The name of Ganapati Lal Shrestha, a native of Jhonchhe, has been in the news since Sunday morning. Although the news that he would become the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation in the Sushila Karki-led government formed after the Gen-G rebellion was public, news that the ministry that was supposed to be given to him was changed was immediately made public. Later, his name was recommended as the Minister of Land Management and Cooperatives. But Ganapati Lal expressed dissatisfaction with this.

An edited excerpt of an interview with Shrestha, who has been active in the campaign to save the heritage of the Kathmandu Valley for more than a decade, on why he was recommended as a minister and why he was not ready to take on the new responsibility:

How was the matter of giving you the ministry finalized?

I was told to give the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Yesterday, the Minister of Energy, the Minister of Home Affairs and the Prime Minister called him to his residence in the evening to finalize and then recommend and swear in at once this morning. The ministry was changed in an hour in the morning.

Were you not given detailed information about this?

I was not given detailed information about this. When I went to talk to the Prime Minister face to face, he did not give a satisfactory answer.

What did you talk about and what answer did you get?

I asked what was the commitment yesterday? And today, why the sudden change? My name was put in the Ministry of Land Reforms. I asked if you asked me about this. I only came to know about it from the media. Another thing is that the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had made a request to everyone to do research about me and lead this ministry. They played with my feelings and the feelings of so many people.