Jeevan Ram Shrestha Explained

Jeevan Ram Shrestha
Native Name:जीवन राम श्रेष्ठ
Office:Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation
President:Bidhya Devi Bhandari
Termstart:27 June 2022
Termend:26 December 2022
Predecessor:Prem Ale
Successor:Sudan Kirati
Office1:Member of Parliament, Pratinidhi Sabha
Term Start1:4 March 2018
Term End1:18 September 2022
Constituency1:Kathmandu 8
Predecessor1:Nabindra Raj Joshi
Successor1:Biraj Bhakta Shrestha
Office2:Chair of Nepal Olympic Committee
Term Start12:1 October 2015
Term End2:Sept. 30, 2019
Party:CPN (Unified Socialist)
Otherparty:CPN (UML)
Birth Place:Kathmandu-15, Nepal
Birth Date:30 December 1965[1]
Nationality:Nepali
Alma Mater:Tribhuvan University
Primeminister:Sher Bahadur Deuba

Jeevan Ram Shrestha (Nepali: जीवन राम श्रेष्ठ)(born 1965 December 30) is a Nepali politician, who served as the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation in the ruling coalition government led by Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba.[2]

He is a member of the newly formed Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Socialist). His political engagement started from his college life as a student leader at Saraswoti Campus in Lainchaur.

Jeevan Ram Shrestha is the current elected president of Nepal Olympic Committee (NOC).[3] [4] [5] [6] [7] He was an Ex-Secretary General of Nepal Olympic Committee. He has attended many events and actively made many plans on behalf of Nepal Olympic Committee.[8] Jeevan Ram Shrestha is also the president of Nepal Ski Association.[9]

Jeevan Ram Shrestha grew up in a middle-class family in Kathmandu.[10]

Controversy

Arrest of a security guard

In September 2022, the then Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation minister Shrestha, faced public criticism after a security guard working at Chhaya Center in Thamel was arrested for asking Shrestha to remain in queue at a visa processing center. Shrestha had visited the visa center for biometric processing for his trip to Canada. According to the eyewitnesses, Shrestha felt humiliated and the heated exchanged soon ensued between the two. Soon after, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation wrote to the Home Affairs stating that the security guard had misbehaved with the minister. Upon the direction of the Home Affairs, Nepal Police arrested the security guard, Sherjung Gurung and filed him for Indecent Behaviour under Clause 118 of the National Penal Code. The Kathmandu District Administration Office granted the police permission to keep Gurung in detention for five days for investigation.[11] This sparked a outcry among the public as an abuse of power by Minister Shrestha surfaced in the media. Soon after, Gurung's wife filed a writ in the Supreme Court that her husband had been wrongfully arrested and demanded his immediate release.[12] After the widespread criticism, Gurung was released from custody, two days after the incident.

Notes and References

  1. Book: संघीय संसद सदस्य, २०७४ परिचयात्मक पुस्तिका . Federal Parliament Secretariat . 2021 . Nepal . 270 . ne . Federal Parliament Members 2017 Introduction Booklet.
  2. Web site: Republica . Newly-appointed CPN (Unified Socialist) ministers sworn in . 2022-06-28 . My Republica . en.
  3. Web site: Olympic Council of Asia - ocasia.asia. OCASIA.
  4. Web site: Jeevan Ram Shrestha elected new NOC president. kathmandupost.com.
  5. http://www.acnolympic.org/nocs/nocs-directory/asia/nepal/ Nepal Olympic Committee Details by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC)
  6. Web site: Executive Committee. nocnepal.org.np.
  7. Web site: Jeevan Ram Shrestha elected Nepal Olympic Committee President. September 4, 2015. www.insidethegames.biz.
  8. Web site: NOC, QOC sign MoU for mutual cooperation. November 17, 2016. The Himalayan Times.
  9. Web site: Nepal Ski Association. nocnepal.org.np. 2019-03-14.
  10. Web site: Biography on Jeevan Ram Shrestha by Ujaalo FM.
  11. News: Dahal . Matrika . Police arrest security guard for asking a sitting minister to wait in queue https://tkpo.st/3D10L63 . 5 September 2022 . The Kathmandu Post.
  12. News: सुरक्षागार्ड गुरुङलाई गैरकानुनी हिरासतमा राखेको भन्दै सर्वोच्चमा रिट . Online Khabar.