Office bearers and employees divided over Jumla incident

Published On: July 29, 2018 03:05 AM NPT By: DB BUDHA


JUMLA, JULY 29: The office-bearers and employees of the Jumla-based Karnali Academy of Health Sciences (KAHS) have expressed conflicting views about the clash between supporters of Dr Govinda KC and police during the forced airlifting of the agitating surgeon who was then on the 20th days of his 15th fast-unto-death staged at the academy.

The health workers have accused the office-bearers of pulling the strings behind the clash while the office-bearers have claimed that they had no role in the clash.

Ramkant Upadhyay, the president Employees Welfare Society of KAHS, claimed that the entire incident was designed by the office-bearers. “We have demanded an internal investigation into the mobilization of students in the protest,” said Upadhyay, “It was an honor that Dr KC was staging his hunger strike in Jumla, but political leaders and party cadres should not have been allowed to get involved in the protest.”

The society claims that the clash would not have taken place if Nepali Congress had not been allowed to involve students and employees in the agitation. “Party leaders were given free passage in and out of the hospital but the provincial ministers were not even allowed to enter the hospital,” Upadhyay said, “It is saddening to know that no precautions were taken even though it was already told that Dr KC was going to be airlifted to Kathmandu.” He added that the office-bearers added fuel to the fire by encouraging students and employees to get involved in the clash.However, the office-bearers have dismissed the claim that they were involved in the clash. Organizing a press conference, they have said that the academy should take the moral responsibility for the damage during the clash and that it was just a rumor that they had mobilized the students and employees in the clash.

Vice Chancellor of KAHS, Rajendra Raj Wagle said that it was natural that someone took the leadership in the process. “There were thousands of protesters so it is natural that someone took the lead,” he said, “Dr KC was staging his hunger strike at a small place, problems were sure to arise. The supporters and opposition should now come to a mutual understanding to face further problem that may arise in the academy in the future.”

Claiming that they had no idea that Dr KC was going to be airlifted using force, VC Wagle said, “There were some drawbacks from our side too. We should have taken the role to suppress the violence. But we were in no position to do so.” He said that it felt like they were facing a landslide they could not control.


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