Kathmandu
Comedian Sitaram Kattel ‘Dhurmus’ has said that he and his family did not flee to the United States. Writing a long Facebook status titled Bakapatra (Open Letter) on Friday morning, he attempted to refute media reports claiming that he escaped to the USA.
Stating that he had obtained an “Extraordinary Ability Green Card” two years ago, Dhurmus said he is currently in the United States solely for his daughter’s leg treatment.
He writes, “After we could no longer continue our artistic career in Nepal and found no foundation to sustain our lives, we applied for the USA’s ‘Extraordinary Ability Green Card’ three years ago from Nepal out of sheer compulsion. This is a permanent residency permit granted to individuals with exceptional abilities in various fields.”
“After receiving this card, low-income parents’ children can receive free treatment through insurance or Medicaid,” he said. “Earlier, our second child, who was in Kunjana’s womb, was lost due to stress. We did not want to take any risks with our only surviving child. For her health and secure future, we decided to apply for this Extraordinary Ability category.”
“We received the visa last year, two years after applying. But on the day we got the visa, we could not celebrate; we broke down in tears. This was not a decision made out of desire. We were prisoners of circumstance. We came to the USA last year. To manage the travel expenses, Kunjana sold all the jewellery she had,” he wrote.
“Putting aside all other problems so our daughter’s life is not at risk, we were compelled to come to the US now. I hope everyone understands this compulsion,” he added. “We did not run away. There is no doubt that we will return to Nepal after our daughter completes her treatment. After that, we want to immerse ourselves in our artistic work again.”
He said that until they are freed from the complications surrounding the Gautam Buddha International Cricket Stadium (Rangashala) project, they have been unable to work or live peacefully in Nepal. “Our only wish is that the Rangashala issue gets resolved so we can live and work in Nepal as artists.”
He claimed they have neither started a business in the US nor made any investments. He urged the government to resolve the Rangashala dispute and create an environment for them to return to their artistic profession.
He also shared a photograph taken at the airport with his wife, actress Kunjana Ghimire ‘Suntali’, and their daughter. He said that due to continuous government hassles and financial liabilities exceeding Rs 180 million, they were ultimately forced to travel to the US for their daughter’s treatment.
He wrote that the Rangashala construction had begun at the request of the public and with encouragement from then and former prime ministers and various leaders. The Bharatpur Metropolitan City had taken the lead by providing the land, and as per the agreement with the metropolis, both sides would share responsibility if resources could not be raised.
He described the situation, where the state can inherit assets but refuses to accept liabilities as “ironic.” Despite receiving a “clean chit” from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), he expressed sadness that he was still labelled a “fraud.”
He added that although Bharatpur Metropolitan City had committed to settling the liabilities within a month after ownership transfer, this had not been fulfilled. He also said that grants repeatedly promised by the Cabinet and budget allocations had been frozen and returned due to procedural errors and bureaucratic negligence.
According to sources, Dhurmus and Suntali are currently staying at the home of a relative in North Carolina, USA. Professionally, his film Laaj Sharanam was released earlier this year, and he is working on the upcoming movie Paanch Pandav.
