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Rabi Lamichhane

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Honourable
Rabi Lamichhane
MP
रवि लामिछाने
Rabi Lamichhane during a Media Briefing
Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal
In office
6 March 2024 – 15 July 2024
PresidentRam Chandra Poudel
Prime MinisterPushpa Kamal Dahal
Preceded byPurna Bahadur Khadka
Succeeded byPrakash Man Singh
Bishnu Prasad Paudel
In office
26 December 2022 – 27 January 2023
PresidentBidhya Devi Bhandari
Prime MinisterPushpa Kamal Dahal
Preceded byRaghubir Mahaseth
Rajendra Mahato
Succeeded byPurna Bahadur Khadka
Minister of Home Affairs
In office
6 March 2024 – 15 July 2024
PresidentRam Chandra Poudel
Prime MinisterPushpa Kamal Dahal
Preceded byNarayan Kaji Shrestha
Succeeded byRamesh Lekhak
In office
26 December 2022 – 27 January 2023
PresidentBidhya Devi Bhandari
Prime MinisterPushpa Kamal Dahal
Preceded byBal Krishna Khand
Succeeded byNarayan Kaji Shrestha
Chairman of Rastriya Swatantra Party
Incumbent
Assumed office
29 January 2023
Preceded byDol Prasad Aryal (acting)
In office
1 July 2022 – 27 January 2023
Preceded byPosition created
Succeeded byDol Prasad Aryal (acting)
Member of Parliament, Pratinidhi Sabha
Incumbent
Assumed office
28 April 2023
Preceded byKrishna Bhakta Pokhrel
Succeeded byHimself
ConstituencyChitwan 2
In office
22 December 2022 – 27 January 2023
Preceded byHimself
ConstituencyChitwan 2
Personal details
Born (1975-06-11) 11 June 1975 (age 49)[citation needed]
Nagarkot, Kathmandu, Nepal
NationalityNepalese (until 2007; 2023-present)
American (2007–2017)
Political partyRastriya Swatantra Party
Spouse(s)
Isha Lamichhane
​
​
(m. 1995; div. 2019)​

​
(m. 2019)​
Parent
  • Lal Chandra Lamichhane (father)
Profession
  • Journalist
  • Politician

Rabi Lamichhane (Nepali: रवि लामिछाने; Nepali pronunciation: [ɾʌbi lamit͡sʰane]; born 11 June 1985[citation needed]) age 34 is a Nepalese politician (formerly an American national) who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of Nepal. An ex-journalist , Lamichhane became a member of the House of Representatives from Chitwan 2 on 28 April 2023, having previously represented the constituency from December 2022 to January 2023 before being stripped of his position by the Supreme Court.[1][2]

Prior to entering politics, Lamichhane was a well-known television personality. He gained popularity for his investigative journalism and social activism, particularly his coverage of social and political issues affecting marginalized communities in Nepal.[citation needed]

Broadcast career

[edit]

Lamichhane rose to fame as the host of a television show on the News24 aimed at setting the world record for the longest talk show in April 2013. He selected the 'Buddha was born in Nepal' theme in order to "help promote Nepal globally".[3] The previous record was set by two Ukrainian presenters who stayed on the air for 52 hours in 2011.[4] He interviewed politicians, journalists, and celebrities, and took phone calls from viewers. While he set the Guinness world record at over 62 hours in April 2013, the record has since been broken by Alexandru Raducanu of Romania, who hosted an over 72-hour-long show.[5]

Lamichhane went on to host the popular Sidha Kura Pradhanmantri Sanga (Straight Talk with the Prime minister) with prime minister KP Sharma Oli on the Nepal Television and News 24.[6] Later he went on to host Sidha Kura Janata Sanga on News24. The show's format has Lamichhane providing an editorial monologue alongside reporting, primarily the kind of sting journalism pioneered by the Indian news magazine Tehelka. Lamichhane follows up on complaints from ordinary people, chiefly victims of fraud or corruption, and confronts the alleged perpetrators on camera. The show has been described as "unapologetically nationalist, at times simplistic in its coverage of complex issues," and creating "a cult of personality around its host".[7][8] Lamichhane resigned from News24 in January 2021 and announced the launch of a new version of his show as Sidha Kura on Galaxy 4K TV.[9]

Political career

[edit]

On 16 June 2022, Lamichhane announced his resignation from Galaxy 4K TV in order to contest the 2022 general elections later in the year for a seat to the House of Representatives.[10] He announced the formation of a new political party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party on 21 June 2022.[11] He registered his candidacy from Chitwan 2.[12] His car was vandalized while on the campaign trail in Chitwan on 13 November 2022.[13]

Lamichhane was elected with a majority of 34,312 votes, defeating Nepali Congress' Umesh Shrestha, an incumbent minister of state, and CPN (UML)'s Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel, the incumbent member of the constituency.[14] In the aftermath of the election, his party supported Pushpa Kamal Dahal's nomination for prime minister, and Lamichhane led the RSP in government as deputy prime minister and minister for home affairs.[15][16]

During his campaign for the 2022 general election, a complaint was filed calling for his candidacy to be scrapped. The complainant claimed that Lamichhane had not renounced his Nepali citizenship while being an American citizen and Nepali law does not allow dual citizenship.[17][18] On 27 January 2022, the Supreme Court of Nepal ruled that Lamichhane did not follow due process to re-obtain his Nepali citizenship after renouncing his American citizenship, and thus, was not a legal Nepali citizen. This verdict effectively stripped Lamichhane of his position as deputy prime minister and minister of home affairs.[2]

After re-acquiring Nepali citizenship, he contested the by-election held for his Chitwan 2 seat in April 2023, and was re-elected securing an even greater margin of votes than in the 2022 general election.[19]

Electoral history

[edit]

2023 by-election

[edit]
CandidatePartyVotes%
Rabi LamichhaneRastriya Swatantra Party54,17670.03
Jit Narayan ShresthaNepali Congress11,21414.49
Ram Prasad NeupaneCPN (UML)10,93614.14
Others1,0401.34
Total77,366100.00
Majority42,962
Rastriya Swatantra Party hold
Source: ECN[20]

2022 general election

[edit]
CandidatePartyVotes%
Rabi LamichhaneRastriya Swatantra Party49,30061.05
Umesh ShresthaNepali Congress14,98818.56
Krishna Bhakta PokharelCPN (UML)14,65218.14
Others1,8132.25
Total80,753100.00
Majority34,312
Rastriya Swatantra Party gain
Source: ECN[21]
[edit]

Suicide incitement

[edit]

On 15 August 2019, police arrested Lamichhane from his News 24 office in connection with the suicide of journalist Shalikram Pudasaini.[22][23] In a video recorded before his death, Pudasaini, who had also worked for News24, had named Lamichhane, among others, as driving him to suicide.[6] Chitwan police charged Lamichhane, along with two others with abetment of suicide.[24][25] His arrest provoked widespread protest rallies in his support across the country with thousands of young people taking to the streets in Chitwan.[23][26][27] Protestors saw Lamichhane's arrest as an attempt to stifle his journalism and retaliation for his exposure of corruption in the state.[28] Chitwan District Court released Lamichhane on Rs 500,000 bail a few days later.[29] Judge Hemanta Rawal eventually cleared Lamichhane of all charges.[30]

Citizenship

[edit]

Lamichhane was an American citizen from 2007 to 2017. He claimed that his previous Nepali citizenship was revived following the renouncement of his American citizenship. A ruling of the Supreme Court of Nepal on 27 January 2023 removed him from all public offices (deputy prime minister and home minister; party chairman and parliamentary party leader) and as Member of Parliament for not following due process and obtaining a new Nepali citizenship after renouncing his American citizenship in 2017.[31] He re-acquired Nepali citizenship following due process on 29 January 2023.[32]

Dual passport

[edit]

In 2015, Rabi Lamichhane was accused of obtaining a Nepali passport while holding both U.S. and Nepali passports, which is illegal under Nepali law that forbids dual citizenship and passports.[33] The attorney general of Nepal declined to prosecute Lamichhane for passport issues, with the Supreme Court declining to consider it as part of their case regarding Lamichhane's citizenship.[34][35][36]

Cooperative

[edit]

In early 2024, Kantipur Daily began publishing a series of articles alleging Lamichhane's involvement in financial embezzlement from cooperatives.[37] Although the primary accused was Gitendra Babu Rai, who owned the cooperative, Lamichhane was alleged to be involved as his name and signature were on financial documents.[38] Lamichhane denied all accusations and said that his name and signature were misused.[39]

A parliamentary investigation committee was formed on May 18, 2024, to investigate fraud and embezzlement in Nepal's financial cooperatives.[40] The committee determined that Rai, Lamichhane, and Director Chhabilal Joshi operated a joint account to disburse salaries and allowances to cooperative employees.[41][42] Through spokesperson Manish Jha, the Rastriya Swatantra Party claimed that the report disproves Lamichhane's complicity, however Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan of the Rastriya Prajantra Party claimed that Lamichhane could still be prosecuted for his involvement.[43][44][45][46][47]

Criticism

[edit]

While Lamichhane has become a celebrity in Nepal, there are some who have raised questions about his style of journalism and the "cult of personality" that has sprung up around him. While his methods have borne results for the ordinary people on whose behalf he pursues cases of fraud and corruption, critics have pointed to his "nationalist posturing" and "simplistic storylines".[7]

On 5 February 2023, after being stripped of his positions as Home Minister and Member of Parliament by the Supreme Court over irregularities in his citizenship, Lamichhane held a news conference alleging that the Nepali mainstream media had framed him. He alleged that the owners of media houses like Kantipur Publications, Annapurna Media, Setopati and Onlinekhabar (12 Bhais) had their own conflicts of interest and had gotten together to defame him. The media called his accusations "attack on the entire media industry" and that Lamichhane had thrown a temper tantrum after losing his positions in government.[48][49]

Personal life

[edit]

Lamichhane was married to Isha Lamichhane for 24 years until their divorce in 2019. They had been separated for 10 years prior to their divorce.[50] He married the-then chair of the Nepal Film Development Board, Nikita Poudel, on 21 January 2019.[51]

See also

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References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Rabi Lamichhane elected from Chitwan-2". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Court strips Lamichhane of all posts over citizenship". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  3. ^ "Nepali hosts longest-ever talk show". BBC News. 13 April 2013. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  4. ^ "Nepalese presenter sets record for longest talk show - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". ABC News. ABC. 14 April 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  5. ^ "Longest marathon television talk show". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  6. ^ a b "६ महिनामै रविको सत्तायात्रा". ekantipur.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 31 January 2023.
  7. ^ a b "Everyone is talking about Rabi Lamichhane. Here's what you need to know about the law that had him detained". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  8. ^ Gill, Peter. "Why Nepal loves Rabi Lamichhane – and why some revile him - The Record". www.recordnepal.com. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Ravi Lamichhane quits News24 TV; Thursday's program to be the last episode". Khabarhub. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  10. ^ "Rabi Lamichhane exits TV to enter politics". OnlineKhabar. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  11. ^ "Rabi Lamichhane announces Nepal Independent Party - OnlineKhabar English News". 21 June 2022. Retrieved 24 June 2022.
  12. ^ Republica. "Rabi Lamichhane to contest HoR polls from Chitwan-2". My Republica. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  13. ^ "Rabi Lamichhane's car vandalized; RSP accuses govt of failing to provide election security - OnlineKhabar English News". 16 November 2022. Archived from the original on 16 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  14. ^ "Rabi Lamichhane elected from Chitwan-2". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  15. ^ "RSP to join govt under Chairman Rabi Lamichhane's leadership". Khabarhub. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  16. ^ Republica. "Lamichhane to lead RSP in Dahal-led govt". My Republica. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  17. ^ Republica. "EC seeks explanation from Ravi Lamichhane over citizenship controversy". My Republica. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  18. ^ "Issue over Lamichhane's citizenship gets complex". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  19. ^ "Rabi Lamichhane elected from Chitwan-2". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
  20. ^ "प्रतिनिधि सभा सदस्य उपनिर्वाचनमा उम्मेदवारहरुको सुची". Election Commission of Nepal.
  21. ^ "प्रतिनिधि सभा सदस्य निर्वाचनमा उम्मेदवारहरुको सुची". Election Commission of Nepal.
  22. ^ "पत्रकार दुर्व्यवहार र पक्राउको शैलीप्रति महासंघको ध्यानकर्षण || Federation of Nepali Journalists". fnjnepal.org. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  23. ^ a b Gill, Peter. "Popular Support Grows for Indicted Nepali Journalist". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  24. ^ "Pudasaini death mystery: TV host Lamichhane among three arrested". The Himalayan Times. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
  25. ^ "Suicide abetment charge lodged against three including Rabi Lamichhane". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  26. ^ "Lamichhane's supporters continue protest in Chitwan". The Himalayan Times. 17 August 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  27. ^ Magazine, New Spolight. "Angry Supporters Vandalized Police Vehicle In Chitwan". SpotlightNepal. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  28. ^ Magazine, New Spolight. "Rabi Lamichhane's Supporters Demanded His Unconditional Release". SpotlightNepal. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  29. ^ "Lamichhane, Kandel released on bail, Karki on general date". The Himalayan Times. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  30. ^ "Lamichhane gets clean chit in journo's suicide case". The Himalayan Times.
  31. ^ "रवि लामिछानेको सांसद पद खारेज". Onlinekhbar. Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  32. ^ "Rabi Lamichhane reacquires citizenship certificate". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  33. ^ "Rabi Lamichhane's passport case will be resolved as per passport laws: Supreme Court". The Kathmandu Post. 7 March 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  34. ^ Sharma, Bhasa. "Lamichhane passport case: One can file writ petition at SC against attorney general's decision not to prosecute him". Republica. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  35. ^ Media, Aawaaj (9 February 2023). "District Attorney's office begins investigation into dual passport case of Rabi Lamichhane". AawaajNews. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  36. ^ "Rabi Lamichhane passport case: Police say prosecution isn't necessary". OnlineKhabar English News. 19 March 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  37. ^ "ग्यालेक्सी टीभीका सञ्चालकले हिनामिना गरे १९ हजार पोखरेलीको डेढ अर्ब बचत". ekantipur.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  38. ^ "How Will Nepal's Government Respond to Victims of Loan Sharks?". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  39. ^ "Home Minister's explanation about misappropriation of co-operative funds: 'I have not taken a loan, my name is only written'". ekantipur.com (in Nepali). Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  40. ^ "Major parties agree to form panel to look into cooperative scam". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
  41. ^ Karki, Tapendra (20 October 2024). "Cooperative fraud case: Rabi Lamichhane found complicit, Dhanraj Gurung to be investigated". Republica. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  42. ^ "Special committee recommends action against Rabi Lamichhane". Ratopati. 16 September 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  43. ^ Poudel, Purushottam (17 September 2024). "Lamichhane guilty of cooperatives funds misuse, forgery: Probe". The Kathmandu Post. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  44. ^ "Rabi Lamichhane found guilty in misappropriation of cooperative savings". Nepal's Digital Newspaper. 20 October 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  45. ^ "Lamichhane arrested on fraud, organised crime charges". The Kathmandu Post. 19 October 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  46. ^ "Nepal Police arrest ex-Dy PM Rabi Lamichhane for organized crime, misappropriation of funds". ANI News. 18 October 2024. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  47. ^ "Rabi Lamichhane arrested on charge of embezzling cooperatives' savings". Republica. Retrieved 20 October 2024.
  48. ^ "FNJ condemns Rabi Lamichhane's remarks on media and media persons". kathmandupost.com. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  49. ^ "Diagnosing Rabi Lamichhane's character in relation to his recent tantrum - OnlineKhabar English News". 11 February 2023. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  50. ^ Magazine, New Spolight. "Media Person Rabi Lamicchane Secured Divorce From His Wife". SpotlightNepal. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
  51. ^ Republica. "Rabi Lamichhane and Nikita Poudel get married". My City. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
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