KATHMANDU, Nov 19: People from various walks of life of the society through social media have vented ire on the government’s plan to buy bullet proof luxury cars for President Bidya Devi Bhandari.

It is reported that the Ministry of Finance has recently allocated a budget of Rs 180 billion for buying bullet proof cars for the president.

Many on Twitter and Facebook have slammed the government’s decision to buy expensive cars for the president saying that taxpayers’ money should not be misappropriated at all.  

मैले अघिल्लो वर्ष राष्ट्रपतिको गाडीका लागि ४ करोडले नपुगेर थप १२ करोड माग भएको स्टोरी लेख्दा तत्कालीन प्रधानमन्त्री शेर बहादुर देउवाले यस्तो कुनै प्रस्ताव आएको छैन भनेर गरिमामय सांसदमै झुठ बोलेका थिए । अहिले १६ करोडमा दुई करोड थपेर गाडी किन्ने तयारी। https://t.co/JdUhDHP0Su

— RoshanSedhai (@sedhairoshan) November 19, 2018

Nepali Congress leader Dhan Raj Gurung took to Twitter to criticize President Bhandari after mainstream daily newspapers ran the headline on the government’s bid to buy luxurious vehciles worth billions of rupees for the president.

एकातर्फ गरिब जनताको रगत र पसिनाले करोडौंको गाडी र अरबौंको महल राजनीतिक नेतृत्वलाई, अर्कोतर्फ तिनै गरिब नेपालीले उपचार खर्चको अभावमा अात्महत्याको बाटो रोज्नु पर्ने? यहि बिडम्बना देख्नका लागि हामीले गणतन्त्र नेपाल बनाएका होइनौं।@hello_sarkar

— Dhan Raj Gurung (@dhanrgrg) November 18, 2018

Meanwhile, the government’s plan to shift the Nepal Police Academy elsewhere to expand the President’s Office compound has also been dragged into controversy.

The people, who are quite familiar with the history of the inconic building, also urged the government to remove the President’s Office itself from Shital Niwas to honor the wishes of its rightful power.

Krishna SJB Rana, a son of Rana prime minister Chandra SJB Rana, had donated the building to the government back in 1950s, realizing that the government formed after the success of the first democratic movement did not have a state guesthouse.

Historians say this was a voluntary donation on the part of Krishna Shumsher, as Ranas and the Nepali Congress had jointly formed the coalition government after the movement that ended the 104-year old Rana oligarchy.

Shital Niwas was donated to the Nepal government by Krishna Shumser JB Rana, son of Rana PM Chandra Shumser only for the purpose of a ‘state guesthouse’. This is written in his will. Shouldn’t we be sensitive to the wishes of the generous donor?

— Ramesh Nath Pandey (@rameshnathpande) November 17, 2018

Built in European style, Shital Niwas was built on over 140 ropanis of land [13.07 acres]. As the President’s Office seeks to expand its compound apparently to develop a helipad and other facilities, removing its adjoining Nepal Police Academy, the bid is being criticized arguing that the latest demands reflect ‘hidden ambitions’ of the ceremonial president to assume executive roles. 

Former Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey asked the government to honor the will of Krishna Shumsher, who donated the building for use as state guesthouse. “Shital Niwas was donated to the Nepal government by Krishna Shumsher JB Rana, son of Rana Prime Minister Chandra Shumsher, only for the purpose of a ‘state guesthouse’. This is written at his will. Shouldn’t we be sensitive to the wishes of the generous donor?” he asked. 

In fact, the building hosted dozens of visiting VVIPs in the following years. They include Indian prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Chinese premier Zhou Enlai, Queen Elizabeth II, Pakistani President Ayuub Khan, Indian presidents Rajendra Prasad and Radha Krishnan, and the then Japanese prince Akihito.

प्रहरी तालीम केन्द्र हटाएर राष्ट्रपतिभबन बिस्तार र रू२५ अरबमाथिका सबै योजना प्रम अन्तरगत राख्ने क़ानूनीप्रस्ताव सुशासनको मान्यता बिपरित हुन,पुनर्विचार होस!सितलनिबास राष्ट्रपति भबन भएपछि सुविधासम्पन्न बनाउन निक़ै लगानी भईसकेकोछ भने प्रधानमन्त्रीको कार्यक्षत्र पनि निक़ै बढ़ीसकेकोछ!

— Ram Sharan Mahat (@ramsmahat) November 13, 2018

“लोकतन्त्रमा प्रतीकात्मक राष्ट्रप्रमुख–उपप्रमुखको जीवन–संस्कृति कस्तो हुनुपर्छ ? तिनका कार्यालय र निवासको मापदण्ड के हुनुपर्ने हो ? ती कार्यालय कहाँ रहनु औचित्यपूर्ण हुन्छ ? उनीहरूलाई सुरक्षा र सुविधा–प्रबन्ध केकति खाँचो पर्ने हो ?” जायज प्रश्न। https://t.co/eyHx7ZHyCn

— Krishna Gyawali (@ruru_krishna) November 19, 2018

Shital Niwas remained as state guest house until the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was relocated there from Singha Durbar in the late 1970s a few years after a massive fire that engulfed the government’s principal secretariat. Nepal Police Headquarters was also then moved out of Singha Durbar following the fire and the police training center was set up in the buildings adjoining Shital Niwas.

सम्मानीत संस्थालाई विवादमा तानेका
१ प्रहरी तालीम केन्द्र हटाइ हेलिप्याड बनाउने, र
२ समाज कल्याण परिषद भवन उपराष्ट्रपति निवास बनाउने
यी दुइकुरा कार्यान्वयन नगरौं । यसलाई प्रतिष्ठाको बिषय नबनाउ।
यसले सान र सुविधा त थपिएला तर
ती संस्थाझनै कमजोर बन्नेछन्, जो हामीले खोजेको हैन ।

— bhojraj pokharel (@PokharelBhojraj) November 19, 2018

संवैधानिक र अझ “आलंकारिक” समेत भनिएका राष्ट्रपति र उपराष्ट्रपति बारे दिनदिनै समाचार त्यो पनि सुविधा र शक्ति सम्बन्धी नकारात्मक टीप्पणी सहित आइरहनु संस्थागत हुने क्रममा रहेको गणतन्त्रको लागि शोभनीय भएन!

सरकार र राष्ट्रपति कार्यालयको समेत ध्यान पुगोस्!!

— Madhu Raman Acharya (@MadhuRamanACH) November 18, 2018

 
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