KATHMANDU, Aug 10: Hari Dhakal, a lawmaker of the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has said that the lion is a symbol of violence, arrogance and rulers, not kindness and compassion.
Dhakal made the remarks on Sunday after facing widespread criticism on social media. Speaking at an event earlier in the day, he had commented that the name Singha Durbar was inappropriate because there are no lions in Nepal. His remarks drew criticism.
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In a social media post, Dhakal said he had seen a rare video showing a deer expressing deep affection for a lion. He also said he had learned about the history of workers being exploited during the construction of the palace long before reading about it recently.
“Today, I saw on social media a rare scene of a deer showing immense love for a lion. I did not learn today about the history of the exploitation of workers during the construction of that palace. I had read about it some time ago,” he wrote.
“The context was that the character, nature and conduct of that palace should not reflect its name. It was about the legacy of truth.”
Dhakal said he was referring to the fact that many place names had been changed during previous political transformations and that Singha Durbar could also have been renamed.
“I stand by my argument. A lion is not a symbol of kindness and compassion,” he said. “A lion is a symbol of violence, arrogance and rulers.”
