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Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak has said the arrests of those responsible for the violent demonstrations by pro-monarchists on March 28   continue to take place. 

During a meeting of the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee, the House of Representatives today, the Minister said the main accused in the demonstrations, Durga Prasai, has been apprehended. 

He added that the Council of Ministers has already decided to ensure free treatment for those injured in the demonstrations. "The government will bear the cost if the need to buy medicines outside the hospital pharmacies," he said. "I have visited the injured at hospitals." 

According to the Minister, the process has been initiated to provide compensation of Rs one million each to the families of two killed in the demonstrations. He described the Tinkune demonstrations as a violation of the Constitution. 

He further asserted that there is a space for expressing dissatisfaction in the constitutional and democratic system, but there is no excuse for seeking an alternative to democracy and for the regression. 

The government has taken the Tinkune incident seriously. Such incidents must not recur, he added. "We are clear that the incident was predetermined and is a crime capable of spreading terror and anarchy."

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has vowed stringent action against those involved in violent attacks on journalists and media houses during the March 28 demonstration at Tinkune, Kathmandu. Fair investigation into the violent incidents would find those behind the atrocities, he added.

Home Minister Lekhak made such a pledge during a meeting with a team led by General Secretary of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Ram Prasad Dahal, on Wednesday. The FNJ delegation submitted a memorandum to Minister Lekhak. 

It was an anarchic and violent demonstration orchestrated by those sans ideology, Lekhak reminded, adding that the anarchic mob was intended to perpetrate crimes. "The mob crossed every limit, thereby putting journalists and media houses at the receiving end. The Nepal government is serious about it," he stressed.

He shared information on relief assistance to be provided to the family of victim journalist Suresh Rajak and another injured journalist.

On the occasion, FNJ General Secretary Ram Prasad Dahal requested the Home Minister to investigate well the atrocities meted out on media houses and death of an on-duty journalist during the demonstration, and to take a stringent action on culpable ones.

Information on it was shared by the Home Minister's secretariat.

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.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak today inspected different areas including Tinkune and Koteshwor where supporters of the former king vandalized and torched various physical structures.

A team comprising Home Minister Lekhak, Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi, high-ranking officials of the Home Ministry and police officers carried out the inspection of the torched private house at Tinkune, Kantipur Television, Annapurna Post Daily, Judibuti-based Herbs Production and Processing Company Limited, party office of CPN (Unified Socialist) and CPN (Maoist Center) and Koteshwor-based sales store. 

In the course of the monitoring, Home Minister Lekhak said the attack on the media house was condemnable and those involved in such inhumane activities would be brought to book. Condemning the attempt of destroying the media, he committed to taking action against the perpetrators. 

He mentioned, "In democratic republic, there will be mutual competition. There are government and opposition sides as per the people's mandate. But it should be countered by being united when anyone orchestrates anarchic activities against the system."

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has condemned the physical attack on Annapurna Media Network by pro-monarchy protesters.

Home Minister Lekhak, accompanied by Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi, Inspector General of Nepal Police Deepak Thapa, and Inspector General of Armed Police Raju Aryal, inspected the office of Annapurna Post in Tinkune on Saturday morning.

Pro-monarchy supporters vandalized the office of Annapurna Media Network during a protest in Tinkune on Friday.

The protesters had also attempted to set fire the office of Annapurna Media Network.

After taking stock of the incident, Home Minister Lekhak said that the attack on the media house was condemnable and that anyone involved in the incident would be brought to justice.

Inspector General of Nepal Police Thapa said the physical attack on Annapurna Media Network was condemnable.

Annapurna Media Network General Manager Manoj Basnet informed the team, including Home Minister Lekhak, about the incident.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said autocracy cannot be an alternative to democracy at all. Nepali society has been accustomed to democratic values, so sliding back to autocracy is unacceptable, he added.

Minister Lekhak, who is also a Nepali Congress leader, was speaking at an interaction organized by his party's constituency-3 working committee in Rupandehi. Nepal cannot backtrack, he reiterated.

"Nepali people believe in democracy, Nepal is moving forward with democratic system,” he said.

He, however, admitted weaknesses in present delivery. The people's plight cannot be taken advantage of for disrupting the system, Lekhak asserted.

Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak has said that housing would be provided to the people of Bagmati and Koshi Provinces, which were affected by the floods last September.

After the 30th meeting of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Executive Committee held here today, he said permanent and temporary shelters would be constructed as per the need after analyzing the damage caused by floods, landslides and inundation.

He said that the decision on how the state could help in the construction of private houses would be taken on the basis of the situation in the affected areas.

In the meeting, the concerned bodies have been instructed to be prepared to control all types of risks from disasters in the coming days, stressing on the need to work in a coordinated manner among all the agencies in the government.

Stating that offices have been established in Doti, Achham and Jajarkot districts to collect complete details of the damage caused by the earthquake and to coordinate the reconstruction works and helping out the victims, Home Minister Lekhak said that the construction of permanent houses has started in the places where the damage has been analyzed.

Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel, Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi and other high-ranking government officials were present in the meeting.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that it should be made clear by a law whether to provide the state facilities to former VIPs.

In his response to the topics raised by lawmakers during a meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today, the Home Minister apprised that there is no law granting the facilities to the former VIPs and the government has been proceeding with the formulation of laws towards that end following the advice from the court, Office of the Auditor General and the parliamentary committees.

"It will cause no additional burden on the State coffer to grant such facilities."

He argued that the government is aware of the need to avoid unnecessary economic burden on the State and recognize the citizens' sentiments while proposing the draft bill regarding such facilities. "The government believes that the taxes paid by the citizens should be spent lawfully."

In his replies to queries over the Pathibhara cable car construction project, he said the government has expected the roles with responsibilities from all quarters to resolve the disputes through dialogue peacefully. "The government is ready to address social, religious, and cultural concerns of agitating sides and the locals.  Presently, the area has been guarded by a security force with high patience."

According to the Minister, disaster management, preparedness for potential incidents of fire,

Fair investigation into the cases of crimes reported from various parts of the country, reduction of road accidents, better treatment for the injury cases, and compensation to the affected are the priorities of the Ministry.

The control of cross-border crime between Nepal and India, the safety of Nepali and Indian citizens along the border areas, and smooth and decent movement of the citizens are the agenda of a coordination meeting held frequently among the security forces of the two countries.

 "We have implemented measures accordingly.  The border surveillance by security forces has been intensified. The government is planning to add seven more border outposts this year. Measures against smuggling have been intensified. A zero tolerance has been adopted against smuggling."

The Home Minister further said no inhumane treatment and torture at the Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre is accepted.

He also pointed out the need to increase the security workforce in Dailekh, adding that the issues of citizens in Siraha, Rautahat, and other districts are under investigation.

"The government has initiated actions to prevent any untoward incidents in the Child Correction Home in a sustainable way."  The government is much committed to ensuring peace and security by the maximum utilization of available resources, according to the Minister.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has been handed over to the province government.

Addressing the Provincial Emergency Warehouse Handover Program in Birendranagar, Surkhet today, he said the right under the policy, directive and responsibility of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has been delegated to the province.

According to him, now there is no need for the province to ask the NDRRMA for its permission at the time of disaster and the province government will itself manage the disaster management works.

"The government has managed emergency warehouses in all the seven provinces attaching high priority to disaster risk reduction. We will make arrangements for constructing such emergency depots at the local level also as the local government is closest to the people," the Home Minister said.

He added that the NDRRMA as well as the National Council presided over by the Prime Minister and the Executive Committee, coordinated by the Home Minister, have been carrying out works becoming sensitive to disaster risk reduction. 

According to the Home Minister, reconstruction and rehabilitation works have been intensified based on the details of structures damaged by the earthquakes that struck on various dates last year in Doti, Bajhang, Bajura and Jajarkot.

Home Minister Lekhak handed over the Provincial Emergency Warehouse at Itram, Birendranagar Municipality-7 in Surkhet to Karnali Province Chief Minister Yamlal Kandel, in writing.

Chief Minister Kandel said that not only the warehouse facility, the federal government should also be ready to hand over the related entity and the rights associated with it to the province.

Stating that it took seven years for handing over the emergency warehouse to the province government, he urged the federal government to also manage the required budget for operating the warehouse.

NDRRMA Executive Chief Bhishma Kumar Bhusal said that the responsibility of mobilizing humanitarian goods had been given to the Home Ministry before this, but the disaster management rights have been now decentralized in the context of the NDRRM Act determining the rights of all the three tiers of the government.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has taken updates on the law and order situation in Baitadi district.

In the course of monitoring of Khodpe Police Post this morning, Home Minister Lekhak enquired about the situation of law and order in the district and gave necessary instructions, said Chief District Officer, Dirgha Raj Upadhyay.

"Home Minister Lekhak gave necessary instructions on the issue of peace, security, disaster management and drug abuse prevention," he added.

The Home Minister left Baitadi for Bajhang. A program has been scheduled to establish a temporary office for the reconstruction of houses for earthquake victims in Bajhang, said Minister Lekhak's Personal Secretary, Janak Raj Bhatta. 

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has called on parties agitating against the cable car construction project in Pathibhara of Taplejung for talks.

In his replies to lawmakers' concern in a session of the National Assembly (NA) today, the Home Minister said the government is effortful to find a solution to the disputes over the cable car construction through negotiations.

"The government wants to resolve the matter peacefully and for the same, a talks team was formed on February 2 under the convenroship of the Home Ministry's joint-secretary. The team is in touch with the protesting sides," he said, adding that the two sides have already hold meetings time and again.

The agitating sides were called for the talks again on February 24 following some hurdlers in the advancement of the talks lately.

He claimed the Ministry is committed to addressing social, religious and cultural concerns of the locals regarding the cable car construction.

He apprised the House that the Council of Ministers on December 31, 2018 (Push 16, 2075 BS) had allowed to clear vegetations along the forest area to be used for the cable car construction.

The preparations for the project implementation had begun earlier.

It was decided at the deputy prime ministerial and home ministerial level on Magh 2 2080 BS (January 16 , 2024) to make security arrangements in cooperation with the Nepal Police in view of establishing a security management camp of the Armed Police Force at the button station for the time being for the security purpose of the project.

For the same reason, the APF and Nepal Police were mobilised in the area, according to him.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said the government is seriously and sensitively working to ensure peace, order and security for the citizens with maximum utilization of available resources towards that end.

In his replies to lawmakers' queries in a session of the National Assembly today, the Minister reiterated the government compulsion to work amidst limited resources.

He also claimed that following his assumption on the post, various efforts have been launched for policy and legal reforms.

"Your feedback, submissions and concerns are always the guidelines for me," he told the lawmakers, arguing that his work speed and spirit matched with the concerns of lawmakers for peace and security, service delivery, disaster management and so on.

He apprised the House that Nepal Police Bill, Armed Police Force Bill, Nepal Citizenship (Second Amendment) Bill are already the properties of the Parliament and discussions with stakeholders concerned are underway regarding the need and relevance of other policy and legal reforms.

"The reconstruction of structures damaged by monsoon-related disasters and the earthquake is progressing, and the mechanisms under the Home Ministry are actively working to implement laws that promote civic freedom, the rule of law, human rights, and the democratic values guaranteed by Nepal’s Constitution," he added.

Meanwhile, during the zero hour, Suresh Kumar Ale Magar demanded the continuity of citizenship by descent for ex British Gurkhas. There are rumors that citizenship by descent for them will be discontinued, he said.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said the post-quake reconstruction efforts have been intensified.

In the 29th meeting of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Executive Committee held in Singha Durbar today, the Minister said the post-quake reconstruction efforts in Jajarkot, Doti and Bajhang have been accelerated following the assessment of losses.

Similarly, preparations are on to open an implementation unit of the Reconstruction and Restoration Project in these three districts.

Doti was hit by the November 9, 2022 quake, Bajhang by the October 3, 2023 tremor and Jajarkot was affected by the November 3, 2023 quake.

The past six months were spent in assessing the details of losses comprehensively, formulating criteria for the reconstruction of private houses, drafting regulations and for the budget management, according to the Minister.   

It is said the Ministry has come up with an action plan to implement the reconstruction efforts effectively.

Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak directed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Basanta Bahadur Kunwar to probe the recent incidents involving the manhandling of police personnel and take action against the culprits.

The instruction follows the increasing cases of physical assaults and mistreatment against the police personnel on duty in recent days.

Summoning IGP Kunwar and other high-ranking police officers at the Ministry of Home Affairs at Singha Durbar this morning, Minister Lekhak expressed his serious attention over the rising cases of manhandling of security personnel.

He, thus, asked the police organization to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to justice.

The Minister emphasized more active work on the part of the police organization to maintain peace and order, especially in the wake of such incidents.

Minister Lekhak said, "I have instructed IGP Basanta Bahadur Kunwar to take action against anyone involved in such incidents." Understanding the government's resolve to protect law enforcement personnel, he reaffirmed his commitment to take actions against anyone who disrupts peace and security in society or attack the employees who guard the society.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has underlined the need for holding dialogue to resolve the dispute over Pathivara cable car.

He had a meeting with the agitating side and stakeholders at his ministry on Monday evening.

During the meeting, the Home Minister said all sides concerned should be further serious to sort out differences and forward development works.

The Minister held the discussion after the discussion between the talk teams- formed by the government and by the agitating side- failed to strike a deal on Sunday.

The meeting with the Home Minister was also attended by CPN-UML leader Yogesh Bhattarai and leaders of indigenous community.

Spokesperson at Home Ministry, Ramchandra Tiwari, shared that the agitating side met with the Home Minister on Monday evening where Minister Lekhak reiterated dialogue and consensus on the pressing issue.

The Minister recalled a peaceful measure to seek a solution, while the agitating side demanded a formation of a high level talks team.

The initiative to construct a cable car to reach the famous pilgrim site, Pathivara in Taplejung, has courted controversy of late.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that journalism is the guardian of democracy.

While congratulating the newly elected officials of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) today at the Ministry of Home Affairs at Singha Durbar, Minister Lekhak said that impartial journalism is the pillar of democracy.

"Our Constitution guarantees full press freedom. The government ensures the atmosphere for independent, professional and impartial journalism," he said.

The Home Minister emphasized that journalism should be based on ethics, system and truth.

"I urge you to protect yourself and the media from activities such as disseminating fictitious news, creating unnecessary confusion in the society, character assassination of individuals, society and communities," said Minister Lekhak.

FNJ chair Nirmala Sharma, expressed her gratitude for the role played by the government in facilitating the conduction of the elections of the FNJ in a peaceful environment.

In addition, she submitted a memorandum to the Minister of Home Affairs, demanding action against those involved in the violation of press freedom.