The dialogue between the government team and representatives of Dr Govinda KC ended without any conclusion even on the second day Tuesday after the government side repeated its stance that Dr KC should be brought to Kathmandu first and the medical education bill will not be withdrawn. The meeting between the two sides on Monday had also failed to yield any result.
“They presented their stance that Dr KC should be brought to Kathmandu. We told them that he should not be treated as a patient,” senior advocate Surendra Bhandari, who participated in the dialogue held at the Education Ministry in Singha Durbar on behalf of Dr KC, told Setopati.
“We said he cannot be brought to Kathmandu until we are assured that his demands will be addressed. We told them that he demands that the government should at least take back the bill presented to the parliament, and submit the ordinance brought by the Sher Bahadur Deuba government if possible. But they did not budge from their stance.”
Bhandari revealed that the representatives advised the government team to go to Jumla and negotiate with the fasting doctor themselves.
Dr KC’s representatives went to meet Education Minister Giri Raj Mani Pokharel after the government team did not budge from their stance. Minister Pokharel told them that a helicopter is on standby to fly to Jumla to bring the doctor to Kathmandu and he cannot do anything without that.
Bhandari, advocate Om Prakash Aryal and Dr Avishek Raj Singh has taken part in the dialogue on behalf of Dr KC.
The government on Monday had formed its dialogue team under Education Secretary Khaga Raj Baral and including joint secretaries at the home and health ministries.
Dr KC is into the 18th day of his fast-unto-death at the Karnali Academy of Health Sciences in Jumla demanding that the ordinance brought by the Deuba government be implemented as it is.
Dr KC has accused the government of bringing the bill to replace the ordinance with an intention of providing affiliation for medical college to four hospitals owned by businessmen close to the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN).
The ordinance stops establishment of new medical colleges in Kathmandu Valley for 10 years as demanded by Dr KC, limits granting of affiliation by a university to a maximum of five medical colleges, and allows affiliation to only those that have operated a hospital, taking permission from the Health Ministry, for three years among others.
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