A demonstration was held at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu on Monday against the government’s decision to appoint singer Ani Choying Drolma as vice-chairperson of the Lumbini Development Trust.
The protest rally was jointly organized by the National Gen Z Citizens’ Campaign, Tamang Civil Society, the Gumba Bihar Conservation Trust, and the Struggle Committee for the Protection of the Lumbini Development Trust and Gumba Development Committee.
The protesters demanded that the government immediately investigate the controversy surrounding Drolma’s citizenship. They called for her appointment to be revoked and another person from the Tamang community to be appointed vice-chairperson if the allegations are substantiated. They said that if the allegations are found to be false, those making them should be punished in accordance with the law.
The protesters argued that while members of other communities have had opportunities to lead the Lumbini Development Trust, the Tamang community – which accounts for a significant proportion of Nepal’s Buddhist population – has not been given such an opportunity. Therefore, they insisted, the leadership should be selected from the Tamang community this time.
A Cabinet meeting on October 16 decided to appoint Ani Choying Drolma (Choying Drolma Lama Moktan) as vice-chairperson of the trust, following a proposal from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation. The appointment was met with opposition, alleging that it was made at a time when questions were being publicly raised about her citizenship and financial transactions.
Earlier, Akram Khan, chairperson of the Save Lumbini Campaign, had also demanded that the appointment be revoked. He called for an impartial investigation into Drolma’s citizenship and the source of funds received from abroad.
Khan raised questions about the sum of US$1,649,940 that entered Nepal from Hong Kong in 2019, saying the government should clarify its source and financial transparency. According to Khan, a bank account had previously been frozen and an investigation launched in connection with the funds. However, publicly available information does not clearly establish the findings of the relevant authorities regarding these allegations and claims.
Khan also called for investigations into alleged irregularities carried out in the name of protecting and developing archaeological heritage in Lumbini. He warned that a phased protest movement would be launched if the government did not reverse the appointment.
The protesters urged the government to resolve the controversy surrounding Drolma’s appointment through an impartial process and to take local communities’ sentiments and heritage conservation into account when selecting the leadership of the Lumbini Development Trust.
