties, they also tried to set fire to the airport and attacked police vans and a fire engine which came to put out the fire, he said.

“All of these acts are condemnable. Stern action will be taken against those involved in the such incident no matter who they are,” the Prime Minister added.

He claimed that the former King was responsible for all the incidents.

PM Oli accused the then King Shah of violating the agreement reached after the historic decision of the Constituent Assembly.

At that time, it was agreed that the former King Shah would be allowed to live a peaceful life as a citizen, conduct business activities by exercising the legal and constitutional rights of the citizen, and provide security as the head of the state, the Prime Minister said.

It has also been agreed that he will be allowed to use the Nagarjuna Palace and the building in the Narayanhiti Palace that his mother is using.

Furthermore, Prime Minister Oli said that an investigation has already been started into those involved in the criminal activities and to identify the mastermind behind the violent protests in Tinkune.

Meanwhile, while addressing the Parliament, he warned the lawmakers of Rastriya Prajatantra Party to not engage in destroying the Constitution, reminding them they took the oath of office and secrecy from the same Constitution.

Stresing that now is the time to protect the Constitution, safeguard the rights of the people achieved througha  huge struggle and sacrifice and its successful implementation, the Prime Minister said that the entire House should be united for the same.

“We have heard that various activities are being carried out against the system, democracy and the Constitution. The entire society should be serious at this critical time,” he said.

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