Coffee Talk of Karima Begum

No, not again!

The same Karima Begum, who beat the CDO, showed her short-temper to Kantipur TV crews, and who the PM don’t want to punish for her wrong-doings, told that she wants coffee to be planted in Tarai (lower parts of Nepal).

There is nothing wrong in planting coffee in Tarai as long as the climate suits. But the agriculture specialist, under her own ministry, think that it was the dumbest thing to say in a public function.

Minister may not know everything about their ministry but at least they should do some homework on what they are talking. She could have discussed about the topic with the specialists before she talked.

For business purpose, coffee can only be planted in the terrain in the range of 800 m to 1,600 m above sea level. Tarai region doesn’t have that terrain and attempts to plant coffee in such region have failed in India and Sri Lanka.

We have seen that she is arrogant, short tempered, and the latest event prove that she is also ignorant of her own field, agriculture.

UPDATE: Begum released a press statement to apologize as instructed by PM Nepal. But the “apology” statement reads more like an “accusation” statement rather than an apology. If you want to read the statement (in Nepali) here is the scanned copy. Read the rest of this entry »

PM Nepal with Karima Begum

Did you see the video of Karima Begum? Do you still think she is innocent?

Well, the Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal doesn’t want Home Ministry to take action against Begum. He doesn’t want to take chance of alienating Begum’s party on such a minor issue of slapping an employee.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has instructed home minister Bhim Rawal not to take action against State Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Karima Begum saying such move would hamper inter-party relation of the ruling parties hence the stability of the government, Kantipur daily reported. (Nepalnews)

That was against the CPN (UML) chairman Jhala Nath Khanal’s suggestion: to sack Begum. Even some leaders of Begum’s own party Madhesi Janadhikar Forum-Loktantrik have suggested the party leadership to ask Begum to resign based on morality.

PM Nepal was made prime minister by the parties, not the people, so he is accountable to the parties. He only needs leaders and foreign support to run the country and doesn’t need any government employees to help him.

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Minister Mentality of Karima Begum

I resisted writing about the incident about a deputy minister of Nepal, Karima Begum, beating a top government employee, Chief District Officer, Durga Prasad Bhandari, in Parsa. I couldn’t hold myself after I listened her talking in a TV interview. The government employees have gone to street to protest the man handling and police has issued an arrest warrant for Minister Begum.

The vision and mentality of a law maker of the country and one of the member of cabinet, that is supposed to prepare the constitution, made me very sad.

Kantipur TV called her in a live prime-time TV interview and she kept talking on and on ignoring the indication of the host about the time constraints. She talked for a full 13 minutes but there was nothing new and she was repeating herself with unnecessary details of the incidents. The rude reasoning for the extended talk didn’t make any sense either.

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