KATHMANDU, June 18: The Nepali Congress (NC) has announced three days of mourning over the death of former central committee member, ex-minister, and noted socialist thinker Dhundiraj Shastri.
An emergency meeting of the party’s Central Working Committee passed a condolence resolution and decided to fly the party flag at half-mast at central, provincial, and district offices on June 18, 19, and 20. The meeting also decided to close all party offices nationwide on June 19. Condolence books will be placed at all levels until the 13th day of mourning, with a memorial program to be held in the respective district on the 13th day, said Chief Secretary Krishna Prasad Paudel.
Shastri passed away at 89 while receiving treatment at Kathmandu Medical College on June 16. The meeting observed a minute of silence in his memory.He entered NC politics in 2010 BS while studying in Varanasi, India, and later joined underground political activities after completing his education.
In 2014 BS, he led a civil disobedience movement in Tansen, Palpa, mobilizing from Arghakhanchi district. During the 2015 BS general elections, he played a vital role in the democracy movement, especially engaging youth from Gulmi and Arghakhanchi after King Mahendra dissolved parliament and jailed leaders on Poush 1, 2017 BS.
Following the 2017 BS royal coup, Shastri went into exile in India, briefly teaching at Gorakhpur College. While in Gorakhpur, he published and sent pro-democracy pamphlets and newspapers to Nepal.

People's News Monitoring Service