By Deepak Joshi Pokhrel
A Bollywood movie titled “Nayak” was released in 2001. Directed by veteran South Indian filmmaker S. Shankar, the movie is about a chief minister who is appointed for just one day under special circumstances. It depicts how the chief minister swings into action immediately after taking the oath of office. In the film, he works round the clock against corrupt politicians and their malpractices. He takes all possible steps to uphold the Constitution and brings every corrupt official and politician to justice. His crackdown on the immoral nexus between corrupt politicians and businessmen is the major highlight of the movie.
At present, our Home Minister, Sudan Gurung, is no less than the chief minister in Nayak. Like in the movie, he has been giving nightmares to those involved in high-profile scams and abuse of authority. He is also leaving no stone unturned to ensure good governance and effective service delivery. While the chief minister in the movie was appointed for a day, our Home Minister has been given a mandate for five years. This is the only difference between him and the fictional chief minister.
The incumbent Home Minister, Sudan Gurung, has been grabbing headlines for his straightforward actions. Media houses are heaping praise on him, saying that the nation has finally found a daring Home Minister who does not shy away from taking bold decisions on issues of national interest.
Last September, the country witnessed a Gen-G uprising that toppled the KP Oli-led government and dissolved Parliament. What began as a peaceful movement against corruption and the enforced ban on social media turned into a massacre. More than 70 Nepalese, mainly youth, were mercilessly killed by police personnel. A three-member commission was formed to investigate the uprising and the killings. The commission submitted its report recommending criminal action against former Prime Minister KP Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak.
During his post-oath press conference, the Home Minister pledged to address the difficulties faced by families of Gen-G martyrs and injured individuals, promising that they would no longer have to visit multiple government offices for assistance. Immediately after assuming office, he swung into action. Acting on the recommendation of the Karki Commission, he instructed Nepal Police to arrest the former prime minister and the former home minister. Everyone, especially his critics, was taken aback by his fast-track actions and straightforward approach.
Beyond the arrest of the former prime minister, the Home Minister has been actively instructing police personnel to work with honesty and integrity. During a recent inspection visit to Police Headquarters, he directed officers to perform their duties fearlessly and efficiently despite limited resources. Not only this, but he also conducted a midnight inspection at Tribhuvan International Airport following complaints of unnecessary harassment by officials. With his fast-track approach, he has already become the talk of the town.
However, his rise has not been appreciated by many, particularly his political opponents. This is evident from the scepticism expressed when he was appointed Home Minister. On the day of the oath-taking ceremony, voices emerged questioning whether Sudan Gurung was an appropriate choice. Some even argued that the decision by the Rastriya Swatantra Party was immature and could backfire, marking the beginning of its downfall. However, within a week, the incumbent Home Minister silenced his critics and proved them wrong.
A cursory look at his approach clearly indicates that he is a person who believes in action rather than words. It also shows that he does not tolerate injustice or unethical practices. However, he needs to proceed cautiously while taking such rapid actions. Any misstep or immature decision could backfire, giving his critics an opportunity to question his maturity and political judgment. This must be avoided.
Over the years, we have seen many visionary leaders, regardless of political affiliation. They had clear agendas for the welfare of the country and its people. They were committed to uplifting the nation socio-economically and politically. Their dedication was commendable. However, impatience and hasty decision-making on matters of national importance often cost them dearly. Madan Bhandari and Krishna Prasad Bhattarai are just a few examples, among many others.
In the current context, the Home Minister is walking a tightrope. The CPN-UML and Nepali Congress, both of which faced humiliating defeats in the recent parliamentary elections, are looking for opportunities to portray him as a failure. Another major challenge is reforming the country’s security and administrative systems. Nepal’s security agencies, including the police and intelligence services, have long been criticised for being influenced by political interests rather than functioning under the rule of law.
The Karki Commission’s report also highlighted several structural weaknesses, including a lack of coordination between agencies, insufficient intelligence sharing, inadequate non-lethal equipment, and a weak command structure at the district level.
Given his fast-track approach, these challenges may not appear daunting for the incumbent Home Minister. However, addressing them will require poise and prudence—qualities that we believe he possesses.
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