Kathmandu, 27 August: Prime Minister Khagda Oli’s conducting of the cabinet meeting from Singapore via video conferencing on Monday has been harshly criticized by the leader of ruling Nepal Communist Party and the main opposition Nepali Congress. It has drawn heavy flak not only by the leaders of ruling and opposition parties but also by commoners pointing that the whole process could have been hacked compromising national secrecy and security.
During a session of the House of Representatives today, lawmakers of the Nepali Congress urged the government not to use information technology while conducting the cabinet meeting citing security risks. Chief whip of Nepali Congress Balkrishna Khad expressed serious reservation on the recently-amended Government Work Procedure Regulation that paved the way for holding cabinet meeting via video conferencing from outside the country.
“It is not a bad idea to use IT in the digital era but security matters too needs serious attention. He was referring to cyber security. There will be a probability of leakage of sensitive information related to cabinet meetings. Therefore, the government should be careful,” he said cautioning the government. He also urged the government to revise the recently-amended Government Work Procedure Regulation.
“If the prime minister can convene the cabinet meeting through video conference from outside the country, can the parliament speaker hold the parliament sessions in a similar situation?” he questioned.
RPP Chairman Kamal Thapa has called it a needless pretension. “Neither there is emergency in the country nor are there some works that need immediate attention. Public disenchantment toward the government is rising. Why is the PM, who is undergoing treatment, encouraged to such needless and pretentious action?” Thapa has tweeted mentioning the twitter handle of PM’s chief political advisor Bishnu Rimal who has accompanied PM Oli to Singapore. “Dear Bishnu Rimal, at least you should have given the right advice.”
Spokesperson of Nepali Congress Bishwo Prakash Sharma has also indirectly opposed the act. “It is a different matter that the communist party is in the government. But it is the government of all of us Nepalis. Will it be okay if the speaker were to operate the House or the chief justice the court from abroad pointing at the precedent of conducting the meeting of executive from abroad by amending the regulations for operation of the government?”
Sharma has tweeted mentioning the twitter handle of PM Oli. “Do return home after speedy recovery and run the government for the full term as per the people’s mandate. But please don’t start the wrong practice by conducting cabinet meeting from abroad. I place my serious reservations in a polite manner.”
The harshest criticism has come from standing committee member of the ruling CPN Bhim Rawal who has opined that cabinet meeting of a sovereign country cannot be conducted from abroad.
“I do not have knowledge of any PM or president of a sovereign country conducting a cabinet meeting while outside the geographical boundary of the country,” Rawal stated. “Cabinet decisions are a matter of secrecy. They, therefore, are not made public until the government deems the need to make them public,” he added implying that conducting cabinet meeting from abroad can compromise national security and secrecy.
People’s News Monitoring Service
Login to add a comment