Gagan Kumar Thapa: Prosperity Is Not Just Income, But Social Justice

Nepali Congress President Gagan Kumar Thapa has clarified the meaning of prosperity and development, emphasizing the need to ensure social justice and equal rights for all.

Speaking at a Q&A session titled “Election Commitment with Gagan Thapa,” held Thursday at the National Assembly Hall in Kathmandu, he said that prosperity should not be about confining dreams, but about guaranteeing everyone’s rights.

He stated, “Prosperity and development have become widely used terms lately. Prosperity suggests that if, over the next 10 years, our industrialization grows and income increases tenfold, we consider that prosperity. But we have tried to confine dreams within prosperity. We have also confined dreams under the term development.”

He added that a society cannot be considered prosperous or developed if violence against women and caste-based discrimination do not decrease.

“Even if our income rises over 10 years, if violence against women does not decline, can we truly call Nepal prosperous? If caste discrimination does not reduce, can we accept it? If the state cannot guarantee our rights, we do not accept that as prosperity,” he said.

He also stressed that the state should act as a guardian for Nepalis living abroad and highlighted the importance of the diaspora’s contribution.

“Our state will also be a guardian of Nepalis living abroad, who are investing their labor and capacity. The emotions, knowledge, skills, and capital of Nepalis scattered around the world will contribute to the revival of the motherland,” he added.