Sitaram Kattel ‘Dhurmus’ returned to US bearing burden of stadium’s debt
KATHMANDU:- Comedian Sitaram Kattel ‘Dhurmus’ has returned to the United States after a two-month stay in Nepal. Having arrived in the country with his daughter Subihani towards the end of Jestha, he stated in a Facebook post on Thursday morning that he was compelled to leave his homeland once again—burdened by debt and anguish—after the state failed to heed his voice.
He writes, “I made tireless efforts for two months. I went from one government office to another, appealing to the state in the hope of justice. Yet, the state did not heed my voice, nor did I get the opportunity to openly share my grievances. Far from the problem being resolved, the situation reached a point where the allocated budget of 150 million rupees from Bharatpur Metropolitan City was at risk of lapsing.”
Lamenting that his voice has gone unheeded while seeking justice in his own country, he further remarked, “Perhaps this is the fate that awaits those who dream of doing something honest for the country and contributing to their own soil. This, it seems, is the encouragement one receives from the state after dedicating ten years of one’s prime to society and the nation.”
He has also expressed that he still harbors hope regarding the state. “My heart is heavy; my lips are trembling; my eyes are welling up with tears. Yet, hope remains in some corner of my heart. Someday, the state will remember,” he said. “Time will reveal the truth. Our pain will be heard. That day, the value of our struggle will be understood. Only then will the patriotism within us be truly honored.”
Sitaram and his wife are burdened with a debt exceeding 180 million rupees incurred during the construction of the cricket stadium in Chitwan. Although Sitaram has appealed to the state to resolve the dispute regarding this debt, the issue remains unresolved. Disheartened by the failure to settle the stadium’s debt, he traveled to the United States, citing his daughter’s medical treatment as the reason; it is reported that he has even obtained a US Green Card.
