Journalist Thapa rejects medal

KATHMANDU: SEPT. 19 – Journalist Hari Bahadur Thapa has rejected the medal announced by the government.

Thapa said that the news-analysis-book has been raising questions for a long time about honorary titles, ornaments, distortion of medals, public merit of the recipients and there should be an open debate on why someone gets the medal and the method should be democratic and transparent.

He said that he was not saying that the state would not respect him but he was of the view that respect should be done only in a way that self-respect is respected. On the occasion of Constitution Day, the government has included his name in the list of recipients of the Super Strong Public Servant Medal, but the decision was taken without asking him, Thapa said.

Thapa thanked the government for remembering him, saying he had been asked for the medal several times in the past and had been turned down. Thapa, who has been writing for good governance for a long time, is now the editor-in-chief of eKagaj.com. He has published books including Rajgaj.