Stern action will be taken against those involved in Tinkune incident: PM Oli

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has vowed to take action against those found involved in the Tinkune incident.

Addressing today’s meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR), the Prime Minister clarified that among the two protest rallies held in Kathmandu on Friday, the one organised by the Socialist Front was democratic and legal whereas the rally held at local Tinkune in support of the former king was against the Constitution.

He stated that King Gyanendra Shah was also responsible for the Tinkune incident and expressed his determination that action would be taken against all those involved in the incident.

According to the Prime Minister, though the government was serious about the Tinkune incident, it had not imagined of such a violent incident as one of the parties in the Parliament was participating in the protest rally of the pro-monarchists at Tinkune.

“The administration was informed about the two strategic programmes on March 28. Both programmes were said to be peaceful and within the constitutional framework. The government had warned the organizers of any untoward incidents to ensure the constitutional right to protest and criticize while maintaining peace and order,” he said.

The PM added: “The ‘Samajbadi Morcha’, led by the main leadership of the parties who had a good presence in this House, held a grand meeting at the Exhibition Road in Kathmandu. It made its views public. The government was alerted. This rally expressed its commitment to the Constitution and the system. I would like to thank the organizers of this event that took place along with a decent procession. I believe that this is the method of strengthening our federal democratic republic.”

Prime Minister Oli also said that the venue was provided at Tinkune for the next protest rally and there are some doubts and confusions as to who is the organizer of this rally.

He said that there is a basis to doubt the purpose of the programme held at Tinkune and there is confusion about it as some of its organizers and the leaders of the parties representing in the Parliament are also found present in this protest programme.

PM Oli said that the demonstration held at Tinkune was violent in nature, completely different from the purpose for which it was supposed to be.

“The organizers of the Tinkune rally did not hold the meeting in the way as informed to the administration earlier. The crowd started gathering with provocative demonstrations and apolitical slogans. It was not the kind of a meeting where speeches were made, the so-called ‘People’s Commander’ of the protest drove his vehicle into the police cordon attempting to force his way into the prohibited area,” he informed the House.

Against the efforts of the administration to control the crowd, incidents such as snatching of guns from police, hooliganism and beatings, looting were started, the PM added.

Prime Minister Oli informed the Parliament that criminal incidents such as stone-pelting, vandalism, looting and arson attacks on private persons’ houses, public buildings, media houses, party offices, pharmaceutical factories and vehicles took place.

“Not only was the house of a person set on fire, but there was this violent, terrorist act of locking up a person inside the burning house. There was also a terrorist act of setting fire to the highly sensitive ‘International Airport’ in terms of security and setting fire to the ‘inflammable substance’. Not only the police vehicles, the fire engines were attacked when they tried to douse the fire,” he said.

The PM clarified that such activities are condemnable and regrettable. He also pledged to investigate and take action against those involved in the incident. The Prime Minister said that the parliament would be informed through the Home Minister after conducting a detailed investigation into the incident.

“Strict administrative action will be taken against whoever is involved in the incident, irrespective of their ‘cover’. The Home Minister will present the details of the incident in this House at an appropriate time,” he said.

PM Oli also informed the House that an investigation has been initiated against those involved in the incident and the government is interrogating and investigating its planners and those involved.

He also said that it was necessary to study the incident that took place about a year ago as the background of the Tinkune incident.

“Since then, an element has been active in spreading mistrust, hatred and confusion towards the government, the system and the Constitution. It was looking for an opportunity. By making unnecessary comments on sensitive issues like religion, culture and tradition, it was disturbing communal harmony and inciting attacks on particular communities. That element was active in playing on the emotional sensibilities of the borrowers and destroying the bank financial institutions by saying that they do not have to repay the loan,” the Prime Minister said.

According to the Prime Minister, ‘welcome programmes’ have been organized at different places and inciting public opinion immediately after the former king Gyanendra Shah on February 19 issued a statement saying that ‘he would move ahead and seek support.’

“In the preliminary study, all these incidents make it clear that the former King Shah has violated the agreement reached after the historic decision of the Constituent Assembly,” he stated.

According to the Prime Minister, the agreement was that the former King Gyanendra Shah would live a peaceful life as a citizen, involving in business by exercising the legal and constitutional rights of a citizen, the government would make security arrangements in his capacity as the former head of state and allow him to use the Nagarjuna Palace and a building at Narayanhiti palace which was being used by his mother. He charged the former king of carrying out activities against the agreement.

Prime Minister Oli has pledged through the Parliament that those found guilty in the Tinkune incident will be spared.

“No one involved in a criminal incident gets immunity, neither one should. Even the then King Shah will not be spared. Doesn’t one who is saying that he will become king again and destroy the system have to make one’s opinion public in all these series of events?”

Lawmakers of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) had been expressing their objections as Prime Minister Oli addressed the Parliament.