Major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu Valley on Wednesday have given priority to different issues from political, sociocultural and financial spheres. The death of two alleged abductors in a police encounter in Doleshwor of Bhaktapur district on Monday has sparked a controversy as some people have claimed that the police attack was pre-designed and fake. Some major newspapers have given the top priority to this issue.
Likewise, a press conference hosted by medical education reform activist Dr Govinda KC has also received significant attention.
Other issues that have been covered on the front pages of major newspapers are activities of the National Assembly and the House of Representatives and their thematic committees, increasing cases of rape and attempted rape in the country among others.
Interestingly, the dispute between ruling and opposition parties about the rejection of Deepak Raj Joshee for the position of Chief Justice has not been covered on the front page in any newspaper today.
Important
Bhaktapur police encounter sparks controversy
Lead stories in Kantpur, Annapurna Post and Nagarik as well as other front pages stories in Naya Patrika and Republica have reported that police could not rightly deal with the abduction of an 11-year-old boy in Kathmandu on Monday, and lack of their competence resulted in the death of the boy.
Annapurna Post and Naya Patrika claim police officials had sent a text to one of the alleged abductors urging him to release the child at the earliest, warning they would be killed otherwise. Subsequently, the suspects killed the boy in haste, according to reports.
Gorkhapatra also analyses in its anchor story that police could have saved the abducted boy if there had been an access to use of technologies and an effective coordination among police units.
KC’s urge to honour agreement
Medical education reform activist Dr Govinda KC has urged the government to fully implement the agreement that the government signed with him to convince him to break an indefinite hunger strike around two weeks ago, according to reports in Nagarik, Annapurna Post, Republica and The Kathmandu Post.
Nagarik says he has warned of launching another round of fast-unto-death if the government fails to implement the agreement. An emotional KC also burst out crying saying he could not provide service to his patients due to the strike and subsequent health problems, according to Annapurna Post.
He had organised a press conference in Kathmandu yesterday to remind the government of the agreement.
Ignored
23 rape cases reported in one month
The lead story in Naya Patrika informs that at least 23 cases of rape have been reported from all across the country in past one month. Victims of four cases among them were killed following the case, the report says, adding six of the victims were below 10 years of age.
Meanwhile, the suspects include students, senior citizens and police personnel too, according to the report.
Race for panel chiefs in ruling NCP
A four-page story in Rajdhani reports that lawmakers belonging to the ruling Nepal Communist Party are lobbying inside the party to get leadership positions in various parliamentary committees as the party is likely to lead all panels except the Public Accounts Committee.
Party leaders Subas Chandra Nembang and Dev Gurung are consulting top leaders to begin the selection process, according to the report.
Subedi seeks info on his recall
Former Chief Secretary Som Lal Subedi, who had left the top bureaucratic position to join the Asian Development Bank Headquarters as the Alternative Director, has urged the government to clarify why he was recalled from the Bank, reports Kantipur in a snippet.
Earlier, the government had received to call him back from the position arguing his transfer was against rules and regulations. Subedi, however, has claimed the Cabinet decision violated his constitutional rights.
Dang Maoists sell captured land
A long anchor story in Republica filed from Dang district of western Nepal reports that Maoist cadres of the district, who were engaged in an armed conflict against the state earlier, has begun selling land that they had captured from locals during the insurgency period though their party has now been merged with the currently ruling Nepal Communist Party.
“At the time, naive farmers thought that as the Maoists were purportedly working for the welfare of the people, they would eventually return the land to their rightful owners,” the report reads, “However, as time passed, the Maoists started getting greedy and eventually said they assumed ownership of the lands, thereby cheating the farmers out of their own property.”
Nepal Chamber of Commerce to transform into federation
Nepal Chamber of Commerce, which claims to be the umbrella body of Nepali traders, has decided to withdraw itself from the membership of Federation of Nepalese Chambers and Commerce, the umbrella organisation of Nepali private sector, as it has decided to transform itself into the federation. The two organisations were at odds for last few months as the Nepal Chamber of Commerce decided to expand its network across the country, according to The Himalayan Times.
Interesting
Children can get birth certificates without mentioning father
The Himalayan Times reports in its lead story that a newborn will be entitled to a birth certificate even if the mother decides not to disclose the identity of the child’s father soon. Once the draft of bill on right to safe motherhood will come into effect, the mother’s name will be enough for the certificate, according to the report.
The bill has been registered in Parliament on Tuesday.
