Controversial ‘Religious Leaders’ Take Center Stage with the Home Minister
On Tuesday, at the courtyard of the old parliament building in New Baneshwor, a memorial assembly was held to mark the one-year anniversary of the ‘Gen Z’ movement. During the event, Home Minister Sudhan Gurung warned the traditional political parties to mend their ways. However, while the Home Minister delivered a fiery speech on good governance, two highly controversial figures with criminal backgrounds were smiling right beside him on the stage as special guests.
These two figures were Dinesh Prasad Pandit (who claims the title ‘Acharya Shree Niwas’) and Vijay Bhandari (also known as Baalyogeshwar), a serial fraudster who frequently changes his name.
Their presence as distinguished guests has sparked widespread criticism, mocking the government’s claims of good governance. Krantishikha Dhital, a Member of Parliament and Whip for the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), fiercely questioned the optics on social media “I do not know why that stage was set up that way. What was the purpose of having those religious leaders there? I don’t know how that program addressed the pain of the families who lost their children, or those whose bodies still bear the wounds of the movement; I don’t know what they understood from it.”
Here is the reality behind the two controversial figures seated on the stage:
Acharya Shree Niwas: Orchestrated His Own Shooting to Incite Communal Violence
Born in Nuwakot and based in Chakraghatti, Sunsari, Dinesh Prasad Pandit added the title “Acharya” to his name without any formal education. On the night of April 8, 2018, at around 2:00 AM, he was shot while a religious grand sacrifice (Mahayagya) was taking place at the Ramjanaki Temple in Biratnagar.
Initially, he attempted to frame the ‘Mongol National Organization’ (MNO) by scattering their pamphlets at the scene. Furthermore, he produced a leaflet containing anti-Hindu sentiments signed with a Christian-sounding name. However, when the local church community investigated, they found that no such person existed within the Nepali church. His ultimate goal was to ignite severe communal violence and riots between Christians, Hindus, and the MNO.
To execute this, he bought a gun and ordered his own bodyguard, Madhav Chaudhary, to shoot him.
Speaking at a press conference, the then-Morang Police Chief, SP Arun Kumar BC, stated “Our investigation has confirmed that Shree Niwas bought a pistol himself and instructed his own accomplice to shoot him in order to inflame the Hindu nation agenda and incite communal protests nationwide. This was a criminal conspiracy plotted with the pure intention of sparking communal riots.”
After his arrest, the shooter, Madhav Chaudhary, confessed to the media “I shot him from 5 meters away, following the Guru’s own plan. The Guru had told me to ‘shoot at the arm.’ But because it was night and fired from 5 meters away, it misfired and hit his chest instead of his arm. I shot him after the Guru said he was ready to take a bullet for the sake of religion and a Hindu nation.”
Due to technicalities and witnesses altering their testimonies, the court ultimately acquitted him. Yet, he continued his extremist activities. In October 2023, while brandishing a khukuri on a stage in Janakpur, he made this violent declaration “Those who slaughter cows must be chopped with a naked khukuri wherever they are found; I will take full legal and moral responsibility for it!”
Vijay Bhandari (Baalyogeshwar): Multi-Million Rupee Fraudster Disguised as a Holy Man
Vijay Bhandari, originally from Gulmi, is another figure who has been scamming the public under the guise of religion. To escape his history of fraud, he frequently changes his name, using aliases like Vishnu Prapannacharya, Balgopaleshwar, and Baalyogeshwar.
Police previously raided his residence in Chhauni, Kathmandu, seizing fake receipt books and checkbooks. He had collected money from people, falsely promising to take them to the United States for religious events. On November 21, 2016, the Kathmandu District Court convicted him of defrauding Rs. 12.7 million, stating “Since it has been proven that the defendant, Vijay Bhandari, defrauded the public by offering the temptation of foreign employment and religious tours under the guise of an organization, it is decided that he will face two and a half years in prison and a fine of Rs. 8.1 million.”
The case eventually reached the Supreme Court, where a settlement was reached in October 2024 on the condition that he refund the victims. He has been imprisoned multiple times, including in 2011, 2014, and 2019.
Bhandari is also accused of embezzling funds raised during a Mahayagya intended to construct a building for Secondary School in Gulmi in 2018.
Most recently, in July/August 2024, he organized a month-long ‘Kotihom’ (massive fire ritual) at the Pashupatinath Temple but has faced intense scrutiny for failing to provide accounts of the donations collected. He also courted controversy for illegally cutting down ancient Banyan and Peepal trees while preparing for another Kotihom in Pokhara.
Ultimately, the Home MinisterтАЩs decision to share a memorial stage with such figures serves as a profound betrayal to the families of the ‘Gen Z’ movement. For parents who lost their children and youths who still bear the physical scars of their fight for good governance, seeing the state align with known fraudsters and instigators of violence turns a solemn tribute into a mockery of their sacrifices. Furthermore, this unholy alliance deals a severe blow to Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) in the country. When top government authorities publicly validate individuals who have historically weaponized faith to incite inter-religious violence and exploit vulnerable devotees, it actively undermines the safety of religious minorities. It creates a dangerous environment of impunity where genuine religious freedom is threatened, minority communities are left feeling targeted, and faith is reduced to a shield for political and financial exploitation.
