President Bhandari faces public backlash over hospital violence tweet

President Bhandari

NL Today

  • Read Time 2 min.

Kathmandu: On Friday afternoon, President Bidya Devi Bhandari expressed concern over the assault on health professionals of Bheri Hospital through a tweet. Her tweet is now facing widespread criticism and the President is receiving public backlash. 

President Bhandari tweeted: ‘The misbehavior towards the doctors and nurses engaged in treatment in Bheri Hospital risking their and their families’ lives is regrettable. While in sorrow, a person may become emotionally impulsive (bhawanatmak uttejanaa). At this time of crisis, it is our common duty to win over the pandemic with moderation and patience.’

The phrase bhawanatmak uttejanaa is what has made her statement controversial. People are asking what she actually meant by that–emotion, excitement, loss of temper?  

Twitter is now flooded with comments criticizing that the President’s tweet normalizes crime and violence. Many have objected to the use of ‘bhawanatmak uttejanaa’, saying this shows her as taking the side of the perpetrators. 

Suman Mandal wrote on Twitter: ‘This is called normalizing the violence madam President’, pointing out the very phrase. 

Saru Gole quoted the President’s tweet with anger. She wrote that the government really doesn’t care about us, mocking the President’s tweet as a great way of ‘motivating’ health workers who have been risking their lives while on duty. 

Similarly, @MrKhadkaZee tweeted, ‘Health workers don’t need your consolation,’ and challenged the president to bring laws to address such incidents, or else not to make a show with a tweet. 

@sarojmani13 quoted the president’s tweet and wrote, ‘This is such an irresponsible statement from the president. We don’t want this type of guardianship.’

President’s tweet is facing criticisms from different walks of life. Twitteratis are questioning: ‘Can the Head of the State normalize crime and violence?’This comes at a time when the President has been criticized for being in complicity with PM Oli in dissolving the House of Representatives. President Bhandari had faced criticism when she was heard snigger at the PM’s response of ‘tyo pardaina’ during his swearing-in as the PM from the largest party of the Parliament on May 14.