Tasi Lhanjom has been dragged into controversy with talk of becoming a minister representing Zen-G.

Why and how did the dispute arise? What is his background? Kantipur's conversation with Tasi : 

With the talk of becoming a minister, your name and citizenship have come into controversy, right?

It's because I'm a tribe. Because if my name was Tasi Poudel, Thapa, Bhattarai or Ghimire, such a thing would not have arisen. But I became Tasi Lhanjom. I belong to a marginalized community. I came from Limi Valley, a place that most Nepalese have never heard of. That may be the reason. The face also started raising questions about not looking like a Nepali. My Nepali dialect is not good either. Because it is not my mother tongue. It is said that I had to disclose my relationship due to doubt about my identity.

You studied at Columbia University and that university says Tibetan Diaspora in your profile. Now your profile has been suddenly removed after this controversy, what is your opinion on this matter? 

I was awarded a fellowship at Columbia University. That was related to green entrepreneurship. That fellowship was for Tibetans and ethnic Tibetans as well. I and one other Nepalese and Indian were fellows in the fellowship given to Tibetans and ethnic Tibetans living in the Himalayan range. We all had cultural similarities. I don't even know why the university deleted my profile. Looking at my face and looking at my background, I am not really Nepali. I don't know why it was removed. I was there to learn green entrepreneurship skills. 

How many years ago did you get there? 

is last year's thing. It was a 2 and a half week course. I have completed the selection process and got selected from the competition. We, together with the youth, have run a cooperative in Limi, the Limi Unity Multipurpose Cooperative Society. I am one of its founders. We are doing eco tourism out of it. Because that is the best way to generate income for our village. Thinking that it would be very good if tourism could be promoted. 

What kind of political, non-political, social organization do you currently work in Nepal? How did you get involved in the Zen-G movement? 

I have led the youth of Himal in the Zen-G movement. I felt that if I did not actively lead, we would not participate in the future. So I led it in the beginning. My friends and I started Indigenous Gen-G Collectives because not only the youth of the Himalayan region but also the tribal youth should be led. On 8th September I participated in the protest all day. The next day at the Buddhist we lit a candle in memory of the martyrs.  In the days after the

movement, I also participated in the discussion team to see if the youth of marginalized areas would be left out. What people don't realize is that Gen-G is not about a single race or community. There is also diversity within Gen-G. Adivasi Zen-G. Himalayan Gen-G. Madhesi Gen-G. Dalits and Muslims are gen-ji. Not all gen-jis have the same experience. Everyone was angry with the government, lack of transparency. But here, Gen-Ji from the marginalized area has suffered more from corruption and abuse of power. 

It was discussed that your name was proposed as a minister. How was the name decided? Who proposed? What was your advice? 

Nothing was suggested about this matter. We were thinking that we should send another friend. It was also feared that the tribal gen-ji would leave the cabinet. How many people said that Kulman did not reach Ghising. But he comes from a track record. I never even promoted my name. I wanted to send other friends. I was in India at the time, attending a regional workshop at the University of Oxford. I was invited to this event three months ago. I learned this from a friend. I also delayed the return ticket to meet friends and professors.