CK Raut
{{Short description|Nepalese activist, MP and engineer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific_prefix = Honourable
| name = Chandra Kant Raut
| native_name = चन्द्रकान्त राउत
| image = CK Raut.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| office = [Home minister of Nepal]
| constituency = Saptari 2
| predecessor = Upendra Yadav
| term_start = 22 December 2022
| term_end =
| birth_name = Chandra Kant Raut
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1977|08|31}}
| birth_place = Mahadeva, Saptari, Nepal
| nationality = Nepalese
| citizenship = Nepali
| education = PhD
| alma_mater = Tribhuvan University
University of Tokyo
Cambridge University
| party = Janamat Party
}}
Chandra Kant Raut ({{langx|ne|चन्द्रकान्त राउत}}), popularly known as Dr. CK Raut, is a Nepalese Member of Parliament (MP), computer engineer, former United States Defense programmer, author, politician, activist. He is a gold medalist in the Bachelor of Engineering from Pulchowk Campus, a central campus of Institute of Engineering (IOE), Tribhuvan University. He was active in the Alliance for Independent Madhesh, to establish a country for the Madhesi people.{{cite web |url=http://www.ekantipur.com/nepal/article/?id=222 |title=" मुख्य समाचार " :: नेपाल :: |publisher=Ekantipur.com |date=24 May 2015 |access-date=28 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704035340/http://www.ekantipur.com/nepal/article/?id=222 |archive-date=4 July 2015 |url-status=dead }} However, he surrendered before the Nepalese state in 2018 and chose to participate in mainstream politics. In 2022 Nepalese general election, he was elected as a member of the Pratinidhi Sabha,the lower house of Parliament .
In the past, he was frequently placed under house-arrest by the authorities.{{cite web|url=http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-105-2015 |title=Police intrudes Dr. Raut's privacy and security keeping him under 24 hours surveillance : July 3, 2015 . |publisher=Asian Human Rights Commission |access-date=1 September 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-STM-123-2015 |title=Police going berserk in Nepal's Terai : July 29, 2015 |publisher=Asian Human Rights Commission |access-date=1 September 2015}} He quit the movement for another single country and joined the mainstream politics forming Janamat Party in 2019.
Early life of CK raut
Raut was born in Mahadeva village of Saptari district of Nepal. He attended primary school in his village and high school at Laxmi Ballav Narsingh Secondary School in Babhangama Katti.{{cite web |title=Laxmi Ballav Narsingh Secondary School |url=https://edusanjal.com/school/laxmi-ballav-narsingh-higher-secondary-school/ |website=edusanjal.com |publisher=edusanjal Pvt Ltd |access-date=8 March 2020}} He computerised first of all Tirhuta (Maithili Writing System) font. He went on to study at Tribhuvan University (Nepal), Tokyo University (Japan) and Cambridge University (UK). He is a recipient of the Young Nepalese Engineer Award, Mahendra Bidhya Bhusan, Kulratna Gold Medal, and Trofimenkoff Academic Achievement Award.{{cite web|url=http://madhesh.org/contents/media/2011/12/NRMA_brochure_madhesh_madheshis_web.pdf |title=Celebrating the Anniversary: Non-Resident Madhesh Association, USA: June 2011 |publisher=Madhesh.org |access-date=28 May 2015}}
Political life
= Alliance for Independent Madhesh =
Raut was the president and the founding member of Alliance for Independent Madhesh, which in its manifesto has described itself as a coalition of Terai people discriminated by Pahadi civilisation. It has people of various sub-ethnicities, activists, parties and various organisations who are working towards establishing an independent Madhesh. Although it was established in 2007, it did not announce their manifesto until a press conference in Kathmandu on 21 May 2012. The manifesto states the main objective of the alliance is to achieve independence of Madhesh through peaceful and non-violent means. It has also demanded an end an end to racism, slavery and discrimination imposed on Nepali people of Madheshi origin by the Pahadi people. It claims to have three pillars: independent Madhesh of Nepal, non-violence and peaceful means, and a democratic system.[http://www.madhesh.com] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217144254/http://www.madhesh.com/|date=17 December 2014}}
= Arrest =
On 13 September 2014, the Government of Nepal arrested Raut for on the grounds of sedition after giving a speech to a gathering of Santhals, an indigenous population of Nepalese, in their annual festival. After his arrest, Raut began to fast in protest, arguing that his right to freedom and expression was being violated by the government.{{cite web|url=http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=84434|title=CK Raut charged with sedition|date=8 October 2014|publisher=Myrepublica.com|access-date=28 May 2015}}[http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/news/39269-supreme-court-seeks-written-statement-on-ck-raut-case] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925125123/http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/news/39269-supreme-court-seeks-written-statement-on-ck-raut-case|date=25 September 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Free+Raut+immediately%3A+FRA&NewsID=428802 |title=Free Raut immediately: FRA – Detail News : Nepal News Portal |publisher=Thehimalayantimes.com |date=25 September 2014 |access-date=28 May 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.ekantipur.com/2014/10/01/headlines/CK-Raut-ends-hunger-strike/395906/ |title=CK Raut ends hunger strike|publisher=Ekantipur.com |access-date=28 May 2015}} He was subsequently hospitalized on 25 September after complaints of severe stomach pain. Nepali Congress Vice-President Ram Chandra Poudel, Minister for Information and Communications Minendra Rijal, and Agriculture Minister Hari Parajuli visited Raut in the hospital to urge him to end his fast.{{cite web|url=http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/141008/nepal-charges-political-activist-treason |title=Nepal charges political activist with treason |publisher=GlobalPost.com |date=8 October 2014 |access-date=28 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925104736/http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/afp/141008/nepal-charges-political-activist-treason |archive-date=25 September 2015 |df=mdy }} Raut ended his fast on the 1 October, after 11 days, upon the Nepalese government's request and commitment to respect freedom of expression. The Attorney Office filed a sedition case at the Special Court on 8 October.{{cite web|url=http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Govt+files+sedition+case+against+CK+Raut&NewsID=429755 |title=Govt files sedition case against CK Raut – Detail News : Nepal News Portal |publisher=Thehimalayantimes.com |access-date=28 May 2015}}
= Speech in Biratnagar =
On 3 January 2015, Raut was again arrested while giving a speech at degree College. Many supporters were injured following a clash with police. A dozen police personnel were also injured. Raut's supporters claimed police had used brutal force and did not allow him to be hospitalised locally for injuries incurred during the clash.{{cite web |date=3 January 2015 |title=CK Raut arrested again in Biratnagar |url=http://goonlinenews.com/ck-raut-arrested-again-in-biratnagar |access-date=28 May 2015 |publisher=Goonlinenews.com}}
= Janamat Party formation =
Raut quitted the secessionist movement on 8 March 2019, signing agreement with Prime minister KP Sharma Oli.{{Cite web |title=CK Raut quits secessionist movement, joins mainstream politics |url=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2019/03/08/ck-raut-quits-secessionist-movement-joins-mainstream-politics |access-date=2022-12-13 |website=kathmandupost.com |language=English}} Subsequently, Janamat Party was formed by Raut on 18 March 2019.
Electoral Performance
=[[2022 Nepalese general election]]=
| class="wikitable"
|+ Saptari District Constituency - 2 | |||
| Candidate | Party | Votes | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| CK Raut | Janamat Party | 35,042 | Won |
| Upendra Yadav | People Socialist Party | 16,979 | Defeated |
International support
New York City based Human Rights Watch issued the statement on the arrest and subsequent filing of sedition charges against Raut.{{cite web|author=Brad Adams |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2014/10/14/nepal-drop-sedition-charges-against-madhesi-activist |title=Nepal: Drop Sedition Charges against Madhesi Activist |publisher=Human Rights Watch |date=14 October 2014 |access-date=28 May 2015}}
Asian Human Rights Commission stated, that everyone has the rights to freedom of speech, movement, peaceful assembly and association are the fundamental rights of all human beings everywhere, as also mandated by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, of which Nepal is a signatory, we expect acknowledgement and assurance of our rights from the state and its agencies. The AHRC urges the government of Nepal to immediately release Dr Chandra Kant Raut. The AHRC fears possible torture, harassment and other ill treatment during their arbitrary arrest by the Morang Police."{{cite web|url=http://www.humanrights.asia/news/urgent-appeals/AHRC-UAC-132-2014 |title=Nepal: Immediately release Doctor Chandra Kant Raut who have been confined into illegal and arbitrary confinement — Asian Human Rights Commission |publisher=Humanrights.asia |access-date=28 May 2015}} Amnesty International also wrote a letter to the Nepalese Minister for Home Affairs, demanding Raut's release.{{cite web |url=http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/politics-archive/39185-ck-raut-s-case-hearing-on-sunday-special-court-sentences-2-additional-days-imprisonment |title=CK Raut's case hearing on Sunday, Special court sentences 2 additional days' imprisonment |publisher=Nepalnews.com |access-date=28 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925105057/http://www.nepalnews.com/index.php/politics-archive/39185-ck-raut-s-case-hearing-on-sunday-special-court-sentences-2-additional-days-imprisonment |archive-date=25 September 2015 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/ASA31/008/2014/en |title=Document |publisher=Amnesty International |date=5 December 2014 |access-date=28 May 2015}}
Books and films
- मधेश स्वराज / Madhesh Swaraj
- मधेश का इतिहास / A History of Madhesh
- वीर मधेशी / Bir Madheshi
- वैरागदेखि बचावसम्म (आत्मकथा) [Denial to Defense]{{Cite web |date=2018 |editor-last=Newsdesk |editor-first=I Love Mithila |title=Who is Ck Raut ? Open Love Letter To CK Raut |url=https://www.ilovemithila.com/love-letter-to-ck-raut/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230430155453/https://www.ilovemithila.com/love-letter-to-ck-raut/ |archive-date=30 Apr 2023 |website=ilovemithila.com}}
- Black Buddhas: The Madheshis of Nepal (documentary)
Criticisms
Raut is heavily criticised for his past successionist movements. He is often seen as a dangerous element active in weakening the national sovereignty and controversial individual creating deep fractions between the madheshi and pahadi community. His most trusted ally Kailash Mahato and other members of Alliance for Independent Madhesh left him after he quit the core agendas of Free Madhesh.{{cite web | url=https://kathmandupost.com/national/2019/03/08/ck-raut-quits-secessionist-movement-joins-mainstream-politics | title=CK Raut quits secessionist movement, joins mainstream politics }}{{cite web | url=https://english.khabarhub.com/2020/27/107762/ | title=Seven central members quit CK Raut's Janamat Party }}{{cite web | url=https://www.peoplesreview.com.np/2017/02/08/ck-raut-emerging-as-a-serious-threat-to-nepals-sovereignty/ | title=CK Raut emerging as a serious threat to Nepal's sovereignty - A Political and Business weekly }}
References
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Category:People from Saptari District
Category:Tribhuvan University alumni
Category:Alumni of the University of Cambridge
Category:University of Tokyo alumni
Category:Nepalese male writers
Category:Nepalese film directors
Category:Nepalese political party founders
Category:Pulchowk Campus alumni