Gagan Thapa Demands Public Release of 'Lal Aayog' Report on Madhes and Tharuhat Protests

Kathmandu. Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa has demanded the immediate public release of the report of the 'Lal Aayog' formed to investigate the violent incidents during the Madhes and Tharuhat movement. Thapa drew the attention of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers' Office on social media Facebook, stating that political parties have pledged to make the report public for a long time but have failed to implement it after coming to power. Thapa mentioned that the truth of the incidents has been obscured and victims have not received justice due to the non-publication of the report submitted by the commission led by former Supreme Court Justice Girishchandra Lal, formed in 2073 BS. 'Since 2074 BS, the demand to make the Lal Aayog report public has been raised almost every year,' Thapa wrote. 'Every time, we political parties have pledged to make the report public before going to the government, but after reaching the government, we have not been able to implement it.' Reminding that almost a decade has passed, he emphasized that past weaknesses should not be used as an excuse to withhold the report today. 'This work could not be done by past governments, but past weaknesses cannot and should not be a reason to not make the report public today,' he wrote. 'This time, let this issue not be limited to a commitment.' Thapa urged the Prime Minister's Office to respect the citizens' right to know the truth and the victims' right to justice and to make the report public without further delay. The government had formed the Lal Aayog in October 2073 BS to investigate the truth of the repression and violence during the 2072 BS Madhes movement. Although the commission submitted its report to the government in November 2074 BS, no government has made it public so far.