Kathmandu: Nagrik Unmukti Party (NaUPa) founder Resham Chaudhary has launched a scathing attack on former Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairperson Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), alleging selective justice and political hypocrisy. Speaking at a national gathering of Dalits, Tharu, indigenous peoples, minorities, and backward classes in Kathmandu on Saturday, Chaudhary accused the state of branding innocent people as killers while ignoring those who publicly admitted to killings.

“Killers Roam Free, Justice Is Dead”
Expressing deep frustration, Chaudhary said, “I am still accused of the Tikapur incident, even though I was not present there. But I am branded the biggest murderer. Meanwhile, those who openly admit to killings are roaming free and sitting in government.”

He further lamented that the Tharu community, which he claims never resorted to violence, has been labeled murderers, while those who have publicly acknowledged killings during the conflict era remain unpunished.

“Justice is dead in this country,” he declared. “What kind of rebellion should we now wage, and against whom?”

Anguish Over Social Perception and Political Bias
Chaudhary, who was convicted for his alleged role in the 2015 Tikapur violence, questioned the fairness of being continuously vilified by the public and on social media, while the leaders of armed movements enjoy political legitimacy and power.

He emotionally added: “Even the parents of the deceased child are with me morning and night. One of our children died. Still, they call me a murderer. The pain is unbearable.”

Alleges Conspiracy Over Diaspora Votes
In a politically charged segment of his speech, Chaudhary expressed suspicion about electoral manipulation, particularly targeting diaspora voting.

“Now they are colluding with those who hold foreign citizenship and live abroad, hoping to manipulate the next election,” he claimed, warning of an emerging conspiracy against true political representation.

Background: Tikapur Case and Political Relevance
Resham Chaudhary, a prominent Tharu leader, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2019 for his alleged involvement in the Tikapur incident, where seven police officers and a child were killed during a protest. Despite being elected to Parliament while in custody, his case remains a focal point in debates about state discrimination, transitional justice, and ethnic marginalization in Nepal.

His recent remarks have once again revived political tensions around conflict-era accountability, ethnic representation, and the double standards in the justice system.