KATHMANDU, JANUARY 29
A mass demonstration was held against Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Balen Shah.
A protest was held at Maitighar Mandala this afternoon at the call of the Valley-wide Road Expansion Victims Sangharsh Samiti (Victims Struggle Committee) Kathmandu, citing that Mayor Shah had been illegally spreading dozer terror inside the metropolitan city.
During the demonstration, they also warned Mayor Shah not to act as a representative of the people to cause pain to the people.
Civic leader Suman Sayami said since Mayor Shah had spread dozer terror by infringing on the property rights of citizens, they had to resort to the demonstration to prevent that from happening. "As a representative of the people, Mayor Shah will not be tolerated if he continues to cause pain to the people," he warned. Speaking to the media at a vigilance meeting at Maitighar Mandala, he remarked that the metropolis had been looting people's private property illegally.
"I say illegal parking and structures should be demolished.
But, if it is legal and tax is being paid, it should be done in a procedural manner," he said.
"There is Land Acquisition Act as constitutional fundamental right. Articles 25 and 37 give the people the rights to housing and property.
"It is obvious there are two laws in this country," he added.
"If Mayor Shah doesn't rectify his actions, we have hundreds of such organisations," he said, warning that if they were all demolished at once, there would not even be a place to stay in the metropolis.
"He must be truthful, and if he is not truthful the general public will come all over the valley. This is only symbolic," he warned.
Demonstrators have expressed anger saying that Mayor Shah has violated the rights of land and personal property in an illegal manner. They have alerted Kathmandu Metropolitan City to immediately stop the operation of dozers on people's personal property in the name of illegal road expansion without any prior information or evidence.
The residents of Kathmandu protested carrying placards with slogans such as 'Stop dozer terror', 'Stop the cruel actions of the metropolis', 'KMC cannot riot in the name of road expansion', 'Ensure the right to property guaranteed by the constitution', and the like.
An interesting scene was seen on the day when the final results of the KMC elections were announced.
Balen Shah's rival Suman Sayami stood in the forefront to congratulate the newly elected Mayor Balen Shah. Sayami, who ranked fourth in the competition, not only congratulated and wished Balen Shah that day, but also rode the same vehicle with Balen in the victory procession starting from the National Assembly Hall.
A version of this article appears in the print on January 30, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
