Rabi Lamichhane

Rabi Lamichhane (रबि लामिछाने; IPA /ɾʌbi lamit͡sʰane/; born 11 June 1975) is a Nepali politician currently serving as the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of Nepal.

A popular former journalist, Rabi became the member of the House of Representatives from Chitwan 2 again on 28 April 2023, having previously represented the constituency from December 2022 to January 2023.

He also previously served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs between December 2022 to January 2023.

On 6th March 2024, he was appointed as minister for home affairs for the second time.

Prior to entering politics, Lamichhane was a well-known television journalist/presenter.

He gained popularity for his investigative journalism and social activism, particularly his coverage of social and political issues affecting marginalized communities in Nepal.

Lamichhane was an American citizen from 2007 to 2017.

He claimed that his previous Nepali citizenship was revived following the renouncement of his American citizenship.

The previous record was set by two Ukrainian presenters who stayed on the air for 52 hours in 2011.

He interviewed politicians, journalists, and celebrities, and took phone calls from viewers.

Lamichhane rose to fame as the host of a television show on the News24 aimed at setting the world record for the longest marathon hosting of a television show in April 2013.

He selected the 'Buddha was born in Nepal' theme in order to "help promote Nepal globally".

While he set the Guinness world record at over 62 hours in April 2013, the record has since been broken by Alexandru Raducanu of Romania, who hosted an over 72-hour-long show.

Lamichhane went on to host the popular Sidha Kura Pradhanmantri Sanga (Straight Talk with the Prime minister) with prime minister KP Sharma Oli on the Nepal Television and News 24.

Later he went on to host Sidha Kura Janata Sanga on News24.

The show's format has Lamichhane providing an editorial monologue alongside reporting, primarily the kind of sting journalism pioneered by the Indian news magazine Tehelka.

Lamichhane follows up on complaints from ordinary people, chiefly victims of fraud or corruption, and confronts the alleged perpetrators on camera.

The show has been described as "unapologetically nationalist, at times simplistic in its coverage of complex issues," and creating "a cult of personality around its host".

Lamichhane resigned from News24 in January 2021 and announced the launch of a new version of his show as Sidha Kura on Galaxy 4K TV.

On 16 June 2022, Lamichhane announced his resignation from Galaxy 4K TV in order to contest the 2022 general elections later in the year for a seat to the House of Representatives.

He announced the formation of a new political party, the Rastriya Swatantra Party on 21 June 2022.

He registered his candidacy from Chitwan 2.

His car was vandalized while on the campaign trail in Chitwan on 13 November 2022.

Lamichhane was elected with a majority of 34,312 votes, defeating Nepali Congress' Umesh Shrestha, an incumbent minister of state, and CPN (UML)'s Krishna Bhakta Pokhrel, the incumbent member of the constituency.

In the aftermath of the election, his party supported Pushpa Kamal Dahal's nomination for prime minister, and Lamichhane led the RSP in government as deputy prime minister and minister for home affairs.

During his campaign for the 2022 general election, a complaint was filed calling for his candidacy to be scrapped.

The complainant claimed that Lamichhane had not renounced his Nepali citizenship while being an American citizen and Nepali law does not allow dual citizenship.

On 27 January 2022, the Supreme Court of Nepal ruled that Lamichhane did not follow due process to re-obtain his Nepali citizenship after renouncing his American citizenship, and thus, was not a legal Nepali citizen.

This verdict effectively stripped Lamichhane of his position as deputy prime minister and minister of home affairs.

Having re-acquired Nepali citizenship, he contested the by-election held for his seat of Chitwan 2 in April 2023, and was re-elected securing an even greater margin of votes than in the 2022 general election.

In Nepal: On 15 August 2019, police arrested Lamichhane from his News 24 office in connection with the suicide of journalist Shalikram Pudasaini.

In a video recorded before his death, Pudasaini, who had also worked for News24, had named Lamichhane, among others, as driving him to suicide.

Chitwan police charged Lamichhane, along with two others with abetment of suicide.

His arrest provoked widespread protest rallies in his support across the country with thousands of young people taking to the streets in Chitwan.

Protestors saw Lamichhane's arrest as an attempt to stifle his journalism and retaliation for his exposure of corruption in the state.

Chitwan District Court released Lamichhane on Rs 500,000 bail a few days later.

Judge Hemanta Rawal eventually cleared Lamichhane of all charges.

In USA: There are nine court cases against Rabi Lamichhane, out of which three are still active.

These cases are believed to be associated with his business while he was living in Baltimore, US.

These cases can be searched using link: https://casesearch.courts.state.md.us/casesearch/inquirySearchParam.jis and typing his last name and first name.