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| Dr. Govinda KC is offered juice by his students; Dr. Subarna Adhikari and Bipin Ghimire; to break his fast. Also seen in the picture is Chief Secretary Lilamani Poudel. (Image Courtsey Nagariknews.com) |
Dr Govinda KC has ended his fourth fast-onto-death today after ‘credible’
reassurances were given by the government on most of his demands. On a rather chilly afternoon Dr. Govinda KC broke his fast by
receiving juice from two of his students, at a ceremony attended by top bureaucratic officials, organizational heads, his colleagues, students and sympathizers.
The occasion was attended by the Chief Secretary Lilamani
Poudel, Secretary of the MIninstry of Education, the newly appointed Dean of
Institute of Medicine Prof. Dr. Rakesh Shrivastav, and the President of Nepal
Medical Association Dr. Anjani Kumar Jha and senior as well as junior doctors,
medical students in presence of a sizable number of journalists.
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| A ceremony was held to mark Dr. Govinda KC's decision to end his fast-onto-death which was attended by top government bureaucrats, senior professors and faculty, students: a hall full of supporters of Dr. KC and his cause. (Image Courtsey: Pratik Bhandari) |
In a brief statement, a medically fragile Dr. KC apologized to the patients who
were unintentionally affected by his act of civil disobedience. He went on to
thank the Chief Secretary, his colleagues and especially the media for their
co-operation. He appreciated the students and the Resident Doctors for their
untiring help throughout the movement. He also openly thanked the organizations
that believed in his cause and acted in his favor from start to the end.
The Movement will Carry On
Dr. Govinda KC reaffirmed his stance to carry on the revolution by other methods till the visions of merit based educational and health institutions for all countrymen, free of corruption and undue political interference, were truly achieved.
Dr. Govinda KC said that the movement has not ended and urged all those who believe in his cause to carry on the movement incessantly.
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| Thousands of health science students, doctors and health professionals, and anti-corruption activists marched from Maitighar Mandala to Constituent Assembly at Baneshwor to show solidarity for Dr. Govinda KC's revolution. (Image Courtsey: Bibeksheel Nepali) |
On ending his non-violent rebellion,Dr. Govinda KC has trusted the new authority of the Institute of Medicine, the Tribhuvan University and the Government that the spirit of the movement shall be respected. He has further hoped that this awareness will create a movement in other educational and health institutions, and other sectors of public life at large so that a just and fair society can be achieved.
As tough questions still loom around the corner regarding whether the words of the agreement will be matched by actions; what this episode of self-sacrifice has taught us all is not to underestimate the power of a non-violent struggle for positive change.
