KATHMANDU: Singer Pashupati Sharma surprised the Nepali populace with the drop of his new song ‘Lutna sakay lut’ loaded with sardonic lyrics.

From a popular singer, Sharma became an overnight controversial star after his newly-released song went viral on the Internet.

Amid speculations that the government removed the song from YouTube, singer Sharma wrote on his Facebook clarifying that he removed the song himself after his friends, fans and well-wishers “suggested” him to do so.

Nepal’s social media was flooded with comments — positive and negative, and a few quips from his haters – for the new track that he released on Thursday.

Facebook posts show that many people have been mesmerized by the song and the lyrics, though the video looks not very exciting. Social media are still flooded with interesting arguments, debates, and disputes between the supporters and opponents of the song.

Amid speculations that the government removed the song from YouTube, singer Sharma wrote on his Facebook clarifying that he removed the song himself after his friends, fans and well-wishers “suggested” him to do so.

However, it has been reported that the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) expressed serious objection on the lyrics of the song that ridiculed President Bidya Devi Bhandari for her interest to ride on an expensive and sophisticated helicopter.

Singer Sharma sarcastically mentions that Nepal, despite being heaven, has been ruled by devils while making a mockery of the failure to develop the country’s infrastructure.

Now that, judicious he seemed to be, he has vowed to re-release the song and upload it on YouTube after revising the ‘controversial’ words. “I will come up with the song at the earliest with some amendments,” he wrote on his Facebook wall.

Singer Sharma has also denied having chosen the lyrics on the basis of political bias or prejudice. “I do not have any political inclination,” he says.

The song, according to observers, has been a satire that ridicules the country’s current political and bureaucratic system. “This shows dissatisfaction towards the government and the political parties,” comments Rama Acharya, a businesswoman.

Sharma has tried to envisage the government’s failure in delivery as promised to the people. “The government and the parties made tall promises, which they failed to deliver,” the lyrics of the song says.

Interestingly, the song expresses how a government clerk erected a posh house in the capital city worth over 15 million within a few years of joining the service. The song has given the messages that everyone can ‘loot’ this country and that no one gets punished for any acts of corruption. The song gives the impression that Nepal is the only country where one indulges in amassing wealth through corruption. Sharma released the song coinciding with the government’s completion of one year tenure.

PAANCHTAR: Lightning has claimed one life while 10 others were injured in  separate incidents in Tehrathum district last Saturday. Bhagendra Tamang,17, a resident of Pauwasartapka in Falgunandana rural municipality-3 died after being struck by lightening. His 11-year-old brother sustained injuries. He was rushed to Jhapa after primary treatment at the Paanchthar hospital.

They were inside their home when the incident took place during yesterday’s rainfall, Paancthar police said. Likewise, eight people were injured in a similar incident that took place at the house of Faudaman Tamang. The injured received treatment at the local health post.

Also on Saturday, Dipak Sawa,18, of Sarsiula in Phidim municipality-5 suffered injuries after being hit by lightning inside his home. He was reportedly sleeping when the incident took place. Sawa has returned home upon treatment at the District Hospital, Paanchthar.

KATHMANDU: Pashupati Sharma ‘s new song “Lutna Sake Lut” was removed from the YouTube late Saturday night. The song was released on last Thursday only. In his Facebook status, singer Pashupati Sharma says that the song was removed after some of his friends expressed dissatisfaction on its lyrics. He also says that the song will be uploaded after revising its lyrics. His Facebook post further says that he has no intimacy with any political parties.

The song was loaded with irony against the entire political and bureaucratic system of Nepal. The song condemned the Prime Minister’s act. In the song, he mocked the government for delivering nothing expect making lofty speeches.

Nepal is a heaven, but the ruler (i.e. prime minister) is a devil, he expressed in the song. He also made fun of the infrastructure development of the country as to how the contractors only hold the tenders but never complete construction projects. The song is also satirical to the President, Bidya Devi Bhandari for her interest to have a sophisticated helicopter.

The song expressed how a mere government clerk within a few years of joining the service erects a posh house in the capital city worth over 15 million. The song gave the messages that everyone can loot this country and that no one gets punished for any acts of corruption. The song further said that there is no other country in the world except Nepal where one can indulge in looting at ease. The song said how the people could not feel the governments’ presence in their life. Release of the song coincided with the one year term completion of the government.

KATHMANDU: Tuberculosis claimed over half million people in SAARC countries in the year 2017, according to Dr Rajendra Pant Director at SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Center.  On a global scale the disease claimed total 1.8 million last year whereas 4.3 people were deprived of the treatment.

Similarly, around 70,000 people died of HIV/AIDS in the SAARC countries in 2017. Meanwhile, a two day SAARC parliamentary meeting is being held in Kathmandu in the first week of May.
The meeting is being held for the first time with the joint initiative of Ministry of Health and Population, House of Representatives’ Education and Health Committee and SAARC Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS Centre.
The meeting shall deliberate on the status of the disease, promotion of investment to curb the disease, relations of the interstate acts and rules, among others. The meeting will be attended by high level officials from the Health Ministry of the SAARC countries.

BHAKTAPUR: Newari people observed Pulu Kisi dance in Bhaktapur on Thursday. Artists disguised as various creatures performed dance in the streets.

After observing the Madhavnarayan fast, the they came out in the streets, passed through Bamune, Balkumari, Maru Tole, Dathu Tole, Layaku, Digu Tole, Chapacho before concluding it at Bahakha.

Pulu Kisi dance, which falls on the eleventh day of lunar calendar, is a part of Indra Jatra. It is believed to the carrier of Indra himself. Impersonating as elephants, young lads dance in the streets in excitement, at times swinging its tail in an amazing manner and doing naughty things and knocking anyone that comes in their path.

DOTI: The number of complaints on corruption and irregularities registered at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has increased in the far west of the country.

Unlike in the past where the complaints were related to education sector, this time the complaints have targeted people’s representatives and employees at local levels.

As per the data maintained by CIAA, the far west province that is made up of nine districts witnessed 350 complaints in the last six months of the current fiscal year, among which 34 per cent are related to local levels. Kailaki district had 28- maximum complaints, followed by Kanchanpur with 19.

Similarly, the complaints from Darchula are 15, from Achham 13, from Bajhang 12, from Baitadi 10, from Dadeldhura and Doti 7 each, and Bajura 2.  Information Officer at CIAA, Rajan Nepal informed that the people’s representatives, while forming the consumers’ committees, included their relatives, gave employments to relatives illegally and purchased various unnecessary things. Last year, there were only 588 complaints from this province.

BHAKTAPUR: Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has asserted that we can make our country prosperous only when all the political parties stand united.

Addressing a program organized on the occasion of 51st week of the Hanumante Clean-up Campaign in Bhaktapur, Chairman Dahal said we will achieve the goal of ‘Prosperous Nepal, Happy Nepali’ envisioned by the government.

“You made me walk for two kilometers in the name of walkathon,” Dahal said in a light-hearted manner, adding, “It was a marathon for me.”

Appreciating the unity among the Bhaktapur locals forged for Hanumante Clean-up Campaign, Dahal said that this unity can be an example to the entire nation.

He further said that the government focused on setting up foundation for constitution, development and prosperity in the first year whereas for the next four years the government will be zeroing in on the implementation of the plans.

Today’s Clean-up Campaign started from the point of the rivulet to the south of Madhyapur Hospital between Madhyapur and Suryabinayak Municipality, said Mahesh Basnet, representative of Bhaktapur Constituency No. 2.

KATHMANDU: The first National Conference on Family Planning has been scheduled to take place on March 18-19 in Kathmandu.

With the theme ‘Family Planning; Reaching the Unreached’, the conference will be participated by around 200 people to be organized by the Family Welfare Division, Department of Health Services under the Ministry of Health and Population.

The conference, which is expected to be a milestone in increasing people’s access to family planning programs, has been supported by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) as the major financial and technical assistance contributor.

Nepal’s reproductive rate in 1996 was 4.6 percent and the figure dropped to 2.3 in 2016, according UNFPA.

Prime Minister K P Oli’s first year in the government has been satisfactory. This has been a ‘foundation year’ towards the country’s prosperity. In the last 12 months, the government’s priorities have been on formulating federal laws, building the base for development works, and good governance.

Opposition and some media have criticized the government of failing to fulfill the people’s aspiration, which is totally baseless. In fact, the government has carried out a lot of tasks bringing new hopes among the people. The allegations that the Nepal Communist Party (NCP)-led government failed to perform its tasks owing to the intra-party wrangling is untrue.

Several industries have been established in the last one year. Youths are currently engaged in creating employment opportunities within the country.

Moreover, the country has witnessed significant growth in tourist arrivals. Around 1.2 million international tourists visited Nepal in the last 12 months. Production has increased significantly.

The government has been endeavoring towards maintaining law and order situation, stability and good governance. There have been instances of ‘tuins’ being replaced by bridges. Moreover, the construction works of the Lumbini International Airport, Nijgadh Airport, and Pokhara Regional Airport, and other infrastructure have been accelerated.

One of the significant achievements has been on the diplomatic front. The government has been able to take the diplomatic relations with the neighbors – India and China to a new height.

(This piece has been written based on the conversation with Dr. Rajan Bhattarai, Foreign Affairs Adviser to Prime Minister)