I Am Not Safe In Jail: Gagan Thapa

By Kiran Chapagain on July 28th, 2005 in Eagle Eye

Gagan Thapa, Nepal’s top student leader, feels insecure in the jail. Plus, he WILL fight for the presidency of Nepal Student’s Union from inside the jail.

On Wednesday morning while cooking food, I had long a long discussion with my brother about the upcoming general convention of Nepal Students’ Union, the student wing of Nepali Congress Party, and possible victory of Gagan Kumar Thapa as the president of the student wing. We also discussed that the government, especially the palace, could do its best to prevent Gangan’s victory as his victory means massive student movement across the country against the present autocratic government. Our belief is that he is the only student leader who could drive a student movement across the country against the present autocratic government.

Coincidentally, Gagan was arrested on the same day when we talked about possible moves of the state to prevent Gagan�s victory in the upcoming general convention. He has been now arrested on charge of sedition during a rally organized by civil society on Monday.

It is not the first time Gagan was arrested on the same charge. In 2003, he was arrested on charge of sedition, which raised his popularity. In fact, Gagan is the only student leader who can mobilize the students to protests against the present autocratic government of convicted criminals, corrupts and bank defaulters.

On Monday, I had met Gagan in the rally. As I was reporting, he was passing to Jamal on bike but stopped the bike at Ratnapark. He stopped for a while and asked his friend to go away dropping there. We greeted each other. He then said to me, �Kiranji, rally ma chhirnu paryo (Kiran, I am joining the agitation).� I followed him. I did not see him entering the restricted area during the rally as accused by the authorities. I was with him throughout the rally. With the charges against him known to me, I concluded that the government is conspiring against the most popular student leader of the country.

As a friend, I met him at Hanumandhoka Police Office where he has been detained with permission from a court. He talked to me from inside the detention cell for five minutes. I found him bolder, more determined and confident. The police did not allowed him to come out from the cell; and we talked from a distance. The police tried not to allow him to talk to me but he raised his finger and warned: �Hey, is this the way to treat a student leader!�

During the talk, he expressed concern over his security in the detention at Hanumandhoka Police Office.

�I have been kept together with pickpockets, drug addicts and other criminals. I am insecure living with them,� the popular and influential student leader said from behind the bar. He has urged national and international human rights organizations to ensure his security in the detention.

He said that the authorities are not treating him as per the international humanitarian laws. Besides, he has to share an unventilated and small room with nine inmates.

�I am not the person to be treated by the authorities in this way. I have already demanded the authorities to treat me as per the national and international humanitarian laws but they have not listened to me,� he said.

�I have been kept together with pickpockets, drug addicts and other criminals. I am insecure living with them,� the popular and influential student leader said from behind the bar. He has urged national and international human rights organizations to ensure his security in the detention.

When asked about his arrest, Thapa said that the state has been “strategically plotting against me to prevent me from taking part in the upcoming general convention of Nepal Studentsâ�� Union. Thapa also announced that he is going to contest for the post of president of the student wing.

�The state arrested me sensing my victory in the convention which means a great threat to the autocratic regime,� the charismatic student leader said.

He has also charged the police of not allowing him to give his arrest warrant to his lawyers. �Even I have not been allowed to meet my family members and well-wishers easily,� he said.

He also announced that he is contested in the election during the general convention for the post of presidency from jail. He was commanding his friends and student leaders to �burn the country� with protests and topple this autocratic government of convicted criminals, corrupts and bank defaulters.

He was confident of the complete democracy and republic setup to come in Nepal as demanded by students.

Finally, I was ordered not to talk more with Gagan and the guard ordered Gagan to go inside. I finally said, “Aall the best Gagan. The world is with you.” I told him that the students were taking your arrest to the street and the longer the government keeps you in the jail, the faster Nepali will turn into a republic state.

All the best Gagan, future leader of Nepal.

15 Responses to “I Am Not Safe In Jail: Gagan Thapa”

1. chinta Says:
July 28th, 2005 at 11:39 pm

I am sure some of the government vigilantes are with Gagan, dressed up as pickpocketers etc. They will definitely try to threaten him, beat him, and the government can always blame all the accidents to ‘other inmates’.

Hope he will be safe.
2. nepalikochoro Says:
July 29th, 2005 at 12:49 am

First of all, thankyou Kiran jee for bringing about this blog. Atleast we now know where and how Gagan is being restrained.
==
“He was commanding his friends and student leaders to â��burn the countryâ�� with protests and topple this autocratic government of convicted criminals, corrupts and bank defaulters.”
==
I believe that words like the above will cause a lot of unrest in the country. As you very well know, the words “burn the country” WILL be taken literally by a considerable amount of students who are just angry, outraged, and not thinking rationally after the arrest of their leader. And there will be other factions in the society (possibly government vigilantes) who will take advantage of the situation, this has been done in the past. I think and sincerely hope that Mr. Thapa didn’t mean those words literally, but you should have also refrained from bringing them out in public. There might be serious implications to those very words. The pictures in nepalnews speak more than words right now. Don’t get me wrong here, I’m not saying that your bringing gagan’s voice out to the public has caused the ‘masal julus’ and other violent activities.

I would like to quote Dr. Martin Luther King here, “The end is preexistent in the means, and ultimately destructive means cannot bring about constructive ends.” I hope this feeling is persistent in us as well, because our future is decided by this. And I certainly hope this makes sense to fellow students out there on the streets who are protesting; let us protest the arrest of OUR leader, let us protest against the autocratic government, let us get democracy functioning in our country, BUT let us not do it by using violent means, let us not burn down those government buildings that we WILL be using when we get our democracy back, let us not burn down the cars that our civil service men and women will be riding after democracy is restored.

It is very immoral and indecent to have Gagan Thapa locked in a cell with 9 criminals, when he hasn’t been proven guilty at all. I hope him all the best in the elections to come; and most of all hope that he comes out of this safe, and even more eager to bring back a people’s government.
3. republican Says:
July 29th, 2005 at 3:47 am

Gyanendra is counting his days, as he keeps Gagan inside. Republic of Nepal is not far. It is true that KG is scared of Gagan’s NSU candidacy. May God bless Gagan for his safe and sound stay.
4. Raj Says:
July 29th, 2005 at 3:50 am

It is true that KG is scared of Gagan’s candidacy for the president of the NSU. No doubt. Meanwhile, KG must be counting his days. May God bless Gagan for his safe and sound stay.
5. Roshan Says:
July 29th, 2005 at 8:06 am

WE can’t understand our King..what does he want? Is he thiking that Nepal is peaceful after his 19 Magh Action? Yes! Palace area is peace to live him.

Doing such nonsense things..arresting YUVA Leader, is he thinking to bring “1 DALIYA Sasan”? if he wants it is ok within Palace area hahahahaha….but it is not acceptible to the country and nation Nepal.

So, KING sud immediatly release such Leader who are popular amongs youth and student otherwise it will harmful for you (KING).
6. NepaliBoy Says:
July 29th, 2005 at 8:43 am

Good post, Mr Chapagain.
7. sisyphua sharma Says:
July 29th, 2005 at 10:11 am

gagan will be our future leader ! oh god , save this nation!
8. Maya Says:
July 29th, 2005 at 1:37 pm

Hi, blogers, have heart to protest by all possible guts and pride againts this Basterds of “Panchayati Ghost” , here i would suggest to blogers that if you are not protesting into the street why don’t you protest CYBER WAY just send in your protest note to this unconstitutional government email address. Let’s say “UNITED WE PROTEST CYBER WAY” “Release All the ASTHA KO Bandi” in this address
homehmg@wlink.com.np———-Ministry of Home affairs
info@pmo.gov.np——-Office of Prime Minister And Council of Minister
info@supremecourt.gov.np—————Supreme court of Nepal
9. RABI Says:
July 29th, 2005 at 4:57 pm

CONGRATULATION GAGAN! HOWEVER YOU ARE IN JAIL,YOUR WELLWISHERS AND SUPPORTERS ARE IN THE STREET.YOU ARE ONE BRIGHT RAY OF HOPE.THE COUNRY AXPECTING EVERYTHING FROM YOU.I’M OPTIMISTIC THAT YOU WON’T DESTROY COUNTRY’S HOPE.
10. samsung Says:
July 29th, 2005 at 10:00 pm

Excuse me. Who is this fellow Gagan? A thief, a pickpocket, a barber, a cobbler, Who??????????
11. binod from UK Says:
July 29th, 2005 at 11:42 pm

GAGAN, doubtlessly the most prominent future aspect of Nepalese politics, will never be effected from any sort of detention by people like Shahi, Bista and looter Giri. They r counting their days. Hey, all the youths be ready for DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF NEPAL.
12. King Kong Says:
July 29th, 2005 at 11:55 pm

Don’t look for heroes…

…and leaders too fastly, this is old thinking. All must learn to lead together in teams and groups.

Looking for fresh charismatic leaders and blindly following their strong ‘Ego’ will just bring more sadness and frustration upon Nepal.

My suggestion in the current fluid situation, take care that women are present. Include women in every decision making process from the very beginning of the real movement.

The current rioting and use of force by both sides are not the real thing. Still a social ‘Tsunami’ will roll over Nepal to bring about the needed social adjustment and change.

For the needed nonviolent revolution, let the mothers, sisters, wives and daughters take the lead. Men can live all their life in fight anywhere, but women truely want and need lasting peace.

May further bloodshed be avoided! Women of Nepal, take up responsibility now!

King Kong says: Women of Nepal, save your boys from collective suicide on the battlefield !
13. nepali Says:
July 30th, 2005 at 1:10 am

I have nothing against Gagan but is not it too early to claim that he is the saviourDoes the fact that he is the prime target of the present government make him the saviour of our nation?

As he feels threatened in the cell where he is right now, I wish Gagan also realize that we feel threatened to go to work when his colleagues are pelting stones and burning tyres all over the place. We are threatened that we cannot earn enough to meet our needs.We are worried that our vehicles will be burnt and our windows broken for nothing.

Is Gagan all rhetoric or substance too only time will tell.
14. D.MICHAEL VAN DE VEER-mike4radio@yahoo.com Says:
July 30th, 2005 at 4:17 am

Every Nepali outside the Palace Fence is in “JAIL”, and “NOT SAFE”.
Only when the Palace Fence is seen for what it is, and the criminals and Mafia are made to leave and not hide behind it, will the Nepali Peoples begain to … NOT BE IN JAIL & BE SAFE.
15. SAUHADRA Says:
August 1st, 2005 at 8:56 am

GAGAN IS GOING TO BE A LEADER WHEN OUR GREAT NATION BECOMES ANOTHER IRAN WITH BLACK BURKA CLAD WOMEN ROAM AROUND STREETS OF KATHMANDU. GAGAN IS THE LEADER OF TOMORROW-WHEN NEPAL WILL BE ANOTHER AFGHANISTAN WHEN WAR-MONGERS KILL INNOCENT CHILDREN AND WOMEN AND HAND OVER RIFLES INSTEAD OF COMPUTERS AND PENCILS. GAGAN IS OUR FUTURE IF NEPAL BECOMES A REPUBLIC. SURELY. WE WILL ALL BE HIS FOLLOWERS TO THE GRAVE OF ALL OF US AND OUR PROUD COUNTRY.