Kathmandu, September 5, 2026 : Prime Minister Balendra “Balen” Shah has taken a strong stand against the mistreatment of victims and bereaved families, saying that people who unnecessarily comment on, humiliate or deliberately cause further pain to those already suffering should be treated as offenders.
In a strongly worded message, Shah said the anger and frustration expressed by people who have lost their loved ones must be understood as a natural response to unimaginable grief.
He urged the public, authorities and social-media users to respond to grieving families with patience, compassion and sensitivity rather than criticism.
‘Their anger is an expression of pain’
The Prime Minister said people who have suddenly lost family members are experiencing a level of suffering that cannot easily be understood by those who have not gone through such a tragedy.
According to Shah, when someone loses their entire world within a moment, their anger should not simply be viewed as aggression or hostility.
Instead, he said, such anger can be a way of expressing profound emotional pain.
“Citizens who have lost their loved ones and are living with immense suffering naturally feel angry. For those who have lost their entire world in a single moment, their anger is more than anger—it is a way of expressing their pain,” Shah said.
He stressed that their voices must be heard calmly and respectfully.
“We must listen to their anger with patience and restraint,” he said.
Strong warning against insulting victims
Shah issued an especially strong warning to people who make unnecessary remarks about victims, ridicule grieving families or attempt to further hurt them during such a sensitive period.
He described such behaviour as unacceptable and said the government would not tolerate deliberate attempts to cause additional suffering to people already dealing with devastating loss.
“At this sensitive time, those who make unnecessary comments about people who are already suffering, humiliate them or try to cause them further pain are criminals,” Shah said.
He added that the government would take a tough approach toward such individuals.
“The government will be ruthless toward those offenders,” he warned.
Appeal for compassion during tragedy
The Prime Minister’s statement also carries a broader appeal for compassion at a time when many families are coping with grief, uncertainty and emotional trauma.
People affected by major disasters often experience not only physical and financial losses but also severe psychological distress after losing relatives, homes, livelihoods and communities.
For families still waiting for information about missing relatives, the uncertainty itself can become a source of enormous emotional pressure.
Shah's message emphasised that anger expressed by such families should therefore be approached with understanding rather than confrontation.
His remarks suggest that the government wants officials, security personnel and the wider public to remain sensitive when communicating with people affected by tragedy.
Responsibility on social media
The warning is also particularly relevant to discussions taking place on social media, where videos, photographs and emotional reactions from disaster-affected families can quickly spread to large audiences.
Public criticism, mocking comments or insensitive responses can significantly worsen the distress experienced by victims.
Shah's statement sends a clear message that people should exercise restraint before commenting on the reactions of individuals who may have lost members of their families or everything they owned.
Instead of judging their behaviour during moments of grief, he urged people to understand the extraordinary circumstances they are facing.
Dignity of victims must remain a priority
The Prime Minister's remarks highlight the importance of protecting the dignity of victims during rescue, relief and recovery operations.
Families affected by disasters frequently interact with government agencies, security forces, hospitals, rescue teams, journalists and volunteers while simultaneously dealing with shock and grief.
Their emotional reactions can vary widely, from silence and confusion to anger, frustration and desperation.
Shah argued that such reactions should be treated as part of their suffering rather than used as an opportunity to criticise them.
The statement also serves as a reminder that victims should not be subjected to public humiliation or insensitive treatment simply because they express frustration with rescue efforts, government agencies or the circumstances surrounding a tragedy.
Government promises firm response
By warning that the government will take a strict approach toward those who deliberately inflict further suffering on victims, Shah has signalled that protecting vulnerable families is not only a humanitarian responsibility but also a priority for the government.
His remarks come during an emotionally difficult period for families affected by recent disasters, with rescue, relief and recovery operations continuing in several affected areas.
For people who have lost relatives, homes and livelihoods, the process of recovery may take far longer than the immediate rescue operation.
The Prime Minister therefore called for society to demonstrate greater patience and humanity toward those struggling to cope with their losses.
A message of humanity and restraint
Shah's statement ultimately delivers a simple but strong message: people facing unimaginable grief should be allowed to express their pain without being mocked, humiliated or attacked.
Their anger, he said, should be understood in the context of what they have lost.
Rather than responding with criticism, society should listen to them, support them and allow them the dignity to grieve.
At the same time, the Prime Minister warned that deliberately targeting or further hurting victims during such a vulnerable moment would not be tolerated.
His message places compassion, dignity and humanity at the centre of the government's response to grieving families.
