Timid Kantipur

By Harsha Man Maharjan

On 26 April 2007 (16 Baisakh 2064 v.s ), Kantipur, a Nepali broadsheet daily did a scoop on Rayamajhi Ayog. It has byline by Bal Krishna Basnet. He got Rayamajhi Commission’s report form a source. The government has kept this report secret after members of the commission submitted the report.

On that day I praised Kantipur for the scoop. I think every Nepali has right to know what is written in the commission’s report. It is a public property. So as the government was not making it public, I think it is kantipur’s responsibility to publish the report. I hoped that kantipur will not lag behind on this matter. What I remembered on that day was Pentagon papers of America. American government kept secret Pentagon papers related to its involvement in Vietnam War Few newspapers got the papers. When they published the papers in different parts the government ordered to stop publishing the papers and the case went to court. And the court gave verdict on the favour of newspapers.

That’s why I hoped that Kantipur would publish the report next day. I was waiting the paper next day with bated breath. What the paper had was only an editorial on the report of Rayamajhi Commission.
I waited for another day. There was no commission’s report. So in the evening I called Katipur’s editor, Narayan Wagle in his mobile phone to know about the issue. No one responded me. Next I tried in Guna Raj Luintel’s mobile. He was in a program and with out knowing my concern he told me to contact him after an hour. At last I called at Kantipur publication and talked with my colleague, Lekh Nath Pandey. He informed me that Kantipur only got part two of the report and they were thinking about publishing it.

I think still today Kantipur is thinking about issue and it is showing no courage to publish this commission’s report. Isn’t it Kantipur’s duty to publish the report?