I just talked to this guy last night, past midnight, which would make it Monday morning Nepal local time. Looks like he got arrested not long after. I have a bad feeling my phone call might have had something to do with it. His phone sure was being tapped. Or just that he is the most visible student leader over ground. Gagan is underground.
He leads the student wing of the UML. I got his email address from him, and then emailed him.
The first time Gagan Thapa ever addressed me was in an email. It read "Dear Sir." I was embarrassed. Gladly not long after it became "Paramendraji" after I made it clear I wanted to be addressed by first name. Khimji kept saying "Sir." This was our first conversation. Maybe that is how they address each other.
| Date: | Sun, 29 Jan 2006 20:41:52 -0800 (PST) |
| From: | "Paramendra Kumar Bhagat" |
| Subject: | यहाँ सँग गफ भयो। खुशी लाग्यो। |
| To: |  khimbhattarai@yahoo.com |
खिमजी।
यहाँ सँग गफ भयो। खुशी लाग्यो।
गगनजीसँग न्यू यर्कमा नै भेंट भएको हो। वहाँले मलाई चिन्नुहुन्छ। अहिले त शायद
अन्डरग्राउण्ड हुनुहुन्छ क्या रे वहाँ। माधव नेपालजीले पनि मलाई चिन्नुहुन्छ।
आइडिया के भन्दा खेरि देशव्यापी पम्फलेटिङ गर्ने।
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/01/blog-post_19.html
त्यसकालागि पैसा प्रवासबाट, संगठन ८ विद्यार्थी संगठनको।
तर त्योभन्दा अगाडि इमेलबाट गर्ने। त्यसकालागि ८ विद्यार्थी संगठनका केन्द्रीय स्तरका सबै नेताहरुको इमेल र जिल्ला
स्तरका सबै नेताहरुको इमेलको एउटा मेलिङ लिस्ट तयार पार्ने।
८ विद्यार्थी संगठनका केन्द्रीय एवं जिल्ला समितिका इमेल ठेगाना भएका सबैको इमेल ठेगानाहरु एक ठाउँमा जम्मा गर्ने। र
त्यो लिस्ट मलाई पठाउने। सबै एकैचोटी जम्मा भएपछि नै पठाउनुपर्छ भन्ने छैन। १०, २०, ५०, १०० गर्दै पठाएहुन्छ। मेरो
ठेगाना paramendra@yahoo.com हो।
न्यू यर्क र अमेरीकामा जस्तो काठमाण्डु र नेपालमा इमेलको इस्तेमाल त्यति व्यापक न होला। तर इमेल फोनभन्दासस्तो र
सुरक्षित पनि हो। तपाईहरुको फोन सरकारले पक्कै ट्याप गरिराखेको हुनुपर्छ। त्यसैले इमेलको बानी नपरेका साथीहरुलाई
पनि बानी पार्न लगाउनु पर्यो।
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/
अरु विशेष अर्को इमेलमा। I had talked to another student leader not long before that, from the Deuba Congress. He was not much into email, he made it clear.
The king seems to be heading for a heightened confrontation. This guy is not exactly trying to compromise.
Student leader Bhattarai arrested NepalNews
Student leader Bhattarai arrested
Plain-clothed security personnel on Monday have taken firebrand student leader, Khim Lal Bhattarai, from Lekhnath Marg in the capital, Kathmandu, Monday.
President of the CPN (UML)-affiliated All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU), Bhattarai, was arrested this afternoon from Thamel shortly after taking part in a protest rally organized by the group of eight student unions against the royal takeover of last year.
Bhattarai is being kept at the Police Training Academy at Maharajgunj, according to reports.
Hundreds of political leaders, human rights activists and media personnel have been detained across the country ahead of the municipal polls announced by the government.
The opposition parties have called to boycott the civic polls slated on February 8 saying that the exercise aims to further consolidate the direct rule of the king.
Officials, however, say municipal poll is a meaningful exercise of democracy. nepalnews.com by Jan 30 06
Student leader Bhattarai arrested Nepalnews.com, Nepal -
If the king does not opt for reconciliation, for dialogue, for a constituent assembly, I don't see how ending the monarchy will not come before going for a constituent assembly.
I am for the South Africa option, but that option is only possible if the king plays ball.
I also sent this out to the Sailesh Acharya and Dinesh Prasain duo in Delhi yesterday. They are the people behind Loktantra.
Loktantra Issue 1
Loktantra Issue 2
Loktantra Issue 3
Loktantra Issue 4