Keshav Sthapit has responded to the questions raised about allegations of sexual harassment in the past condescendingly and frivolously after filing nominations for mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City on CPN-UML’s ticket on Monday.
When asked about the allegations Sthapit stated that a person like him is talked about from time to time. “Mad persons don’t need to pay to take medicine. I have nothing to say. There is one episode from time to time. I don’t become Keshav Sthapit if the issue about a personality like me is not raised!” he quipped when asked about the allegations of sexual harassment by Setopati.
“Can someone who is not mired in controversy be Keshav Sthapit? Should repeatedly be mired. I am someone who has registered application for addition of five cases when 50 cases have been lodged (against me).”
Rashmila Maharjan, who was an officer with Kathmandu Metropolitan City when Sthapit was mayor, and journalist Ujjwala Maharjan, who worked with Republica in early 2010s, had accused Sthapit of sexual harassment around four years back as women across the globe took to the social media reliving sexual harassment they faced in the past as part of #MeToo campaign.
