Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) has submitted a proposal insisting on forming a parliamentary inquiry committee to investigate the misappropriation of cooperative funds by specifically naming Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane.
NC Joint General Secretary Jeevan Pariyar presented the party’s stance at the meeting of the task force on Friday morning.
Political parties formed the task force to prepare the terms of reference for the parliamentary inquiry committee. However, the task force has been failing to reach a consensus on the terms of reference.
“The meeting of the task force held on Friday morning failed to make any concrete decision. We have raised the same issue again today,” Pariyar told reporters after the meeting. “We received a draft terms of reference from the ruling party yesterday. We have submitted our written position on that today.”
Pariyar also said that the NC reiterated its stance that Home Minister Lamichhane’s name must be mentioned in the terms of reference of the inquiry committee. He added that NC’s position that funds from various cooperatives went to Gorkha Media Network and the home minister was involved in the misappropriation remains unchanged.
Earlier, CPN-UML’s Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula had said that the NC had proposed to include the names of cooperatives where Lamichhane was allegedly involved if his name cannot be mentioned.
“The government’s side has maintained that the home minister’s name should not be included in the task force. But we will not agree to form any committee that does not allow an investigation into the home minister’s alleged involvement in the misappropriation of cooperative funds in Gorkha Media Network,” Pariyar said. “Our party has made its position clear.”
