Ishwar Khanal

Kathmandu, May 27:

Foaming at the mouth, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today cut a bellicose figure — one seemingly disposed to the extent of even physically launching an assault on the the jury of the Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC). No sooner did Deuba enter the hall than he let out a war whoop. For a moment, none present realised what the jury was in for. “Why are we (himself, and former minister Prakash Man Singh who had already arrived and was sitting quietly) not allowed to talk to mediapersons?” Deuba hollered after taking a seat in the makeshift courtroom. The salvos coming from “Lion of the Far West” enlivened the proceedings. The RCCC bench comprising chairman Bhakta Bahadur Koirala, members Raghu Chandra Bahadur Singh and Hari Babu Chaudhary “begged to differ” with the NC(D) boss, reminding him that the commission had in no way prevented those arrested for abuse of authority and under trial from talking to the media.

“No, no, there have been absolutely no anomalies on the issue at all. You all are free to talk to reporters,” Koirala tried to pacify Deuba and Singh who, too, raised the issue of stringent security ruling out contact with reporters. Koirala assured the duo that the desired level of media contact would be ensured. “I will look into it,” he added. Clad nattily in an off-white daura surwal, Deuba took potshots at the jury and lost not a single opportunity of spitting venom at it. The presence of mediapersons seemed to whet his appetite. “No, no this (interaction with media) has not happened...we are not allowed to talk to them ... you are meting out injustice to us,” Deuba said, adjusting his spectacles in his inimitable style.

Repeatedly, he thundered at the jury, “I am someone who has been the prime minister three times over,” by way of expressing bitterness and resentment at what he has been facing since his arrest over alleged irregularities in the Melamchi project. The proceedings will resume on Sunday.