Loan sharking victims back in Kathmandu for justice

Published On: March 27, 2023 09:31 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, March 27: The victims of loan sharking from various eight districts have arrived in Kathmandu demanding justice for them. They arrived in the capital on Sunday after walking on foot for 11 days.

One of the victims, Manoj Paswan, of Aurhi-4 of Siraha, said that the victims, who walked from Bardibas, Mahottari on March 16 arrived in Kathmandu via Chandranigahpur, Hetauda, Bhimphedi and Chandragiri. According to him, a total of 72 victims from Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Kailali, Jhapa and Khotang districts have arrived in Kathmandu.

"We have reached Kathmandu after walking for 11 days," said Paswan, "Today [Sunday], we stayed at Matatirtha. Tomorrow [Monday[, we will go to Maitighar to stage protests.”

Paswan said that they will not return home until their demands are met. The victims of loan sharks have put forward a demand to cancel Tamsuk (an informal legal document used by loan sharking agents to exploit poor and illiterate people), return the money overcharged by the loan sharks and take action against them and investigate the illegally seized assets by the loan sharks.

Paswan said they are holding discussions with victims from other districts if they need to put forth additional demands. “We are still in discussions. Other victims are also coming from some districts. We will proceed after holding discussions with everyone," he said.

Paswan said that the loan sharking victims of Nawalparasi (Bardghat Susta West) will also arrive in Kathmandu by April 3. “We are in this struggle. We are also staging a sit-in at the CDO office," said Awadhesh Kushwaha, chairman of Kisan-Mazdur Sangharsh Samiti against loan shark and fraud. "We will come to Kathmandu and stage a protest till April 3."

Earlier, the then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba showed interest after there was protest for months by the loan shark victims in July last year. The Ministry of Home Affairs subsequently prepared a 26-page report by forming a 'Loan Shark Crime Control Recommendation Task Force'.

The agitating loan shark victims withdrew their protests following an agreement between the victims and the government. However, the victims have launched their protests again after the government failed to implement the agreement to provide them justice.