With the farewell of Prime Minister Oli, Sitaram Baral wrote, “Let Arju learn from Radhika, let Deuba not learn from Oli.” His analysis is, “Earlier, when Deuba was the Prime Minister, Arju’s name was connected with political appointments, large contracts, transfers and promotions of high-ranking officials.” The current economic status of the Deuba family is rooted in the ‘corruption’ of Arju when Deuba repeatedly came to power.
Baral’s analysis reveals a way to raise the family’s financial status when her husband, Sher Bahadur Deuba, was prime minister. The financial status of the current Prime Minister Deuba is an example of the abuse of power by his wife Arju. When Deuba became the Home Minister for the first time in 2048 BS, Deuba lived in a dormitory in Kathmandu. While he was home minister, the then US ambassador to Nepal, Julia Chang, arranged for Arju’s marriage with him.
Deuba, who was studying in the UK during the 2046 movement, returned to Nepal before the 2048 general election. After winning the election from Dadeldhura in 2048 BS, Deuba’s journey to power began. In the property details submitted by Deuba in 2052, it is mentioned that he has 80 tola of gold, two thousand tola of silver and silver utensils and jewels in his name. At that time, Arju had five ropanis, three annas and one paisa in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur and seven bighas, six katthas and three dhurs of land in Bardiya.
Deuba, who did not have a house in Kathmandu till 2052, now owns a luxurious bungalow in Budhanilkantha. Apart from this, Deuba’s financial status is no less than that of an aristocrat. The Royal Commission for the Control of Corruption, formed by King Gyanendra on Falgun 06, 2061, had started an investigation against Deuba on allegations of corruption. He was arrested from his house and taken under police control. Without settling this issue, the Supreme Court decided to dismiss the commission on Falgun 1, 2062 saying that it was not in accordance with the constitution. After the dismissal of the commission, the investigation on Deuba also halted.
Earnings from NGO:
Arju, the granddaughter of Juddha Shamsher, who left her post of Shri 3 Maharaj and reached Palpa from Kathmandu, has done her PhD in Psychology from Punjab University, India. After completing her studies in India, she was involved in setting up a ‘Sathi Organization’ to raise voice on the issue of violence against women. Arju is one of the eight founders of ‘Sathi’, which was established in 1992 AD. It was founded by women of educated and high caste background at that time.
Among those who helped the ‘Sathi’ financially were Americans as well. According to sources, Arju met with the ambassador Julia Chang through the same American donors. Chang arranged the marriage to manage Deuba’s chaotic life. Deuba became prime minister for the first time after his marriage in 1995 AD. In the same year, Arju established the Rural Women’s Development and Unity Center. Rana is still a board member of the center, which was set up with the slogan of establishing a ‘just society’.
The following year, in 1996, the Federation of Safe Maternity Networks was established under the auspices of Arju. The current president of the federation is Arju. She has been involved in UN agencies such as IUCN, UNESCO and Ipas and international NGOs. After Deuba became the Prime Minister in 1995, the time she was giving to social organizations started shifting to the Prime Minister’s Office. At the same time, she started earning money. As a result, she became more active in the political arena than in the social sphere.
After the split of the Nepali Congress in 2059 BS, became the Nepali Congress democratic. After Deuba led the democratic, it became easy for Arju to come to the center of politics. She also managed the fund for running the party, where Arju’s relationship spread with businessmen. She joined the Nepali Congress only in 2053 BS. As Deuba became the Prime Minister, her activism also increased. Leaving the earnings of NGOs and consultants, she seems to have plunged in the political earnings.
Always in dispute
As soon as Deuba becomes the Prime Minister, Arju starts coming into controversy. Earlier, in 2073 BS, when Deuba was the Prime Minister, the ambassadorial proposal to the controversial manpower business woman Asha Lama came under controversy. Jaya Bahadur Chand was appointed as the Chief of Police against the order of the Supreme Court. Arju’s name has been linked to appointments, promotions and transfers. Along with that come the issues of her transactions.
He has also been accused of being close to independent Tibetans in Nepal because of his proximity to the United States. The allegation was made at the inaugural function of the conference on ‘India at Seventy: Democracy, Development and Dissent’ organized by the ‘Think Tank’ India Foundation under the ‘India Ideas Conclave’ organized by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party-affiliated Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on 19-21 Kartik 2073 BS further confirms. At the event, which was held in Goa, India, Deuba shared the stage with Lobsang Sange, an exiled Tibetan government official.
Deuba, who came into controversy by giving the ambassador of Japan to the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, had come into another controversy by appointing his mother-in-law Pratima Rana as ambassador. There was talk of Arju’s involvement behind it. Recently, there was talk of removing Oli in Nepal and appointing Deuba as the Prime Minister, while Arju was undergoing knee treatment in Japan. Arju, who had gone to Japan with her son for treatment, was staying at the embassy with her mother. As Deuba was being appointed Prime Minister, she hurried to Nepal.
Another topic of contention is the Ullens School. The school located in Khumaltar of Lalitpur is one of the most expensive schools in Kathmandu Valley. She has been in controversy from time to time due to the high fees charged by the school in which Arju has invested. Now, Arju’s name has been removed from the school’s website. More than that, the controversy seems to be more focused on political transactions.
The Asset Laundering Department had found assets worth Rs 2 billion in Arju’s name. An investigation conducted by the department in 2077 BS has found shares in the name of Arju in hydropower, banks and financial institutions in the name of Rana. Rana had bought a house in Kailali for election campaign purposes in the last election. The department also stated that there was no coordination between the source of income and purchase. Although the source of the property was not disclosed, the department could not take any action against Arju.
Recently, Dr. Arju’s name was also linked to the appointment of Deputy Chairman of the National Planning Commission, Viswanath Poudel and Umesh Shrestha as Minister of State for Health. Poudel is involved in the Ullens’s School, which is funded by Arju and Shrestha is Arju’s business partner. Arju has been investing in hydropower and other sectors through Shrestha. Deuba had tried to make Dr. Shankar Sharma the vice president. Deuba had to apologize at the coalition meeting over Shrestha’s appointment.
The Connection with Batas:
Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Prem Ale went at the Narayanhiti Museum with his men on January 6. Minister Ale expressed dissatisfaction saying that the structure including the coffee shop being built by Batas Group in the museum was against the agreement. Then the discussion on Batas started in Kathmandu. Along with Batas, Arju’s name and photo posted as a consultant on the website of Batas Organization attracted the attention of many. The media wrote news on this matter.
As soon as the news came, Arju issued a statement saying that she was not an advisor to Batas. At the same time, there was a discussion about why the Batas kept Arju’s name. Deuba had a long association with Anandaraj Batas of Pokhara, who was the chairman of Batas Group. Manipal Medical College in Pokhara was bought by Batas and Narayan Poudel. Manipal’s deal was done by Arju. Batas and Arju had a dispute after seeking for more shares without any investment. That dispute made the Batas blow away from Deuba forever.
It was Arju who helped Batas to get a dealership of heavy equipment called Cater Pillar for Nepal. Batas has been associated with Deuba since 2057 BS. Due to the same relationship, when Madhav Kumar was the Prime Minister of Nepal, Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, who was the then energy minister, appointed Batas to the board of directors of Nepal Electricity Authority. Arju had also arranged for it as well.
People were surprised to know Ale’s action as understood the relationship between Batas and Deuba. However, few people knew about the rift between them. Batas who got success due to Deuba became close to UML leaders because of Rabinddra Adhikari. This new relationship of the Batas, who has been maintaining the financial transactions, was also of a kind to annoy Arju. After Adhikari’s death in a helicopter crash, Batas approached close to Yogash Bhattarai another UML leader and an integral friend of the Adhikari. Arju also didn’t like this new relationship of Batas, who visited to Deuba’s residence with simple things too. Minister Ale’s attempt to cut the wings of the Batas became sensational subject for Arju.
Arju’s old thinking is that those around her should not know more than her. Not only the Batas but also the medical professional Sunil Sharma was affected by this thinking. Lately, Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Rana has been on the same case.
From Rakshabandhan to Balkot:
During Oli’s tenure, Nepal’s relations with India were not good. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) foreign affairs chief Vijay Chauthaiwale arrived in Kathmandu as Modi’s envoy to improve the relations. It was Shrawan 6, 2078, from the airport, Chauthaiwale went straight to the Prime Minister’s residence. Hindus were busy celebrating Janaipurnima that day. Arju did not hesitate to seize the opportunity. She welcomed Chauthaiwale with Rakhi. To tie Rakhi means to have a brother-sister relationship.
Arju seems to have moved forward with the idea of ??developing a new relationship with India through Chauthaiwale. Her thought became public only after Prime Minister Deuba was invited to visit India. The ‘Vibrant Gujarat Global Conference’ scheduled to be held in Gujarat, India on 26 Poush 2077 was postponed due to the growing covid infection. Prime Minister Deuba was scheduled to Gujarat on 25 Poush to attend the conference. Two weeks before the visit, Arju had been lobbying to make the visit ‘royal’.
Arriving in Delhi on a private visit on 11 Poush, she met Chauthaiwale, the foreign affairs chief of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Though she has gone Delhi for her brother Bhushan’s treatment, the questioned raised in her political meetings. At the center of the question was Arju’s status. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs usually prepares for the Prime Minister’s visit abroad. But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not even aware of Arju’s Delhi race this time. On the advice of Arju, a Congress team led by Prakash Sharan Mahat left for India on 21 Asoj. The Nepali delegation had visited India with a plan to expand the party affiliation of the Congress with the Indian ruling party BJP.
The latest example of the extent to which Arju has crossed the line of position to get a decision in her favor is the meeting between UML Chairman KP Oli and Prime Minister Deuba in Balkot. After the leaders of the coalition refused to move the MCC forward, Prime Minister Deuba took his wife Arju to Balkot on the evening of 6 Falgun (February 18). In Balcot, Arju participated in the talks with Oli as a Prime Minister. Pressuring Oli, she said, “You were trying to get the MCC approved by Parliament. Now the time has come, let’s move forward by approving it’. Oli threatened her and said ‘we would settle the matter’.
During the meeting between Prime Minister Deuba and Oli, Arju actively participated in the meeting. Arju’s conclusion was that Deuba could not finalize the matter with Oli. So she got into the car and headed towards Balkot, saying that she would persuade Oli about MCC anyway. It was also a good time for her to repay the debt owed to her by the Americans three decades ago to settle down her with Deuba. However, Arju’s attempt did not go ahead as Oli did not surrender. However, behind the scenes, she seems to be a more active desire to move the MCC forward than Deuba.
Arju’s activism in the economic, political and diplomatic fields is growing. In the last election, Deuba had nominated Arju as his successor. This idea of ??Deuba could not be approved by the voters of Kailali-5. Arju, who is active in party politics as a central member of the Nepali Congress, she seems to be trying to come to power after Deuba in Budhanilkantha. If the forthcoming election supports her, her thought will gradually come to fruition. Now her thirst seems to be more focused on gaining political power than money. For that, appointing people to her side is just a process.
@ Danfe TV -February 23,
