उनलाई डा. केपी ओली नै भन्ने रे !

एमाले नेता केपी ओलीले नक्कली युनिभर्सिटीका रुपमा बदनाम भएको विवादास्पद ग्रिनफोर्ड युनिभर्सिटीले दिएको मानार्थ विद्यावारिधी फिर्ता नगर्ने भएका छन्। हाल अमेरिका भ्रमणमा रहेका ओलीलाई एउटा कार्यक्रममा मैले यस सम्बन्धमा प्रश्‍न सोध्दा उनले खुलेर नै भने- मैले कागजपत्र पढेर, बुझेरै मानार्थ विद्यावारिधी लिएको हुँ। यसलाई फिर्ता गर्दिनँ।

उनले विद्यावारिधी गर्ने व्यक्ति केपी ओली भएकोले मात्र विवाद गरिएको हो, किनकि नेपाल विवाद नै विवादको पोको हो भन्न पनि छुटाएनन्।

कम्पनी लिमिटेडका रुपमा दर्ता भएको सो युनिभर्सिटी नक्कली रहेको सार्वजनिक भएपछि विद्यावारिधी पाएका मदनकृष्ण श्रेष्ठ, हरिवंश आचार्य र कान्तिपुरका निर्देशक रामेश्वर थापाले उक्त सम्मान फिर्ता गरेको घोषणा गरेका थिए। सो युनिभर्सिटीको वेबसाइटसमेत अहिले बन्द छ। तर आफूले विद्यावारिधी प्राप्त गरेको युनिभर्सिटीको बचाउ गर्दै उनले भने- नेपालका धेरै व्यक्ति यो युनिभर्सिटीका सल्लाहकार छन्।

त्यसो भए के अब तपाईँलाई डाक्टर केपी ओली भन्न सकिन्छ त भन्ने प्रश्‍नमा उनको उत्तर थियो- यो मानार्थ विद्यावारिधी दिने युनिभर्सिटी सबै साँचो छ भने मेरो विद्यावारिधी कहाँ नक्कली हो र !

ओली झन्डै महिना लामो भ्रमणको क्रममा न्युयोर्कमा छन्। न्युयोर्कमा नेकपा एमालेका कार्यकर्ताहरु मिलेर सञ्चालन गरिएको UNITED NEPALESE DEMOCRATIC FORUM नामक संस्था सक्रिय छ र UNDF ले बेला-बेलामा रक्तदान लगायत विविध क्रियाकलाप न्युयोर्कमा गर्दै आएको छ। त्यसबाहेक नेपालबाट आफ्नो माऊ पार्टीका नेताहरु अमेरिका आउँदा स्वागत सत्कार गर्ने र विभिन्न प्रकारका राजनीतिक क्रियाकलाप, भेटघाट आदि आयोजना गर्ने मात्र होइन, आम चुनावको समयमा अमेरिकाबाट एमालेलाई आर्थिक सहयोगसम्म पनि यसले गर्दै आएको छ। यस्तै क्रियाकलाप अन्तर्गत अक्टोबर २१ को साँझ न्यूयोर्कको सगरमाथा रेस्टुराँको सभा हलमा केपी ओलीसँग अन्तर्क्रिया कार्यक्रमको आयोजना गरिएको थियो।

अन्तर्क्रिया अवधिभर ओलीले अधिकांश समय गौतम बुद्ध र सगरमाथाको चुचुरोको बयान गर्दै कुनै गुरुले आफ्ना स-साना चेलाहरुलाई पुरानो ढंगबाट नेपाल भन्ने विषयमा निबन्ध पढाए झैँ गरी अत्यन्त हलुका ढंगबाट प्रस्तुत भएका थिए। नेपालको वर्तमान राजनीतिलाई एउटा फूटबल खेल भएको र उक्त खेलमा जनताहरु दर्शक भएको बताउँदै कुनै नेता गोल्किपर, कुनै नेता ब्याककिपर त कुनै नेता मिडफिल्डर त कोही डिफेन्डर भएको र आफू स्वयम् चाहिँ लाइन्सम्यान भएको बताउँदै हास्यात्मक पारामा जवाफ दिएपछि केही हल्लासमेत भएको थियो। नेपालको राजनीतिमा के भएको हो थाहा पाउन चाहिँ आफूले पनि झलनाथलाई नै सोध्नुपर्ने उनले बताए।

Three killed, 17 injured in Arghakhachi jeep accident

At least three people died and 17 others were injured when an overcrowded jeep met with an accident at Nuwakot VDC-3 of Arghakhanchi district on Sunday.

The jeep with the number plate Lu-1-Ja 1184, which was heading for district headquarters Sandhikharka from Asurkot VDC, fell around 200 meters down the road, killing three persons on the spot, reports said.

Two of the deceased have been identified as Sarita Shrestha of Pyuthan district and Bhuwan Gaire of Arghakhanchi.

The injured passengers have been admitted to the district hospital in Sandhikharka for treatment.

Three killed, 17 injured in Arghakhachi jeep accident

At least three people died and 17 others were injured when an overcrowded jeep met with an accident at Nuwakot VDC-3 of Arghakhanchi district on Sunday.

The jeep with the number plate Lu-1-Ja 1184, which was heading for district headquarters Sandhikharka from Asurkot VDC, fell around 200 meters down the road, killing three persons on the spot, reports said.

Two of the deceased have been identified as Sarita Shrestha of Pyuthan district and Bhuwan Gaire of Arghakhanchi.

The injured passengers have been admitted to the district hospital in Sandhikharka for treatment.

Three killed, 17 injured in Arghakhachi jeep accident

At least three people died and 17 others were injured when an overcrowded jeep met with an accident at Nuwakot VDC-3 of Arghakhanchi district on Sunday.

The jeep with the number plate Lu-1-Ja 1184, which was heading for district headquarters Sandhikharka from Asurkot VDC, fell around 200 meters down the road, killing three persons on the spot, reports said.

Two of the deceased have been identified as Sarita Shrestha of Pyuthan district and Bhuwan Gaire of Arghakhanchi.

The injured passengers have been admitted to the district hospital in Sandhikharka for treatmen

Blasts in offices of NSP and TMDP

Unidentified groups have exploded separate bombs at the offices of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) and Terai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) in Tribhuwanchowk of Nepalgunj on Sunday night.

The explosion in the NSP office has damaged its doors. Twenty minutes later another bomb exploded nearby TMDP office damaging some shops in the vicinity.

Police have said that a socket bomb was exploded in NSP office while a pipe bomb was used in TMDP office. No one is reported to have been injured.

According to reports, a person identifying himself as military commander of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-Jwala Singh) later made phone calls and owned up the responsibility for the explosions

US mission condemns attack on Himalmedia

The US embassy in Kathmandu has condemned the violent attack on Himalmedia on Sunday, terming it as "a blatant, illegal assault" on freedom of the press in Nepal.

"It was a criminal act to invade the premises and physically assault the Himalmedia staff," the US embassy said in a press release issued Monday, adding that the perpetrators [of this assault] must be held accountable.

The embassy also called for an end to the culture of impunity "that has protected some criminals from prosecution for violent, illegal actions". "There is no justification for the use of violence and intimidation by any party or organisation in an attempt to control the media or threaten freedom of the press in Nepal," the release adds.

PM blames 'party infiltrators' behind Himalmedia assault, assures probe into the incident

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Monday denied any direct involvement of Maoist party in the assault on Himalmedia Sunday and claimed that "some immoral agents" who have "infiltrated" into the Maoist party and ranks were in fact involved it.

He also expressed commitment that the government will probe the incident and take action against those involved in the attack.

In a meeting with leaders of the civil society at his official residence in Baluwatar Monday morning, PM Dahal expressed sadness over the incident and urged everyone to fight against these "infiltrators" with determination and that they will have all the support needed [in this] from the government.

Representatives of Kathmandu based Model Hospital were also in the civil society group that had gone to meet PM Dahal to raise concern about the problems Maoist-aligned workers' union have created in Model Hospital and Sunday's attack on Himalmedia by Maoist-aligned trade unions.

"There are people who in the guise of the Maoists are engaged in giving a bad name to the party," he said, adding "our party is constantly struggling to rid the party off these elements."

Meanwhile, Federation of Nepalese Journalist (FNJ) has called the assault by Maoist aligned trade unions on Himalmedia as a "naked aggression" against press freedom and strongly condemned the "brutal attack" on the media house and media persons.

Talking to Nepalnews.com, Poshan K.C, general secretary of FNJ, said that the attack against the press that fought for freedom and democracy in the country alongside political parties by cadres of very party that is in power openly flouts the government's commitment to freedom of expression.

K.C said that FNJ has repeatedly called upon the government to guarantee protection to media houses and media persons in the past "but incidents of assaults [against the media] have occurred in appalling regularity".

"What this shows is that the government appears not to take the matter seriously, so we have been left no with no option but to take to the streets," he said, adding that FNJ is planning to organise a rally in the capital today to protest the incident