Rabi Lamichhane Says People Must Shape the Nation’s Future, Old Parties Don’t Deserve Even Opposition Role

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairperson Rabi Lamichhane has said that the responsibility of shaping the country’s future now lies in the hands of the people, adding that the old political parties should not even be kept in the role of the opposition.

Addressing a party program in Chitwan on Thursday, Lamichhane said the old parties have turned the entire country into a prison and that a struggle now remains to free the nation from that captivity.

“Now we must write our own future ourselves. We will not even keep them in the opposition. Why should we? For what purpose? To keep them so they can aim bullets at the heads and chests of innocent children?” he said. “Let me be clear—I am not being sarcastic. I am hurt. What the state did to me has caused pain. But this is no longer a personal matter. This is about the entire country. I said even from prison—why worry that they jailed me, when they have turned the entire country into a jail? Now the task is to free the whole country from that prison. If a fight remains, I have no hesitation in fighting it.”

Lamichhane also said that his personal suffering is insignificant compared to the pain of the nation, and that he has the courage to forgive those who planned and sought revenge against him.

“My personal pain is nothing compared to the country’s pain. We can settle that later. I am not driven by revenge. Those who planned and took revenge against me—I have the heart to forgive them,” he said.

He further claimed that “swords are still hanging” over him in five different cases and could fall at any time, but said he is not afraid. He added that repeated legal troubles prevented him from fulfilling many promises he made to the people, but vowed not to let a single tear shed by the public for him go to waste.

“The sword hanging over me is still there in five places. It can fall anytime—let it fall, I don’t care. But I will free this country from their trap. Respected parents, brothers and sisters, as the MP you elected, I could not work to the extent I pledged my life for. I couldn’t come to your homes and courtyards. Because of repeated cases and hassles, I couldn’t fulfill many of my promises. I never got that opportunity. But I remember the tears you shed for me. I will not let even a single drop of those tears go to waste,” Lamichhane said.