Government medals dragged into controversy

Announcement of the decorations, orders and medals drew flak this year as well stating that they were distributed among the family members and those loyal to the leaders of the ruling parties.

Immediately after the names of the persons receiving the medals were made public, it drew criticism. Four journalists,

Nepali Congress leader PL Singh and even a medical doctor who were on the list of medal receivers have publicly rejected them.

Last year, when the previous government presented the medals to those who eulogised then Prime Minister KP Oli and two daughters of President Bidya Bhandari, the medal distribution was also dragged into the controversy.

This year, the government distributed more medals and many of those who received them happened to family members of the leaders who have done nothing besides fathering the leaders or being the spouse of the leaders. Among the medal recipients are Pushpa Kamal Dahal's wife Sita and Madhav Nepal's father Mangal Prasad Upadhyay. Similarly, the medals were given to the leaders of the ruling parties posthumously. Media owners, Supreme Court Justices who gave a verdict in favour of the restoration of the House of Representatives, journalists close to ruling parties and even blacklisted contractors received the medals.

Former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, who had also distributed the medals to those who praised him last year, has expressed his ire as the journalists who wrote against his government and the Justices received the medals. But his criticism does not match his previous

acts.

The government seems to have failed to find the right men for the medals and when it presented them to 'our men', they have drawn criticism. Also, many of those who rejected the medals said they were given to them without consulting with them.