One month of Jaisingh Dhami's disappearance: Unnatural delay of the government in the investigation report

 

Preparations are underway to extend the term of the investigation committee formed for the fourth time to prepare the report within 10 days. 

I will not talk about the Darchula incident today, I will talk tomorrow: Bal Krishna Khan, Home Minister

The government has shown diplomatic helplessness in the disappearance of Jaisingh Dhami Mahakali of Darchula and has started delaying the investigation of the incident. Even a month after Dhami's disappearance, his condition has not been ascertained and no government investigation report has been prepared. 

It has been exactly one month since Dhami went missing on Tuesday. The role of the government during this period has been seen as 'unnatural and dubious'. The government did not engage in diplomatic dialogue with India to bring the perpetrators to justice. Instead, the term of the committee formed to investigate the incident was extended three times. According to sources, the Home Ministry is preparing to extend the term of the committee again on Tuesday. 

Dhami had gone missing in Mahakali on July 31 after an Indian Border Security Force (BSF) jawan untied a rope while crossing the Tuin on his way to Khalanga district headquarters. Two days later, on 17 July, the government formed an investigation committee headed by Home Ministry Joint Secretary Janardan Gautam. 

According to a Home Ministry source, the government has shown reluctance to talk to India after a quick investigation. The Home Ministry has instructed the officials of the investigation committee not to rush into the report. As a result, even two weeks after the committee members returned from the scene, the work of writing the report has not been completed. 

The government has been saying that it will discuss the matter with India only after the investigation report comes out. However, Home Ministry officials said that the government was trying to cover up the issue as much as possible. Home Minister Bal Krishna Khan is preparing to extend the term of the probe committee on Tuesday. 

It was said that the report could not be prepared as two members of the committee were on leave last year. However, now that both members have returned to work, the report has not been finalized. According to committee sources, even though the report is in the final stage, it has been discussed to submit it in a few days. Accordingly, the committee is preparing to file an application at home on Tuesday asking for more time. It has been two weeks since the investigation team reached Darchula. The term of the committee has already been extended three times, citing the non-preparation of the report. Initially, the committee was formed to submit the report within 10 days. 

Joint Secretary Janardan Gautam, who is the coordinator of the committee, had come to Kathmandu from Darchula earlier than other members due to family reasons. In which, a high-ranking official of the House had asked, "Why did you come so soon?" Home officials have also expressed surprise that two other members of the committee investigating such a sensitive issue have been given long leave. 

Home Minister Bal Krishna Khan, on the other hand, claimed that the government was in favor of the report coming soon. "We have said that there should be no delay in the report," he said. Other parties in the ruling coalition have also started asking questions to the Prime Minister on this issue. At a meeting of the ruling coalition held in Baluwatar on Monday, leaders of other parties expressed their dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and demanded a clear view. 

During the on-site monitoring and conversation, eyewitnesses and Dhami's family said that Dhami went missing in Mahakali after the SSB untied Tuin's rope. The report is being written based on eyewitness accounts. It is feared that the report has been delayed "as planned" as there will be pressure to talk to India immediately. 

The government has been criticized for failing to respond to the Darchula incident even diplomatically. The government has not discussed the issue with India on the pretext that the report has not been prepared. Former Chairman of the Public Service Commission Umesh Prasad Mainali, who is also a former Home Secretary, said that the government's weakness was seen in the case and that it has increased the people's apprehension towards the government. "From the outside, the report seems to be getting a little late," he said. 

Prime Minister Deuba said that the ruling coalition was dissatisfied with the delay in the report

Dissatisfaction has also increased within the ruling coalition over the government's delay in preparing the investigation report into the Darchula incident. Leaders of the UCPN (Maoist), CPN (Unified Socialist) and Janata Samajwadi had asked Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba about the issue at a meeting of the coalition on Monday. 

A month after the incident, the government team's failure to prepare a report has raised public questions about the government.

His suggestion was to make the government's opinion on the report and the incident public as soon as possible. "We have questioned why the report on the Jaisingh Dhami case has been delayed and why the government's stance on the incident has not been made public yet," Bhusal said. "However, the prime minister has not given a clear answer." He has said that it will be made public soon.

Diplomatic initiative zero for a month

One month after the Darchula incident, the government has neither persuaded India for a joint investigation nor made a diplomatic effort at the central level. Foreign Ministry officials have reiterated that talks with India are not possible without the report of the inquiry committee. But former foreign ministers and diplomatic experts say there is no need to wait for a government report to negotiate with India. 

A senior foreign official said he could not hold talks with India due to a lack of a report from the home ministry. "We have been saying that there is no diplomatic effort without evidence, we can't do anything until the government committee submits a report," the official said. "This is the prevailing diplomatic practice." 

Former Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey said that the government's inability to express its objections and dissatisfaction with India even after the death of its citizens was a diplomatic weakness. 'Why did the Nepali government refrain from using the prevailing diplomatic means in this inhumane incident? Why the government could not protest is a matter of concern, 'he said.

Former Ambassador Dr. Stating that civil security should be the priority of every government, Dinesh Bhattarai said that the government has not been able to take appropriate decision in the Darchula incident. He said, 'The schooling we have learned from BP Koirala is not like this. The government should have raised the issue of civil security with India. There can be no greater priority for the nation than civil security. 

UML foreign affairs chief and foreign affairs expert Dr. Rajan Bhattarai said that the Nepali government had failed to hold talks with India over the Darchula incident. 'Shouldn't the government negotiate with India through diplomatic channels when its citizens are killed? Shouldn't the investigation be coordinated by both sides? The government's role in this incident does not seem to be responsible, 'he said.

Should the government speak when a citizen is killed or not? : Dr. Rajan Bhattarai, UML foreign affairs chief

We have not received any information that the government has talked to India about the Darchula incident. We do not know if the initiative was taken through diplomatic channels. Should the government speak when a citizen is killed or not? The border between Nepal and India is open. People have died after falling into the Mahakali River after a rope was untied while they were crossing the river from Tuin. The government's silence on this is very inappropriate. The government should take immediate diplomatic action in this case. The involvement of both sides should be investigated.

Deadline Series

• 17 August:  Secretary Janardan Gautam probe committee, 10 days, 
• 25 August:  work beyond the Committee for the first time seven days, and more
• 1 August:  the investigation has not been completed in the Committee for the second seven-day deadline 
• 8 September:  The committee of two members leave the third seven-day deadline, saying more 
• 15 September:  the third term is running out on Tuesday, but the report has not been prepared