The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has intensified protests across various parts of the country, including Kathmandu, Chitwan, Pokhara, and Birgunj, following the arrest of the party’s Chairman Rabi Lamichhane on Friday evening. Police arrested Lamichhane from the party’s central office in Banasthali, allegedly for the embezzlement of cooperative savings following a warrant issued by the Kaski District Court earlier the same day. Senior RSP leaders, including Dr Swarnim Wagle, Biraj Bhakta Shrestha, and Toshima Karki, led rather rowdy protests and demonstrations in Pokhara, where Lamichhane arrived early Saturday by a police van for court proceedings. The police are expected to present him before the district court Sunday morning. The RSP leaders and protesters claimed that Lamichhane’s arrest was only a ploy to divert the public attention from corruption and misrule. The protesters carried placards supporting Lamichhane and accusing the government of political revenge. Agitating RSP leaders and cadres in other parts of the country echoed these claims, asserting that the arrest was politically motivated. While it is understandable that leaders and cadres are emotionally charged over the arrest of their party leader, it is not justifiable to protest against it, especially since others have also been arrested in similar cases. Although it is natural to demand a fair trial, the unusual anger directed against Lamichhane’s arrest can be seen as an attempt to pressure state institutions and influence the court. Even though the day’s protests were peaceful, they raise serious questions about the RSP’s commitment to the rule of law.
The RSP protests against Lamichhane’s arrest send a troubling message that political leaders should be immune to arrest even when implicated in a crime. Or is it – like George Orwell wrote in his famous novel, Animal Farm – “Some animals are more equal than others”? Retired Nepal Police DIG Chhabi Lal Joshi, a business associate of Lamichhane, was arrested last month on the same charge. No protests were staged against his arrest, and he is now facing legal proceedings. The protests against Lamichhane suggest that political backing and a strong support base should shield someone from arrest and legal accountability, even when they face accusations of wrongdoing. This, in turn, will likely cause the ordinary people, who place their last hope in the judiciary for justice, to lose faith in the country's judicial system. As the fourth-largest party in the federal parliament, RSP’s top leaders must have faith and trust in the institution of the judiciary and allow the legal process to take its course without interference. They must exercise restraint and keep a vigilant eye as the proceedings unfold. If Lamichhane is innocent, as claimed, he will emerge unscathed, eliminating any basis for criticism in the cooperative fund embezzlement scandal in the days ahead. This is an opportunity for Chairman Lamichhane himself and the RSP to clear their names in the cooperative fund embezzlement case, once and for all. The RSP would acknowledge that Lamichhane’s alleged involvement has severely damaged the public’s trust in the party since the last parliamentary election.
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While we urge RSP leaders and cadres to exercise restraint and allow the court proceedings to go unhindered, we also demand that the government and law enforcement agencies act impartially, without fear or favor, in bringing all those accused of embezzling cooperative funds to justice, as identified by the parliamentary panel. RSP leaders have alleged that some leaders from the ruling parties have been spared legal action despite facing similar charges. The government must ensure that all those implicated are held accountable and that the grievances of those who lost their hard-earned money are addressed. The prime minister and home minister should play their role to ensure that law enforcement agencies can act independently. Only by doing so can the government restore public confidence in the rule of law and deliver justice to the victims of the cooperative fund embezzlement scandal.
