Former Industry Minister Shastri passes away

Arghakhanchi, June 16: Former Minister for Industry and former central member of the Nepali Congress, Dhundiraj Shastri (Poudel) has passed away at the KMC Hospital in Kathmandu at 4.00am today. He was 90.

He was born in 1993 BS as the eldest child of father Khemraj Poudel and mother Sabitra Poudel in the then Kimdanda Panchayat-8, Nimdanda, now located in Bhumikasthan Municipality-8, Arghakhanchi.

The socialist thinker Shastri has two wives, two sons, and two daughters. One of the wives has already passed away. 

Since his sons are abroad, the funeral will be conducted after they arrive, according to his family member Ashok Poudel.

Shastri became involved in the politics of the Nepali Congress while studying in Varanasi, India in the year 2010 BS. After completing his education, he engaged in underground politics on behalf of the party.

In the year 2014 BS, he participated in the civil disobedience movement launched by the party in Tansen, Palpa, leading the movement from Arghakhanchi district. 

During the general elections of 2015 BS, he actively participated in the movement for restoration of democracy and played a significant role in involving the youth of Gulmi and Arghakhanchi in the revolution at the time when King Mahendra dissolved the parliament and imprisoned leaders on Poush 1, 2017 BS.

He lived in political exile in India after the royal coup of 2017 BS. Shastri also taught for some time at Gorakhpur College in Gorakhpur, India during that time. While he was in Gorakhpur, he published pamphlets and newspapers in support of the fight for democracy and sent them to Nepal.

Shastri, a staunch follower of late popular leader B.P. Koirala, was the expounder of Koirala's socialist thought. He played a significant role in expanding the organization of the Nepali Congress in districts like Arghakhanchi and Gulmi. He also took a leadership role in the people's movements of 2036 and 2046 BS.

In the general election held in 2048 BS after the success of the people's movement of 2046 BS and restoration of democracy, he won the election from Arghakhanchi constituency no. 2 with a resounding majority and was appointed the Minister of Industry.

Shastri had also won in the mid-term elections of the year 2051BS. After that, he had rejected the party's request to become a member of parliament on proportional quota in the subsequent elections. (RSS)