Many were surprised when the proposal of Sudhan Gurung's name was made public as the Home Ministry, which is considered powerful in the Balendra Shah-led government. Why not, sometimes he made statements saying that he would not pay the MPs and sometimes he asked 'what is our agenda...' in a press conference. Many had expressed surprise that Sudhan was put forward as the Home Minister due to such small scenes that were made public. However, in the week since he was appointed Home Minister, he has been trying to answer every question raised about him through work. Although some of his actions have not gone unanswered. Apart from ordinary citizens, his supporters, administration and security experts have also seen some of his steps as positive while others have questioned them.

‘The investigation files that were stuck during the previous government are being opened in a big way, that is very positive,’ says former DIG of Nepal Police Hemanta Malla Thakuri, ‘However, it seems that the political leadership has gained control over the police when the Home Minister himself makes arrest warrants public, writes statuses and makes them public.’ He says that this trend may even raise questions about the impartiality of the investigation tomorrow.

On the evening of the day he became Home Minister, Gurung instructed Police Chief IGP Dan Bahadur Karki to immediately arrest former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. After a security briefing on the need to exercise restraint, he also called Armed Police IGP Raju Aryal and started discussions. While Aryal himself had been recommended for criminal action by the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led commission formed to investigate the incidents of Bhadra 23 and 24.

However, the cabinet meeting had decided to form a separate investigation committee in the case of security personnel and move forward based on its recommendation. The security apparatus, reminding them of the legal process and the reaction that may arise if the leaders of the two old parties are arrested, opined that they should move forward gradually. Minister Gurung, however, maintained his stance and reached the police headquarters, Naxal.

According to security officers, after he said that if he was not arrested immediately, he would ‘stay at the headquarters’, even the secretary of the law ministry had to be called to the headquarters at night for discussions. Following the Home Minister’s stance, the police arrested Oli and Lekhak the next morning. Since then, Sudhan has been the busiest minister in the Balen government.

He was so busy that the day after he was appointed Home Minister, he himself went to Pulchowk to choose his ministerial quarters. Home Minister Gurung started living in the building allocated for Supreme Court Justice Nahakul Subedi from Sunday after renovations. The government handed over the two buildings here, including this one, to the Supreme Court judges and the Chief Registrar on Falgun 19, 2079.

But no information has been given to the judges, Supreme Court administration and registrar about this. ‘The government has not given any formal information about placing other people in the place where the judges are staying,’ Supreme Court Chief Registrar Bimal Poudel told Kantipur.

Former Justice Balram KC also said that the wrong practice of placing judges and ministers in the same premises has started. ‘The Constitution has given the judiciary the right to judicially review the work of the executive according to the principle of separation of powers. In such a situation, ministers and judges should not meet. Therefore, the arrangement of ministers and judges living in the same compound is inappropriate,’ he said.

Saturday, Chaitra 14, was a public holiday. The employees of the Ministry of Urban Development were not there. But Home Minister Gurung himself reached the judges’ quarters in Pulchowk. According to an aide of a judge in Pulchowk, he had entered the building where the judges were staying, saying, “How are you?” ‘When I told him that the judge was staying here, he asked which one was vacant,’ the aide told Kantipur. ‘After inspecting the vacant buildings, he chose one house and instructed them to clean it. He moved in on Sunday.’

A week after becoming the Home Minister

Friday, Chaitra 13

While Balendra’s friend Sunil Lamsal and Vice President DP Aryal, who is also a confidant of President Ravi Lamichhane, were claiming the post, Gurung suddenly won the Home Ministry. Despite saying that he wanted an ‘action-oriented’ ministry, he did not expect that he would be entrusted with the responsibility of taking charge of the country’s security in the backdrop of Lamsal’s and Aryal’s stance.

However, Balendra chose him, who had been running around saying that Oli and the writer should be arrested in the past, and Gurung also promised to work as promised when he got the responsibility. After that, Gurung, who took the oath, went to the Home Ministry and announced that the report's recommendations would be implemented immediately.

'After the cabinet has made a decision accordingly, it must be implemented according to the Prime Minister's instructions, no one is exempt from this,' he said, 'The martyr's family, who has lost their child, how many ministries will they visit?' Even after the minister made this announcement, the ministry's employees and police leadership did not think that he would pressure him to take action so soon.

However, as soon as he made the first decision of the 'one door system' for every work in the ministry, he started discussions for the arrest of Oli and the writer. An official from the ministry says, ‘I have never seen such a stubborn minister.’

Saturday, March 14

Home Minister Gurung stayed at the Police Headquarters, Naxal, until Oli-Lehak was arrested. He instructed the police officers to prepare for the challenges that could arise if the two people were arrested, keeping them with him. That night, the Police Headquarters and the Armed Police Force headquarters instructed their employees to be on standby with their uniforms from 6 am.

According to Kathmandu SSP Ramesh Thapa, Oli received the arrest warrant at his residence in Gundu at 6:10 am. Before that, there was some scuffle with the UML cadres, but former Home Minister Ramesh Lehak readily agreed to come to the police office. After Oli-Lehak was arrested, he posted a message on the social media platform Facebook saying ‘Come, Gorkhali’.

After reaching the Oli-Lekhak Police Office, Home Minister Gurung himself drove to the Lalitpur Police Complex in Jawalakhel. Lalitpur SSP Hobindra Bogati informed him about the work and actions of the police. Gurung said that strict action will be taken against anyone involved in corruption and irregularities and instructed them to adopt a zero tolerance policy.

After Jawalakhel, he also reached the Police Circle, Satdobato. In the afternoon, the same Police Office arrested UML Karnali leader Karna Bahadur Malla. The Satdobato police had arrested him on the basis of a complaint filed by a woman for rape.

Sunday, 15 Chaitra

Gurung, who had been saying that the trend of VIP-style vehicle decoration should be stopped before becoming the Home Minister, suddenly reached the canteen inside Singha Durbar in the afternoon, had lunch and talked to some citizens there, took selfies.

Monday, 16 Chaitra

There was a program to give instructions and address after the inspection of the Police Headquarters, Naxal. Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dan Bahadur Karki said that it was difficult to sustain the police from ration to lower-ranking employees. ‘I would say this police uniform is blacker than blue. That black uniform is better than what the guards of the rice warehouse wear,’ after he said this, Home Minister Gurung stood up from his seat and applauded, urging others to stand up too.

Gurung, who spoke after the IGP, tried to win everyone’s hearts by analyzing the minor problems of the police. ‘A plate of food does not come for Rs 201, how can the nutrition of the police be completed with that much money?’ he said. He instructed them not to come, saying that even though they could share their grievances with the Home Minister, they had to be transferred.

‘...Sir, don’t come saying that you have to be promoted, this is closed . Sir, you have to be placed at the checkpoint . You shouldn’t come saying that you have to be transferred, especially at the checkpoint,’ he said, ‘because, if that happens, there will be no transfer there, but there will definitely be elsewhere .’

He also said that preparations have been made to take transfers and promotions into the system . ‘I will tackle every problem of other police officers as if it were my own problem . There is no need to consider it too difficult,’ he said.

Tuesday, 17 Chaitra

Home Minister Gurung went to his residence to meet a senior citizen who was being mistreated by UML workers who were protesting against the arrest of the chairman . The workers who were walking nearby were shouting slogans against the arrest of Oli and said something to him . At that time, he was being mistreated .

After the video went viral, Ram Sharan Sharma Bajgain, who was involved in the abuse, was arrested. Home Minister Gurung said that he was very sad after meeting the victim and could not sleep that night. The senior citizen who was abused thanked him for coming to his home and supporting him in his pain.

Wednesday, March 18

Gurung visited the Kathmandu Police Complex, which is investigating former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and others. Home Minister Gurung, who reached the Bhadrakali Police Office, instructed them to work in an independent and transparent manner, says Kathmandu Police Chief SSP Ramesh Thapa.

During that time, the police had also informed about the damage done to the police during the Gen-G movement. When the government was led by Sushila Karki, Gurung had visited the same police office and pressured Oli, Lekhak and others to be arrested. Once, when the victim's family members went to file a complaint, he also went with them.

He was forced to retreat after the complaint did not proceed. The police had informed the government about the situation and said that Home Minister Gurung had put unnecessary pressure on him. He was then reminded not to go to the police office like that.

Thursday, March 19

Before the first meeting of the parliament, he went to the Gaushala to visit Pashupatinath. Since the Home Minister himself was coming, the police had already increased the deployment of security personnel. However, to clear the chaotic traffic of Home Minister Gurung, he himself got out of the vehicle and went ahead. He allowed the vehicles of the general public to leave first.

After reaching the parliament meeting, he submitted an ordinance amending the voter list, the election of members of the House of Representatives, and the Nepal Special Service Act. In the evening, Gurung slept on the sofa of the Home Ministry, covered in a blanket.

Friday, 20 Chaitra

Home Minister Gurung reached Kathmandu Medical College, Sinamangal early in the morning to meet the injured of the Gen-G movement. When he reached the hospital, Sunil Sharma, who is also a Congress leader, was also with him. He inquired about the patient's condition from the doctor. 'He was found on the morning of the 25th, he was brought here later at the trauma hospital,' the doctor told his background.