Kamal Thapa, chairman of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Nepal, has accused the government led by a former chief justice of infringing upon citizens’ private property. In a post on X on Saturday, Thapa said the government had acted against the Supreme Court’s directive.
“Even though the Supreme Court has ordered an immediate halt to road expansion, the government under the leadership of a former chief justice is attacking the private property of citizens,” he wrote.
Thapa claimed that the authorities forcibly seized land and houses that hold legally valid ownership, despite the availability of a bypass alternative and the fact that the settlement existed before the highway was planned. He alleged that the government proceeded without providing compensation.
“Having a bypass option and a settlement established long before the highway, yet forcibly taking private property without compensation, is a serious offense,” he said. “If state power is to be misused to demolish homes, at least do not falsely label citizens as ‘encroachers.’”
The Supreme Court had issued a short-term interim order on Friday instructing authorities to immediately stop demolishing houses and structures in Hetauda. However, the Road Division resumed demolition work early Saturday morning, stating that it had not yet received the court order.
Setting the hearing for December 11 (Mangsir 26), the Supreme Court directed the Road Division not to implement its November 20 (Mangsir 5) notice until the issue of a full interim order is resolved and ordered the situation to remain unchanged in the meantime.
