Panchayat-era democracy champion neglected

Rajbiraj, November 10

Having sacrificed the greater part of his life for democracy, Madhukanta Singh, 72, has been bed-ridden at home in Saptari, Babhangamakatti, for the past five years.

A liver patient, the septuagenarian struggles to survive as his family scrambles to manage fund for his treatment.

Recollecting the days when he was imprisoned alongside late Subarna Shamsher, late Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, late Girija Prasad and other NC leaders for years for the alleged conspiracy against the then Panchayat regime, the democratic leader bemoaned the neglect shown by the government and political leaders now.

“NC leaders including Sher Bahadur Deuba and Ramchandra Paudel are among those with whom I did time in the Nakkhu jail for three years, but now nobody bothers to see me when I’m sick,” he said. Singh, who had participated in all agitations called by the NC, also spent two years in Rajbiraj prison.

According to the septuagenarian’s son Indrabhushan, around Rs 32,000 is spent for his father’s treatment every month. “We’ve spent 3.2 million rupees for his treatment so far and he’s yet to be cured.

As all our property is almost finished in his treatment, we don’t know how we will be able to manage fund for his further treatment,” he said.