Home Minister Sudan Gurung rebuked his a lawmaker and whip of his own party in a WhatsApp group after she questioned the decision to place two controversial “religious leaders” on the stage at a Gen Z Memorial Day event.
In the WhatsApp group, comprising nearly a dozen Gen Z lawmakers, Gurung reportedly took a condescending tone toward Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Whip Krantishikha Dhital.
He accused Dhital of having “crossed the river and forgotten the stick,” questioning why she had not fought alongside them during the Gen Z movement.
Dhital responded: “Honorable Home Minister, you have shown no manners,” and told Gurung to “come out of the illusion that the Gen Z movement belongs to you alone.”
The dispute began over a Gen Z Memorial Day event held on September 8 at the old Parliament building in New Baneshwar.
Controversial religious figures had also been placed on the stage at the event. Dhital, who attended the event, expressed her dissatisfaction on social media and questioned their presence.
“I don’t know why the stage was set up that way. What was the significance of the religious figures who were there?” she wrote. “I don’t know how that event addressed the pain of the families who lost their children, or what those still carrying wounds from the movement understood from it.”
At the same event, Home Minister Gurung also expressed anger toward journalists.
He warned “three or four journalists” to “mend their ways,” although he did not specify whom he was referring to.
After the event, Dhital also questioned the minister’s remarks.
“Wasn’t it us who took to the streets last year demanding press freedom, an end to authoritarianism, and that everyone stay within the position they hold?” she wrote on Facebook. “We questioned the state. We asked those in power to be humble.”
She questioned why those now raising questions about the government were being met with threats and warnings.
“We took to the streets because the government at the time had violated freedom of expression. Are we now doing anything to strengthen freedom of expression?” Dhital wrote.
The exchange between Gurung and Dhital subsequently escalated in the WhatsApp group of Gen Z lawmakers.
Setopati viewed the WhatsApp conversation through a lawmaker on the condition that the source not be identified.
'Why did you speak about something you don’t know?'
Gurung mentioned Dhital in the group and wrote: “Krantishikha, why did you speak about something you don’t know?”
He then claimed that the New Baneshwar event had been organized by the families of martyrs and injured victims in their own way.
But Gurung’s language subsequently became more aggressive and condescending.
“We did not fight the movement for people who cross the river and then forget the stick,” he wrote. “I am going to say this in Parliament. Those who write statuses for everyone to see will now have to listen.”
He accused Dhital of not understanding the essence of the movement and compared her with other lawmakers who, he said, had risked their lives during the protests.
“You neither understand the essence of the movement nor came like our other lawmakers who risked their lives in it. You don’t want to understand or ask. You just post a status without thinking and try to show your own party and your own colleagues as weak?” he wrote.
Gurung also wrote: “You talk about the party. We don’t need you to speak on our behalf.”
'Honorable Home Minister, you have no manners'
Some lawmakers in the group appeared to try to stop the dispute from escalating.
Lawmaker Bablu Gupta urged the two not to quarrel.
Khima Bishwakarma also raised questions about the people who had participated in the New Baneshwar event.
A lawmaker named Sadun said in the group that he had always found himself alone when speaking up for Gen Z.
Responding to him, Gurung wrote: “Everyone in Parliament must have come through that Gen Z movement, each and every one.”
As the home minister continued to respond in a condescending manner, Dhital hit back.
“Home Minister, you have no manners,” she wrote.
She then warned Gurung that no individual could claim ownership of the Gen Z movement.
“If you think the Gen Z demands can be fulfilled by keeping criminals beside you, and if you think the Gen Z movement belongs to you alone, come out of that illusion,” Dhital wrote. “See you in Parliament. I feel pity for you.”
'You don’t need to teach me manners'
Gurung responded again.
“Hello Krantishikha, you don’t need to teach me manners,” he wrote. “Stay in your place. I feel more pity for you.”
He then again invoked the phrase about crossing the river and forgetting the stick, questioning Dhital’s role in the movement.
“Let’s not forget how you came [to Parliament], haha... Did you fight alongside us? Where were you? Where were you when Gen Z ran the government for six months? And now you’re making big statements after eating the ripe fruit?” he wrote., haha... Did you fight alongside us? Where were you? Where were you when Gen Z ran the government for six months? And now you’re making big statements after enjoying the ripe fruit?” he wrote.
As the dispute between members of the same party intensified, lawmaker Sushant Vaidik attempted to mediate.
“If there is some confusion, let’s sit down and resolve it,” Vaidik wrote. “Even if the government is ours, power has not yet become ours. There are difficulties in the judiciary. Let’s make a plan for how to move forward.”
He warned that if Gen Z lawmakers within the party continued fighting among themselves, it would become difficult to deliver justice to victims outside the party.
“If we, the Gen Z members within the party, start fighting among ourselves, how will we deliver justice to those outside?” he wrote.
But Gurung continued to express his anger.
“If you had come after fighting like we did, you would know the importance of this government. And now you’re teaching me manners... Stay in your place and learn some manners yourself, understand?” he wrote.
Dhital says she has ‘no personal issues’
Setopati sought Dhital’s response to Gurung’s rebuke.
She said that she was unaware of the messages in the WhatsApp group and maintained that she had no personal issues with the home minister.
“I don’t know which messages you saw,” Dhital said. “I have spoken with the home minister personally. There is no problem.”
The WhatsApp group includes RSP lawmakers Karishma Kathariya, KP Khanal, Rachana Khatri, Srishti Bhattarai, Smriti Senchury, Prashant Upreti, Shiva Yadav, Aakriti Awasthi, Khima Bishwakarma, Prashant Vaidik, Bablu Gupta, and Afsana Banu, among others.
