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Lawmaker Shrestha calls for depoliticizing heritage sites



Kathmandu, Aug 19: House of Representatives member Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has said there should be no politics on the heritage sites.

In his address to a programme organised by the Hanumandhoka Durbar Museum Development Committee on Friday, the lawmaker was of the view that heritage sites should not be politicized. He also alleged some of his predecessors of politicizing heritage sites, thus preventing the Department of Archeology from accessing to them. Shrestha made it clear that his party would never follow such practice.

“Heritage sites including the Hanumandhoka remain as invaluable repositories of knowledge and their artistic features consistently attract tourists from and outside the country,” he said.

On the occasion, a souvenir ‘Hanumandhoka Smarika’ was released and an art expo by senior artist Hari Prasad Sharma was inaugurated.

Bagmati Province Assembly member Shailendra Man Bajracharya expressed his hope that Sharma’s creations would contribute to further highlight the significance of the Hanumandhoka Durbar Square. Sharma said he gifted his 13 works to the Museum and they would be exhibited for six months in the Durbar Square premises.

Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Bharatmani Subedi, admitted the procrastination in the reconstruction of heritages in Kathmandu compared to Bhaktapur and Lalitpur. Pledging to expedite the rebuilding drive targeting Kathmandu, he said,” It is challenging to preserve heritages gifted to us by our ancestors for our future generation.”

Department director general Shaubhagya Pradhananga said 22 heritages along with the Hanumandhoka area were being rebuilt while the reconstruction of some heritages was yet to be convened.

On the occasion, he lauded Sharma for exploring the information, knowledge and significance embedded with in medieval culture through his artworks.