Of the individuals who died in clashes that occurred on September 9 and 11, six belonged to families with poor economic background. The family members of the deceased are growing impatient with the nonchalance of the local administration toward their plight."They should have at least provided the families who lost their members with funeral expenses," said Rohit Chaudhary of Bajrahi-7. "The state is making light of the sacrifice of those who lost their lives by failing to provide even basic financial aid to the grieving families," he added.
Binaya Chaudhary of Bajrahi-7, who lost his father and his son in the protest, is taken aback by the indifference of the local administration toward his troubles. "Losing two members of my family was painful enough; the government's failure to provide basic compensation to us for carrying out funerals only deepens our grief," said Rohit.
He said the local administration had locked up the bodies of his father and son in the morgue for almost a week. "The fact that they handed over the bodies to us only after they started emitting foul smell clearly shows the humiliating treatment we are made to suffer," added Rohit.
Similarly, the family members of 22-year-old Amit Kapar of Jaleshwor Municipality-14, who died during the protest, said they have been left in a difficult situation as they don't have money to cremate Kapar's body.
"My son was innocent. He was the only earning member of our family. After he was killed in cold blood, we have been struggling to manage the household," said Kapar's mother Chandra Kala Devi.
The family, which is in dire financial situation, has been upset by the disregard shown by the administration toward Kapar's sacrifice.
Former UCPN (Maoist) leader Ramkumar Sharma informed that efforts have been initiated to collect funds for Kapar's family locally. Sharma, who resigned from the party, said, "This is outright injustice to the family of the individuals who attained martyrdom in the protest," said Sharma. "When they were handing over the bodies, they should have at least given the families expenses to cover funeral charges," he added.
Similar discontent and anger have been expressed by locals of Mahottari-5. "The government should have seen to it that these martyrs were cremated respectfully," said Bikash Mishra, a local.
The kin of Ramshila Mandal, another casualty of the unrest from Hatilet-9, seethed at the insensitive attitude of the government. "Why does the government fail to understand our pain and hardships," said Mandal's brother in law Birendra Mandal. "Are they trying to tell us that Kathmandu and Mahottari belong to two different nations?" he asked.
Although the six poor families have managed to cremate their deceased members without any help from the government, they have not been able to observe other rituals for lack of money.
The families as well as the locals have been demanding that the government provide immediate relief to the kin.
Meanwhile, Mahottari Chief District Officer Dipak Kafle informed that there was no special provision to provide separate compensation for carrying out funeral.
He said that he has already sent two letters to the Finance Ministry urging compensation for the families. "Any aid amount to be provided for victims can only be released after it is approved by the ministry," CDO Kafle said.
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