BIRATNAGAR: Koshi Province Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki has stated that the nation must learn serious lessons from the destruction caused during the Gen Z protests that occurred on Sept. 8 and 9 of last year.
Marking the one-year anniversary of the movement, Karki noted that the country was set back significantly after vital administrative and physical structures were destroyed.
The protests resulted in the deaths of more than 76 demonstrators nationwide. In Koshi Province, the Chief Minister’s office, the provincial assembly, and various ministries sustained significant damage. Karki described the events as a dark and tragic day that the Nepali people will remember for a lifetime. He remarked, ‘We are currently standing on those piles of ash, shaking off the dust and moving forward.’
Karki admitted that the physical reconstruction of the damaged structures is not yet complete and that the administration remains mentally affected by the ordeal. ‘We have still not been able to restore our ministries as we had envisioned,’ he said.
He emphasized that attacking national property and infrastructure in the name of protest is wrong. ‘Political rebellion may have its place, but burning our buildings, heritage, and assets means burning our own future,’ Karki added.
Regarding the current government, Karki suggested that the mandate received in the election should be utilized to ensure good governance within the framework of the constitution and the law. He stressed that both established and new political parties must reflect on their shortcomings and work in the best interest of the nation and its people.
