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By Rabi Raj Thapa

Amid uncontrolled hues and cries within the Parliament, arrest and detention of the Press Secretary of the former King, Dr. Phani Raj Pathak and the president of the World Hindu Federation for addressing King Gynendra B. B. Shah “His Majesty” or “Shree Panch” stirred another sensational upheaval in Nepal’s politics.

For months, the Parliament has been blemished by scandal after scandal. Home Minister and even the Prime Minister look nervous and scared of the monarchy and Hindu identity. Strong protests and demands for the resignation of corrupt ministers, only one minister has yet resigned, so far.

Despite scandalous corruption cases, Nepal Police looks engrossed in roaming around, arresting, prosecuting and hunting down people who dare to write, talk on behalf of King Gyanendra and Hindu or Sanatan beliefs as if they have now become the most heinous crimes in this Republic of Nepal.

Recent abduction-type arrests and detentions of the Press Secretary Phani Raj Pathak have now become sensational news that shows the government’s priority, credibility and people’s respect with long-lasting impacts.

Undue exploitation, use and abuse of Nepal Police has become a normal ritual for the political leaders since the 1990s. Now it is about becoming a government tool for suppression and intimidation. This does not affect political leaders; they may come and go at any time. But it is the permanent institutions like police organisations that pay their heavy price in the days to come.  

This drama-like arrest and detention of Ms. Asmita Bhandari of World Hindu Federation on Friday, July 12, is definitely not a credible action. That was an unprofessional and out of the track police operation. First, Ms. Bhandari is a common civilian affiliated with a Hindu religious organization which has no direct link to the king whatsoever. Her organization is not a partisan political organization. Her inclination to the king and respect for monarchy is not a cognizable offence amounting to her detention and arrest. Police have no business getting a promissory note not to use “Shree Panch” or His Majesty the King by any means. That really sounds absurd. 

It would have been far better if police personnel could focus more on police professional matters than running after the political leaders’ bidding. It is natural for some police personnel who think more of their career enhancement than enhancing police organizational image and credibility.

Police organization is a permanent institution with institutional memory that carries its merits and demerits, credits and discredits for a long time.

For example, going back to the “Panchyati Raj” Nepal Police labelled “Mandalays” while performing their filial duty loyally and obediently. That resulted in the formation of Mallik Probe Commission and the gruesome lynching of six police personnel tortured and lynched brutally in daylight at Kalimati on April 23, 1990. Unfortunately, they paid the price for the good or bad karma of their fellow police personnel. 

During the ten years of the armed insurgency (1996-2006) more than 13,00 security personnel lost their lives, many got disabled, Nepal Police posts were reduced to 749 from 1,915 because it could not resist the wrong government dictate by home ministers and prime ministers. It is said that police operations like Romeo and Kilo-Sera-2 aggravated the armed conflict. Again, the Nepal Police was blamed for all mistakes.

The worst example of victimization of police leadership by political leaders in Sudan Scam that forced the best police commanders to serve prison sentences and humiliation for life. 

Therefore, it is safer to focus more on crime control than be happy with the political subjective bidding that leaves all blame to police, even after the bidders are gone with bounty or behind bars.