Kathmandu, 16 Sep: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) launched a campaign starting from its founding day (Asar 7), which brought a surge of momentum into the party’s internal life. The campaign was called “People’s Signatures Against the Political Vendetta on Rabi Lamichhane.”
To make the campaign effective, RSP leaders, cadres, and well-wishers naturally got involved. Some leaders from other parties and a few intellectuals even visited RSP’s central office and signed, saying that the government had treated Rabi with political vengeance. According to RSP’s claim, around four million people from inside and outside the country signed in support, stating that Rabi had been subjected to political vendetta.
Rabi had been sent to prison under a court order in the case of embezzling cooperative funds. However, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) strongly argued that Rabi had no connection whatsoever with the cooperative and that the then government had acted out of political revenge.
As the signature campaign spread from the central to the provincial, district, and grassroots levels, the RSP gained new momentum. Its leaders and cadres were energized, their morale was boosted, and the campaign itself became a powerful tool for building the party’s organizational strength.
The signature campaign, launched under the claim that the party president had been subjected to revenge, helped spread RSP’s publicity down to the grassroots level. The party’s organizational expansion gained momentum. RSP framed the case as “forcibly established,” alleging that the government, led by the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML, had deliberately played a role in sending him to prison. The collection of signatures through both physical and online systems continued up until the Gen Z movement.
Rabi Tried to use Gen Z’s Protest to his Advantage
On the second day of the Gen-Z movement, which had spread nationwide on 9 September, a group attacked Nakkhu Prison. Among those who reached the prison demanding Rabi’s release were RSP leaders, cadres, and well-wishers. A section of the demonstrators even attacked the prison located in Nakkhu, Lalitpur. On social media, some tried to incite the situation, saying: “Since the then Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has resigned, the real Home Minister who is in jail should be taken to Singha Durbar.”
When the crowd of protesters reached the prison and resorted to vandalism, the administration issued a paper and released Rabi. Acting Party President D.P. Aryal went to the prison to welcome him. Claiming that he had been released through due legal process, Rabi published a letter. In the letter, it was mentioned that he was freed under the Home Secretary’s directive in connection with the political case against him.
After Rabi’s release, prisoners across the country began protesting, demanding that they too be freed. Out of around 13,000 inmates who were released, only about 2,000 have returned to prison so far. The prison protests also led to the unnecessary deaths of 10 people.
There was widespread public criticism, saying that due to the wrong path shown by Lamichhane, even those involved in serious crimes had been freed. A few days later, the prison administration issued a notice stating that “no individual has been released through our official letter or order” and called on all the prisoners who had come out to return.
Approximately 1,500 prisoners were freed following Rabi’s escape
The prison administration called on all the absconding inmates to surrender and make contact. It also warned that if they did not immediately return to prison, their future legal rights, entitlements, and the process of social reintegration would be affected.
Rabi Destroyed RSP’s Reputation
In the incident of prisoners being released from jail, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) remained largely silent, though some leaders defended Rabi. After leaving prison, Rabi himself and Acting Party President D.P. Aryal released video messages defending the release. Within the party, however, there was an understanding that Rabi’s jailbreak had harmed RSP’s internal life. Leaders and cadres also began expressing concern over his conduct.
According to party sources, leader Sumana Shrestha, during a recent virtual meeting, criticized the party leadership for leaving prison at a time when riots were spreading across the country, saying it was inappropriate. She also criticized other leaders who were involved. Amid growing criticism from all sides, Rabi Lamichhane returned to Nakkhu Prison on Saturday evening after the prison administration requested the inmates who had walked out to return.
The party’s internal meetings have also raised questions regarding the incident of President Rabi being released from prison. In a virtual meeting held on Sunday, leaders from the central to grassroots levels expressed dissatisfaction, saying that some leaders had intervened to secure Rabi’s release.
There is discontent within the party because Rabi’s release helped other prisoners escape, led to vandalism and arson in the prison, and weakened the party’s moral standing. The fact that a person imprisoned under a court order walked out using forged documents has led to widespread criticism against the party.
