SINGER GANESH PRASAD SHRESTHA DEAD

OFFICES IN 9 FAR-WEST DISTRICTS CLOSED DOWN

Kathmandu, 23 June: Government offices in nine districts of the far-West remained closed on Thursday as well.
Officials are protesting delayed investigation action against persons responsible for the murder of Dodhara VDC of Kanchanpur district and compensation for the family of Yagya Prasad Upadhaya.
Upadhaya’s body was recovered 16 June from a community forest near the Nepal-India border earlier this month.
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SINGER GANESH PRASAD SHRESTHA DEAD

Kathmandu, 23 June: Singer Ganesh Prasad Shrestha died Thursday.
He was 77 and was suffering asthma.
Shrestha was admitted for treatment at TU Teaching Hospital overnight.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“As Minister Mahara, who is a Maoist, issued a biased directive to police to round up Parshuram at all costs, we will not be handing him over to police.”

(Central Chief of UML Youth Force Mahesh Basnet, The Himalayan Times, 23 June)
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“It is now clear why party president Sushil Koirala, Shitaula and other office bearers, who defended Rubel Chaudhary during the Tiger Tops shooting controversy, have been keeping mum on the Sudan scam.”

(Unidentified NC leader in The Kathmandu Post, 23 June)

“The anti-grant body has accused innocent police officers just because they signed the minutes concerning the purchase. I have serious reservations on it. Everybody knows how independent our institutions are.”

(NC leader Arjun Narsingh KC, The Kathmandu Post, 23 June)
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AMBAR GURUNG, FATHEMAN RAJBHANDARI ELATED WITH GOVT. RECOGNITION

Kathmandu, 23 June: Composer Late Gopal Prasad Rimal, Musician Ambar Gurung and Singer Fatheman Rajbhandari of “Rato Ra Chandra Surya Jangi Nisan Hamro”—the inspiring military song—were honoured by the cabinet Wednesday.
The cabinet conferred on Rimal and Gurung the rank of honourary colon of Nepal Army.
Rajbhandari received a cash award from the Army Welfare Fund.
“I am extremely gladdened by the government decision. This is not only an honour of us but every Nepali who is proud of the national song and nation,” Gurung told Annapurna Post.
“I remember most the composer of the song.” Rajbhandari said.
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ALTOGETHER 1,725 FORMER MAOIST FIGHTERS PASS THIS YEAR’S SLC EXAMS

Kathmandu, 23 June: Altogether 1,725 former Maoists in 28 cantonments and satellite camps passed this year’s SLC examinations, Annapurna Post reports.
Altogether 97.3percent or 817 fighters of the 5th division in Rolpa got through.
Another 191 fighters passed from the 1st division at Chulachuli in Ilam.
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NEW CITY POLICY CHIEF COULD BE NEXT IGP
Kathmandu, 23 June:: The government promoted Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Kuber Singh Rana, reputed to be a clean and professional cop, to the post of Additional Inspector General (AIG) on Wednesday, picking him as the country´s future police chief after incumbent Inspector General of Police (IGP) Rabindra Pratap Shah, Sundr Khanal writes in Republica.

Rana now fills the place left vacant by Shah, who a couple of weeks ago replaced his batch-mate Ramesh Chand in the wake of the APC scandal.

Rana will be reigning over the Nepal Police for 14 months from September, 2012, and given his integrity and professionalism, it is hoped he will make a difference in the usually politically-tormented law enforcement agency.

The promotion has come amid an awful lot of hype and guesswork as it is about ensuring ascent to the top police job. The government has quite significantly chosen to go for a lone promotion at a time when there are two other vacancies at the AIG level created by the suspension of Arjun Jung Shahi and Madan Bahadur Khadka in connection with the APC scandal.

Had all three vacancies been filled simultaneously--this was a matter for significant debate within the government-- it would not necessarily have meant that promising for Rana, who has never been known for any political allegiances or unsound conduct.

"He is the most competent officer in the Nepal Police, with incomparable integrity. He is an impeccable cop," said SP Ramesh Kharel, who himself is known for absolute policing.

"During my posting in Kaski district, he was the regional chief as DIG. Never did I feel any problem working with him and it was always a boon to be commanded by him," Kharel said.

Every police officer approached by Republica expressed contentment at Rana´s promotion, though unlike Kharel they requested not to be named.

Recruited in 2040 BS as a police inspector, Rana was exemplary as someone who never misused his power, said Kharel. "He´s that kind of a guy."

"If conspiracies do not have their way in this unpredictable country, we´ll hopefully find the smartest IGP in Rana," said an SP trained as a police cadet by Rana some 17 years ago. "I can´t believe that at this stage in his career he will start knocking on the doors of political leaders, something he never did before."

Rana has occasionally been dragged into controversy surrounding the murder of someone in Dhanusha at the hands of the Nepal Army during the insurgency when he was posted there as district police chief. "Bringing him down over that case would be nothing but pure injustice. This decision has quelled fears that he could be let down because of that case," said officials.
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