Incident Reports

18 injured in between Congress and UML cadres over distribution of relief in Nawalparasi West

2022-07-14

Lumbini, Nawalparasi West, Sarawal, Ward 5

Eighteen people were injured in a clash ensued following a dispute over distribution of relief to extremely poor families affected by the Corona epidemic in Sarawal rural municipality-5, of Nawalparasi West on July 14. A clash broke out between the representatives of the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML when the dispute over the issue of relief distribution on the basis of party shares turned violent.

At the time of Corona, the government was distributing money at the rate of 10,000 per family for those extremely poor families who do not have any income in the house and who do not even get social security allowance.

70 lakhs was received for 700 people in Sarwal Rural Municipality. There was a dispute between the representatives of Nepali Congress and CPN-UML over the distribution of the same amount. In 7 wards in the municipality, about 1400 people filled the form stating that they are poor.

One side alleges that the names of destitute people sent by the outgoing ward president of UML, elected by Congress, were truncated, while the other side alleges that the names of non-deprived people were sent first.

It is alleged that the chairman of ward number 5, Laxman Chaudhary, had sent the recommendation of the amount along with the names of those who did not fill the form to the municipality. From that ward alone, 418 people filled the form stating that they are very poor.

Initially, the ward president sent the list of all to the municipality. But when the municipality said that it would send the names of 106 people, the ward president sent the names accordingly. The municipality had issued a notice to oppose the claim in the name of all these. According to the same notification, the controversy started when the Ward President Chaudhary filed a petition for deletion of the list of 32 people saying that the Gram Parishad has been added to the list sent by the ward.

After the dispute, it was decided that 12 village head Basmati Harijans would keep their people and the remaining 20 ward presidents would keep their people. In the agreement, the ward president was asked to withdraw the claim and protest, but when he did not move, the dispute turned violent. Vice President Harijan is from UML while ward president Chaudhary is from Congress.

As the dispute escalated, 18 people were injured in a fight between Congress and UML workers. According to the police, 8 people from Congress and 10 from UML are among the injured.

Bricks and stones were thrown at him from both sides and he got injured. District Police Office Superintendent Rishiram Kandel said that out of 18 injured, 6 are being treated at Lumbini City Hospital Butwal.

Police said that his condition is out of danger due to head injury. Ward no. Village President Sukhadi Prasad Chaudhary told that the office of two is closed for four days.

Details and Impacts
Violent / Non-violent Violent
Onesided / Twosided Twosided
Collective / Interpersonal Interpersonal
Primary Form Group Clash
Weapons None
Primary Cause Issues related to the delivery of non-government aid programs (e.g. earthquake rehab/recon)
Actor 1 - Number of people n/a
Actor 1 - Affiliations Nepali Congress and affiliated org
Actor 1 - Youth unknown
Actor 2 - Number of people n/a
Actor 2 - Affiliation UML and affiliated org
Actor 2 - Youth unknown
Total Injured 18
National/Online Media

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