On one side, there would be a crowd of hundreds of workers behind the Congress and UML candidates, while on the other side, an independent candidate would give monotonous speeches on the streets without an audience. In a white shirt, black pants, and sports shoes, he would roam the villages and towns, sometimes on a motorcycle or sometimes on a city safari.

He would stand on the empty street and ask, ‘Party...party...they say, what is a party? Do you know the definition and principles of your party?’ 

He would argue that the people of Dharan had not been able to drink drinking water because they had won over ‘stupid’ leaders for 15 years just by carrying the flag. He would suggest understanding not only the party, but also its principles and agenda. He did not care whether anyone had listened to his voice or not. Hark would keep talking.

‘We have not got drinking water, what else can we get?’ Adding to Dharan’s other problems, he would say, ‘Among the aspiring candidates to become mayor, I am the person who keeps talking in your chowk, who has been raising issues like drinking water, health, education, electricity, roads, price control, MCC, that person Hark Sampang is also participating in the elections this time.’

On 18 Baisakh 2079, Hark was reminding that he was also a candidate along with Congress candidate Kishor Rai and UML candidate Manju Bhandari Subedi. ‘You should also put me up with people like Kishore Rai, Manju Bhandari and others and choose who understands your wishes,’ Hark used to say, ‘Now they are feeding picnics with the money that feeds water, elections are not a time to go for picnics, it is a time to test what kind of people we will elect in 5 years. Elections are a test.’

He has posted this scene of him walking alone giving a speech on his YouTube channel ‘Hark Sampang A Revolution’. Hark had also become a candidate in the by-election held 6 years ago. However, he got only 422 votes, and Tilak Rai of the Congress became the mayor in Dharan, which is considered a stronghold of UML. Perhaps realizing that the voters did not pay attention to him in the by-election, he was asking to field himself along with other candidates in the 2079 elections. And, his basic commitment to the voters was, ‘For years, I will make Kakakul Dharan a place where water comes to every household.’

For years, Dharan candidates had been raising this agenda. However, no one paid much attention to solving the problem. Before running for mayor, Hark, who was active on social media even before entering politics, had already made a separate image as an activist. That may be the reason why, appearing alone in the election campaign, he won when the results came in. Hark had asked to field himself alongside the Congress and UML candidates. Voters, who were tired of the traditional parties' promises for years, elected Hark as mayor by giving 20,821 votes. At that time, Kishore from the ruling coalition (Congress-Maoist) got 16,059 votes and Manju from UML got 12,825 votes. Hark, who was active on social media even before entering politics, had made his mobile number public immediately after taking the oath of office as mayor, saying, "Contact me directly in case of problems like water shortage, power outages, unrest and irregularities." ‘I don’t need to be congratulated and praised, all this has been done by the people of Dharan,’ he wrote, ‘I am not the one who deserves real congratulations, if I have to congratulate, I will give it to the people of Dharan.’

Immediately after being elected, he wrote that he was remembering the late Krishna Narayan Palikhe. Krishna Narayan is the former deputy chief of Dharan, who was famous in Dharan for raising his voice against corruption. He had resigned over the issue of corruption when he was the deputy chief, but later became active as an anti-corruption activist. Hark used to continuously participate in the campaign launched by Krishna Narayan through the Janasarokar Manch. After Krishna Narayan’s death in 2076, Hark continued that campaign.

Although the entire country recognized Hark after he was elected mayor independently of the Lauro election symbol, he was an activist in Dharan who had been raising his voice against corruption and anomalies for a decade. In 2072, after many houses were demolished on Dhankute Road during the expansion of Madan Bhandari Highway, Hark led a protest. Many supported the campaign and it became a means of introducing him throughout Dharan. Hark had protested by planting flowers on the road, protesting against the land mafia grabbing the land of Mahendra Multiple Campus and the potholes on Dhankute Road that had not been filled. 

Hark had protested in Dharan on 27 Paush 2078 after India released a new map including Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura. They even demonstrated in support of Kulman Ghising when he was removed from the position of Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority. The slogan of the campaign launched by the group including Hark in favor of Kulman was, 'Keep Kulman in that position, which is the desire of three crore Nepalis.' He used to run such campaigns under the conscious independent Dharan campaign. 

Another campaign that Hark has been running for the longest time is regarding the solution to the drinking water problem. He had also been continuously raising his voice against the shortage of drinking water in front of the municipality office. He was once rudely thrown out when he went to the municipality office to discuss the drinking water problem. Having formed a long-term drinking water management struggle committee, he never stopped despite many insults. ‘We have been playing the game of Deusiballi for drinking water for years and will continue to play,’ he had said after a signature campaign in Bhanuchowk on 17 Baisakh 2076. 

A project worth Rs 2.19 billion was launched in Dharan with the help of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to solve the drinking water problem. A complaint was filed with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority alleging irregularities in it. While protesting demanding an investigation into corruption, Hark even vandalized a drinking water source. Due to which he was arrested on 20 Shrawan 2077. He was remanded in custody for 15 days by the District Administration Office for an offense against public peace. After being released on bail, his supporters welcomed him with food and garlands. He said that he was arrested because he had the courage to speak out against corruption and injustice. ‘The issue is not yet settled. But the people of Dharan have understood – what is truth, what is justice,’ he had said. 

After becoming mayor, Hark did not sit in the office, getting bogged down in administrative work like other public representatives. He started running a Shramdaan campaign to quench the thirst of the people. He himself was seen carrying stones every Saturday. ‘For a few days, I would have a cart in my hand, but when I saw it, I felt like I was a stone man,’ Hark himself tells Kantipur, ‘I reached Singha Durbar asking for water, and ran to many places. But when there was no help, I tried to manage it from local sources.’ 

Hark started trying to bring water from the Kokaha River in Dharan-20 through the dense forest to Dharan via Barahakshetra Municipality. He launched a campaign saying ‘Give water to thirsty Dharan’ and brought water to Dharan market within about four months of becoming mayor. Hark, who was determined to fulfill the promise he made while going door-to-door after being elected mayor, brought water from the Khardu and Nisane rivers to Dharan through Shramdaan. After the water arrived, he posted a video on social media and said, "We have only connected Khardu and Nisane, Sardu is yet to be connected. Once Sardu is also connected, the fountain will be even bigger." In the video from that time, Hark is seen soaking in a water fountain along with the people of Dharan. He himself was also involved in the Janashramdaan that lasted for 99 days to bring water. 

Before Hark was elected mayor, Dharan people had to travel 2/3 kilometers to get water, even by taking a city safari or riding a tempo. Many had to buy tanker water 5/6 times a month. "Other leaders would say they would do this or that during the election, but they never did it. But whatever he said, he did it," says 68-year-old Radhe Karki of Dharan, "Back then, water had to be brought from afar, now water comes from the tap." 

According to Dutt Limbu, project manager of the Kokaha Khola Drinking Water Shramdaan Abhiyan, drinking water was brought to Dharan from a distance of about 40 kilometers at a cost of 67.8 million including citizen participation, donations and the municipality's budget.

Some people doubt that since water is brought in plastic pipes from a 40-kilometer forest area, it will not be long-term. Some emphasize that long-term management is necessary because bringing water through pipes in the open in the forest area can cause leaks, fires and floods to damage the pipes. Since water was brought to Dharan, the pipes were damaged twice due to fires. 'Water has been brought from various rivers, but there are still places where it can be managed technically,' says Rajendra Sharma, former professor and analyst at Mahendra Multipurpose Campus.

Hark had started an awareness campaign in Dharan according to the bar. He had marked Thursday as 'Sarsafai Day', Friday as 'Say No to Drugs Day' and Saturday as 'Shramdaan Day'. People from surrounding districts and even Sikkim and Darjeeling in India came to donate labor in the massive labor donation held every Saturday. 

During his 3-year tenure, Hark built a park in Oso Park in Dharan-13 with the investment of the municipality, the support of donors, and labor donations and named it Shram Sanskriti Park. Although it was said that the income from the park would be given to the municipality after its construction, there was a dispute when it was not implemented. Since the construction was carried out without preparing a DPR (Detailed Project Report) and  without adopting safety measures, the park was damaged by floods. 

After becoming mayor, Hark once insisted on building an airport in Dharan. But he did not get support from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. After visiting Singha Durbar several times, he returned after not getting a positive response. Singha Durbar's response was that it was not practical to add another airport when there is an airport in Biratnagar, which is 55 kilometers away from Dharan. ‘He has made a lot of efforts for us,’ says street trader Manikumar Raut, ‘People are happy with him.’ 

Hark, who had said before the elections that he would run his own industry for employment, has brought the turmeric industry into operation in Bishnupaduka, Dharan-20. The sub-metropolitan city has invested Rs. 1.65 million and consumers Rs. 2.8 million in the construction of the turmeric industry building. According to Industry Secretary Omsucha Rai, there is an agreement to give 34 percent of the profit from the industry to the municipality.

Some of Hark’s works in Dharan sub-metropolitan city are controversial. After becoming mayor, initially, Deputy Chief Aindra Bikram Begha, who was elected by the Maoists, seemed to be supporting him well. But gradually, a dispute arose between Hark and Aindra regarding the payment of labor contributions. The dispute became so heated that once, Begha, who had reached the mayor’s office, was almost beaten up by Hark’s supporters. Deputy Chief Aindra Paksha claimed that he was pressured to pay for the work done through labor donation at the multilingual school in Ward No. 16. The Hark side had stated that the Deputy Chief refused to give the keys to the sub-metropolitan city's dozers, excavators, etc.

Similarly, a dispute arose when the West Sardu Prevention Committee demanded payment from the municipality. After the municipality demanded payment of 741 thousand rupees for labor donation worth 1,740,294 rupees, Deputy Chief Aindra stopped the payment, saying that he would not support the illegal work. After that, Hark became so arrogant towards Aindra that he gave ward chairman Lokendra Fago the responsibility of acting chief when he went on a visit to the UK in November 2081.

However, the Local Government Operation Act provides that if the local level chief or chairman is absent from the office for more than 7 days, the deputy chief or vice-chief should be given the responsibility of acting chief. Deputy Chief Aindra had filed a case in court.

Later, the Biratnagar High Court ruled in favor of the deputy mayor and issued an interim order not to implement the decision. Later, Hark made a strange argument during a press conference in another context, saying, ‘The deputy mayor said good luck?’ ‘The law says that the deputy mayor should be given responsibility, right?’ When asked, Hark said that he would not accept the law. ‘If there is no such law, we will make it, I am elected by the people,’ he added. 

In 2077, as an activist, Hark submitted a memorandum to the then mayor and chairman of the Water Supply Board, Tilak Rai, demanding a reduction in the water supply fee. After he became mayor, Hark increased the water supply fee in one go, effective from 1 Shrawan 2081. Ten political parties in Dharan even announced a phased protest against the fee increase. Submitting a memorandum to the Water Supply Management Board, the political parties urged the municipality to withdraw the decision to increase the fee within 72 hours. But when the fee was not revised, locals, political parties and students surrounded the municipality. The board at the gate of the municipality was torn down due to the clash. 

Hark had laid the foundation stone on 29 Shrawan 2080, saying that he would build a multilingual school in Dharan-16. Hark had planned to preserve various languages ​​and scripts at a cost of 26.5 million 35 thousand 184 rupees 42 paisa. But the work could not proceed due to the dispute. 

The police post, whose construction had begun even before the multilingual school was built, should be built there. When the work started with the budget allocated by the provincial government, the then mayor Hark wrote to the ministry to stop the work, and the locals and ward presidents were angry. Ward president Bhattarai had said that the post would be built in the same place anyway. But Hark did not back down from his stance. 

The plan for the Maya Dharane soap industry put forward by Hark is also on hold for the same reason. While clearing the land of Jalakanya Community Forest in Dharan-20 to house this industry, the District Forest Office had protested that a dozer was being used on the land under its jurisdiction. When the office staff reached the spot where the work was being done and spoke to them, Hark had said, ‘The land inside Dharan belongs to the city, and once the city has decided, you have no business talking.’ 

The Forest Office filed a writ petition in the High Court, Biratnagar, in November 2079, alleging that the industry was being opened on its land without an environmental impact assessment. In return, Hark asked the construction of the Provincial Forest Directorate building being built in Tinkune, Dharan, to be stopped, saying that the map of the building was not approved. Later, the issue of the map not being approved was so much that the court also allowed the soap industry to open and it is now preparing to operate. 

There are also many who question the transparency of the labor donation campaign put forward by Hark. Uddhav Limbu, coordinator of the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Dharan, says that Hark has not yet made clear and transparent details about the donations collected from the public. ‘It’s not a matter of thousands or lakhs of rupees, it’s crores. But he has never made public the accounts of that in a clear and reliable manner,’ he says.

Most of the donations were raised from Nepalis living abroad. There are even allegations that permission was not taken from anywhere when bringing money in this way. It is not clear where the money raised by Hark and his group for various projects has been spent so far and how much money has been collected so far. Hark says that he has not touched a single penny of the money that was meant for the campaign.

Hark is raising money from Nepalis all over the world to build a statue of Sumnima-Paruhang, who is worshipped as the creator by the Rai caste, on a hill near the old settlement of the Tamang community in Chindedanda, Dharan-20. Hark had taken the proposal for the construction of the statue to the executive meeting. The meeting formed a five-member study committee under Hark’s coordination. But the committee did not study it. Instead, Hark himself became the chairman and registered an organization called Sumnima-Paruhang Pratishthan Nepal. 

There is vacant land under the sub-metropolitan city on a hill called Baghkhop just above Chindedanda. Although the local residents suggested that there be no need to buy land to build a statue and a park there, Hark did not listen. The main reason for trying to build a statue and a park in Chindedanda, which would cost crores, was also accused of being related to land transactions. Suspicion arose because land plots were being plotted near Chindedanda with the involvement of people who were collecting donations for the construction of the statue. Various groups are still collecting money in the country and abroad. 

Program coordinator Meena Singhak had made it public that 15 million 70 thousand 500 was raised by holding two musical programs in Dharan in the name of building the statue. Hark had reached the UK to raise funds. He had even tried to go to Hong Kong. However, after a dispute arose over whether to donate directly or not, he finally said via Facebook that he would not go there. 

After Hark started his campaign to build a giant statue of Sumnima Paruhang in Chindedanda, a Facebook status written by his aide Dutt Limbu became a topic of discussion. In the status, he had made public the information that two bighas of land, located about 500 meters from the construction site, had been plotted and its sale was opened along with a map. After this, his post had caused many questions and criticism among local residents and social media. Local Nisha Tamang says, ‘The land has been plotted and sold at a high price in the name of Sumnima-Paruhang. There is room for questioning since there is a person close to the former mayor in it.’

There are also allegations of relatives being made employees in the sub-metropolitan city. Raja Limbu of Chowkidar Dharan-2 and Prakash Rai of Mali Dharan-14 were retired in Shrawan 2080 citing age limit. There was a controversy over Hark removing them from their responsibilities and appointing his son-in-law Abhishek Rai and his close associate Anuj Bhujel. Limbu, who was working as a watchman on a contract basis since the construction of the clock tower, had been working for 8 years. 

***

Hark, who was elected as the mayor of Dharan Sub-metropolitan City for a 5-year term, came to Kathmandu when the Nepal Army was facilitating the difficult situation arising from the Gen-G movement. On 26 Bhadra, he reached the military base and met with Chief of Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel. When the news of the Gen-G campaigner recommending former Chief Justice Sushila Karki as the head of the civilian government became public, her supporters protested outside the military base. 

Later, he even claimed the post of Home Minister in the Karki government. But Karki chose his confidant Om Prakash Aryal. Since then, he formed the Shram Sanskriti Party, saying that a separate force suited to the soil of the country was needed. He had filed a party registration application with the Election Commission on 1 Kartik. Hark was left out when discussions were held between the then Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Balendra Shah, President of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Ravi Lamichhane, and Kulman Ghising of the Ujjwal Nepal Party about bringing an alternative force together. 

In fact, Hark had been presenting himself as a real person on social media against Kathmandu Mayor Balendra for some time now. Once, Balendra had responded to a post written by Hark criticizing him by saying, "I love you." Hark, however, responds by calling it Balendra's "defeatist mentality." Hark, who had contested the election under the same symbol and had once reached Kathmandu to meet Balendra, is now claiming that his candidate will defeat him in Jhapa-5.  

***

Hark, who was in the election race by opening the Shram Sanskriti Party and claiming that he would become the Prime Minister, was once accused of becoming a fake Maoist. When Dharan-based journalist Gopal Dahal wrote a news story about this for the Investigative Journalism Center, Hark threatened to end Dahal and Janak Rishi Rai, president of the Federation of Nepali Journalists, Sunsari. 

Sampang had written a threatening message on social media with only a part of the news. What is the context of fake Maoists? At that time, the party had deployed a team to investigate the group asking for donations in the name of Maoists. During that time, the Investigative Journalism Center had also talked to the then in-charge Pravesh to confirm that Hark was caught by the YCL and taken to the camp in Dharan-15.

Hark admitted that he had gone to the commercial bank on a motorcycle but denied involvement in the donation collection. ‘Sampurna Rai and Indra Rai used to ask for motorcycles as friends, I would not let them take them. "The motorcycle I took in the morning would only be brought in the evening, so the oil would also run out," Hark said. "One day, when I asked for a bike, I went to the commercial bank to say that I would deliver it."

He said that the Maoists who were running their own people's government mistreated him at that time. Hark insisted that he made a mistake after he noticed something different when he took off his 'full helmet'. 

***

Hark was born in Kopilasgadhi, Khotang. Khartamchha in 2039. After passing the entrance exam from Kuhudanda Secondary School there, he moved to Dharan around 2056, says his friend Mitra Kumar Rai, who has been with him since then. "His father was in the British Army, and after primary and SLC, he studied higher education in Dharan," he said. "While studying at school, he used to tell jokes, make his friends laugh, tell stories about Hindi films, and have a fun personality." 

According to Tek Bahadur Chhetri, former principal of Kuhudanda Secondary School, Hark was average in class but had a playful nature. He used to ask questions when the teacher came late. Sometimes, when the teacher did not come, he would even take the initiative to teach himself. 

Hark currently lives in Buddha Chowk, Dharan-18. He completed his graduation in the Faculty of Humanities from Mahendra Multiple Campus in Dharan. He was also interested in music from an early age. Even now, he composes songs satirizing various topics and posts them on social media. Hark once ran ‘The Perfect English Language and Computer Center’ in Dharan. There, he used to give tuition and teach computers. Later, he spent about 6 years in Iraq and Afghanistan during his employment. After returning from abroad, he bought some autos and let them run on rent. He established ‘Ekta Tempo Yatayat Vysho’ as the chairman. 

Hark’s supporters sometimes get angry due to his harsh words/style. He himself says that he is not harsh but speaks the truth. ‘I am not afraid to speak the truth, I do not hesitate, I do not feel ashamed,’ he says, ‘that is why some people find my speech a little harsh.’ Due to his tough nature, he has named himself ‘Kranti’, which is why he has even written on Facebook, ‘Hark Sampang – A Revolution.’

-(With the help of Dambar Singh Rai from Khotang)