NC censures PM over Lamichhane’s appointment as home minister

KATHMANDU: The main opposition Nepali Congress has asked Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to clarify why the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane, who is allegedly involved in cooperative fraud, was appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs in the new coalition government.

Speaking in the meeting of the House of Representatives on Thursday, Nepali Congress lawmaker Badri Prasad Pandey said that the NC will act tough in the lower house if the Prime Minister doesn’t inform the house about Lamichhane’s appointment. He also requested Speaker Devraj Ghimire to issue a ruling to the government for the same.

“Any hope with this government has eroded with the appointment of an individual under investigation by security agencies as the home minister,” Pandey said. “NC raised the issue in the meeting on Wednesday as well, but the Prime Minister ignored it,” he said. “The home minister, who is supposed to lead the investigation, himself is under investigation. This has raised suspicions that the investigation might be affected.”

Pandey also questioned Lamichhane, who is allegedly involved in cooperative fraud, how he would bring those involved in cooperative frauds to book.

Likewise, another NC lawmaker, Sita Mijar, said a complaint has been filed against Lamichhane at the District Police Officer, Kaski. “A serious question has been raised on the integrity of an individual at the helm of the ministry,” she said. “How appropriate is it for such an individual to hold public office? Shouldn’t he facilitate investigation by stepping down?”