Freedom fighter reduced to pauper

DANG, May 27: He risked his life, braved bullets and endured extreme torture at the hands of the authorities while fighting against the party-less Panchayat system in 1990. The country saw new change after the movement with the establishment of multi-party democracy. That change was not enough so people agitated again and the April 2006 movement overthrew the monoarchy forever. The country became a republic.



But Tara Khadka of Khalanga-6 of Rukum, who was a well to do man, has become almost a beggar now. Many of us have seen the photograph that splashed across newspapers post 1990 -- of a man atop King Mahendra´s statue in front of the Royal Palace holding the king´s sceptre. [break]



He lost his leg due to police bullets and his tongue from torture duirng the 1990 movement. Then a well to do man, he spent all his property in the treatment of his wounds. Now he walks with a prosthetic leg and some plastic surgery of the tongue restored his voice but it is still unclear.



Khadka informed that the post-democracy government flew him to the US and provided Rs 5 million for treatment but that was not enough. In the course of treatment, he had to sell the 12 ropanis of land and a three-story house in Kathmandu as well. But that was still not sufficient to foot the bills.



Now a penniless man, Khadka, his seven-year-old daughter and wife Mina, are living with their in-laws.



Khadka talking to this reporter in Dang on Sunday rememberd that fateful day. It was April 6, 1990 and the democratic movement was simmering. Pro-democracy demonstrators had started targeting the monarchy. With hammers on hand, a group of 9 protestors on April 6 climbed the statue of King Mahendra in front of the Royal Palace in an attempt to tear it down. Khadka managed to take out the sceptre of King Mahendra. Police responded with a barrage of gunfire. Eight of the protestors died and Khadka was the sole survivor albeit with severe injuries. "Eight people were shot dead in front of my eyes. I received three bullets," informed Khadka.



He was arrested and suffered severe torture at the hands of the police. They cut off his tongue and sprinkled salt and chilli powder on his wounds. He was also given electric shocks in the course of interrogation.



A few days later his friends rescued him from under the Bishnumati bridge, where he had been dumped for dead by the authorities.



He now blames the state for ignoring his contribution in the fight for democracy. He said that he visits various social organizations asking for some money to keep wolf from the door. "No one takes interest until I show my ID card that says I am a freedom fighter."

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