Rusha Thapa

Bhaktapur. It is said that the people we love the most are our parents, who gave us life, and our motherland. However, the number of Nepalis going abroad for employment or education and obtaining permanent residency or green cards there is increasing. Forgetting their parents, motherland, hometowns, friends, and everyone else, they give up their Nepali citizenship and obtain PR or green cards.

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane is also a person who has already given up his motherland and citizenship. He went to the United States in 2056 BS (1999/2000 AD) to earn money. In 2066 BS (2009/10 AD), he renounced his Nepali citizenship and passport and obtained U.S. permanent residency. Due to family problems and legal issues in the United States, he came to Nepal on a visit visa in Jestha 2071 BS (May/June 2014).

After that, he hosted a program called “Sidha Kura Janatasanga” on News 24 Television. For a long time after returning to Nepal, he did not begin the process of reacquiring Nepali citizenship, while he entered journalism without a press card. He became highly popular through the program. The reason was that he opposed political party leaders. He used to expose the wrongdoings of political leaders.

Meanwhile, his fellow journalist Shalikram Pudasaini died by suicide. He was from Nuwakot and was living in a rented room in Kathmandu, but went to Chitwan and died by suicide there. Before his death, Pudasaini recorded a video in which he stated that Rabi Lamichhane had forced him to take this step. Rabi was arrested from the newsroom in connection with Pudasaini’s suicide case.

The television where he worked then broadcast reports on the investigation and portrayed Rabi as innocent, as though it were a judge. It also encouraged the general public to take to the streets. Rabi’s wife, Nikita, was a royalist at the time. After she became chairperson of the Film Development Board and was associated with royalist politics, royalists, along with artists, also took to the streets in support of Rabi. When the crowd in Chitwan became difficult for authorities to control, the police came under pressure and prepared a weak case file. The judge then released Rabi on bail and required him to appear as scheduled.

While in police custody, seeing the huge crowds taking to the streets in his support boosted Rabi’s confidence even further. He reportedly developed the impression that nothing would happen to him even if he made a major mistake. After this, local elections were held in Baisakh 2079 BS (April/May 2022). Independent candidate Balendra Shah (Balen) won the election for mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City. Seeing this, Rabi also entered politics. On Ashadh 7, 2079 BS (June 22, 2022), he registered the Rastriya Swatantra Party.

At the time of registering the party, he allegedly misused the citizenship he had previously renounced. The law clearly states that a cancelled Nepali citizenship must be surrendered to the concerned authority. However, Rabi did not surrender it and kept it with him. He allegedly used the same citizenship to register his political party. On Mangsir 4, 2079 BS (November 20, 2022), elections for the House of Representatives and Provincial Assemblies were held. Rabi won from Chitwan Constituency No. 2.

The RSP won 21 seats in the election. Nepali Congress won 89, UML 78, Maoist Centre 32, and Rastriya Prajatantra Party 14 seats. On Poush 11, Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda,” then chairman of the Maoist Centre, formed the government. Despite promising before the election that he would not join the government, Rabi became Home Minister in the Prachanda-led government. It was then determined that he was not a Nepali citizen at that time.

Following the Supreme Court’s verdict, he lost his position as Home Minister, his parliamentary seat, his party chairmanship, and other positions within just 32 days. Only then did he submit an application to the District Administration Office in Kathmandu to reacquire Nepali citizenship and obtained citizenship again. Because of Rabi’s case, a by-election had to be held in Chitwan. He was elected again in the by-election held on Baisakh 10, 2080 BS (April 23, 2023).

While Rabi was in Chitwan for the by-election campaign, his driver died after falling from the roof of a hotel. The incident was allegedly covered up. There have also been allegations that the driver was murdered and that Rabi and others were involved.

After being elected as an MP in the by-election, Rabi became Home Minister for the second time but became embroiled in allegations related to cooperative fraud.

He was accused of misappropriating billions of rupees from cooperatives in collaboration with GB Rai. He subsequently lost his position as Home Minister and was suspended as a member of parliament. However, he described the action as political revenge and spread the claim that he was being targeted because he was preparing to open major corruption files. Rabi has also faced allegations of misappropriating millions of rupees in the name of constructing Rasikot Hospital in Kalikot.

Meanwhile, money deposited by ordinary citizens in five cooperatives was allegedly invested by GB Rai and Rabi in Galaxy Television. After Rabi entered politics, Galaxy Television collapsed. Along with it, the cooperative funds also collapsed. GB Rai subsequently went missing. Rabi was taken into police custody. Cases related to cooperative fraud against him are still under consideration in five courts.

Rabi was released from jail after paying bail of more than 1 billion rupees. The cases against him involving organized crime and money laundering, however, were withdrawn.

On Bhadra 23 and 24, 2082 BS (September 8 and 9, 2025), the Gen Z movement took place. Both Balen and Rabi supported the movement. Rabi, who was in Nakkhu Jail, even issued a statement supporting the Gen Z movement, while Balen expressed his support through a Facebook post.

Nineteen people lost their lives during the protests on the 23rd. Rabi instructed his party’s lawmakers to resign immediately. The following day, RSP supporters took Rabi out of jail. After his release, Singha Durbar, the courts, the President’s Office, the Prime Minister’s residence, and other government buildings were set on fire. A total of 77 people lost their lives during the Gen Z movement. Thousands were injured or disabled.

Government structures suffered damage worth Rs. 84.7745 billion. Private property suffered losses estimated at Rs. 2.7 trillion. Billions of rupees of state funds were spent on treating the injured. Only 45 of the deceased were declared martyrs. Their families were provided Rs. 1.5 million in compensation and are also receiving monthly pensions. The families of those who were not declared martyrs received neither compensation nor pensions.

Following the Gen Z movement, Sushila Karki became Prime Minister on Bhadra 27. On the same day she assumed office, she announced the date for the House of Representatives election as Falgun 21. Attorney General Sabita Bhandari, who served under the Karki government, withdrew the organized crime and money laundering cases against Rabi.

Rabi and Balen entered the election together. Balen resigned as mayor of Kathmandu and became a senior leader of the RSP. He contested the election from Jhapa and won. Balen had gained attention through provocative and allegedly disorderly statements, including threats to burn Singha Durbar and bury political leaders in the Tukucha, after traffic police stopped a government vehicle carrying his wife. He is now the Prime Minister.

However, within just five months of Balen’s government being formed, widespread anger and disappointment among the public have already emerged. He is being criticized for failing to accomplish anything significant even with a single-party government. This suggests that sooner or later, Balen and Rabi may also face the same fate that befell the Nepali Congress, UML, and Maoist leaders on Bhadra 24.