Informal Sector Service Center (Insec) has condemned the government decision to withdraw cases against 500 individuals, including those accused of heinous crimes during the Tharuhat and Madhes movements of 2015.

A Cabinet meeting held on Thursday (May 18) decided to roll back the criminal cases against of those involved during the movement citing that the Tharuhat and Madhes agitation as political movements.

In a statement on Friday, the Insec recalled the Tikapur incident of Kailali that took place on August 24, 2015 in which eight security personnel including a SSP were killed by Tharuhat protestors.  Likewise, in another violent incident, an ASI of Armed Police Force (APF) was dragged out of an ambulance and brutally murdered by the cadres of Madhesi Morcha in Jaleshwor of Mahottari district.

As part of its bid to create an environment conducive for the second phase of local level elections and bring the agitating parties on board the constitution implementation process, the government decided to initiate the process to take back, as per the law, the cases filed against those involved in such incidents.

 “The decision to grant political protection to members of the political parties in serious criminal cases obstruct the effort to address the impunity,” read the Insec statement.

The statement further stated that the move to protect the cadres involved in criminal activities by the parties in power is promoting a bad culture in Nepali politics.

The Insec has urged the government to immediately revoke its decision that is against human rights and the rule of law.