KATHMANDU, Sept 9: Former Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has said those responsible for the brutal suppression of the Gen Z movement on September 8 have already been “punished by history,” but called for a serious and comprehensive investigation into the unprecedented destruction that occurred on September 9.
Bhattarai said the destruction on September 9 could partly be understood as an emotional response by angry youths. However, he said deliberate attempts to destroy the headquarters of the key organs of the democratic state and the country’s invaluable historical records cannot be treated as ordinary incidents.
He described the damage to the headquarters of the legislature, executive and judiciary, as well as attempts to destroy important state records, as extremely serious. He said the failure to make efforts to protect such structures and records, or preventing others from doing so, also raises serious questions.
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Based on his study of world history, Bhattarai claimed that even during major revolutions and upheavals, attacks of this nature on institutional structures and historical records of democratic states have been rare.
Bhattarai said the commission led by Gauri Bahadur Karki was formed to investigate the events of September 8 and 9. While the commission provided a detailed account of the events of September 8, he said it only discussed the September 9 destruction in general terms and recommended further investigation.
He said many young people made significant sacrifices during the Gen Z movement and that it received broad public support. Bhattarai urged the current government to make the commission’s report public immediately.
According to Bhattarai, the government, which secured nearly a two-thirds majority by making good governance and transparency its key agendas, has an additional responsibility to establish and make public the truth about the events of September 9.
He called for the formation of a higher-level and credible commission to conduct a detailed investigation into the September 9 events. He said only an impartial investigation can establish the actual causes of the destruction, identify those involved and uncover weaknesses in the protection of key state structures and historical records.
Bhattarai also noted that Rastriya Swatantra Party Chair Rabi Lamichhane had repeatedly used the term “institutional utility” during his address to Parliament on Wednesday, saying the emphasis had given him some hope.
He said both the ruling party and the government should focus on uncovering the truth about the September 9 events while also protecting, strengthening and developing the institutions of the democratic state.
