Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) have rejected the high-level investigation committee formed by the government to probe the visit visa controversy.
The cabinet on Monday evening formed the committee panel under the former Chief Secretary Shankar Das Bairagi to investigate allegations of corruption and human trafficking related to visa visas.
Both parties have expressed serious doubts about the credibility of the committee. Speaking in the meeting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, RSP’s Vice President Dr Swarnim Wagle alleged that Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak himself is under suspicion. Wagle also questioned Bairagi’s neutrality. “He is someone who needs to stay in the good books of leaders and is caught in a web of conflicting interests. Our party believes he should not be entrusted with this responsibility,” he added.
Stating that Bairagi is on the radar of competent oversight bodies, he questioned how someone under scrutiny could be in charge of investigating others. Wagle also described the visit visa scandal as a case of serious misgovernance, looting, organised corruption and human trafficking, and added that it was carried out under political protection.
“This newly formed committee cannot deliver justice,” he said. “This issue is above politics and power interests. There should also be an investigation into the 14 individuals who have served as Home Minister over the past 18 years.”
RPP Chief Whip Gyanendra Bahadur Shahi said the probe committee cannot deliver justice. “This issue is above politics and power interests. There should also be an investigation into the 14 individuals who have served as Home Minister over the past 18 years,” he said.
Shahi demanded a fair and effective investigation, stating that all guilty must be punished.
Claiming that the probe committee includes individuals close to the government, he said the committee cannot bring the truth out.
The main opposition, CPN (Maoist Center), on the other hand, has welcomed the formation of the probe committee.
Speaking in the lower house, Maoist Center Deputy General Secretary Barshaman Pun expressed his gratitude to the government for forming the committee as per his party’s request. “If we are to further strengthen democracy, problems that arise should be addressed with timely reforms. Issues within the system or structure must be corrected in line with public sentiment,” he said, expressing hope that the committee would conduct a thorough and impartial investigation to find a lasting solution to the problems surrounding visit visas.
