By P.R. Pradhan
Leaders in the ruling coalition government are engaged in daylight loot, however, they are scared of the street protests against the government. When the Joint Movement for Restoration of the Institution of Monarchy announced launching a peaceful movement against the present political anomalies and rampant corruption urging the restoration of the institution of monarchy starting from May 29, Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, in a provoking manner, instructed the UML cadres to keep the Kathmandu Valley under the UML control on May 29. He further warned to suppress the pro-monarchy agitation.
In fact, the leaders are seriously afraid of increasing public anger against rampant corruption taking place in the country. Since the adoption of the multiparty democracy in 1990 and loktantra in 2006, corruption and daylight loot have flourished enormously. Dozens of scandals have surfaced, in which, senior leaders are found to be involved. Nevertheless, those leaders are getting clean chit and only bureaucrats are being punished.
Just recently, a new human trafficking scandal has surfaced. The immigration officers, under political protection, have developed a setting at the immigration office in the Tribhuvan International Airport for trafficking helpless and jobless Nepalis going to foreign countries under a visit visa to seek jobs. Those visiting under a visit visa are not permitted to work but they stay in foreign countries illegally and work illegally. According to reports, the Home Minister’s secretariat is directly involved in developing a setting by deploying the immigration officers at the Immigration Office at the Tribhuvan International Airport. The Home Minister is said to be selecting the officials deployed at the TIA. The main duty of those immigration officials is to collect additional fees from those individuals travelling to foreign countries to work illegally there. According to a retired DSP, around 20 million rupees are collected every month and distributed to different power centers. After the Commission for Investigation on Abuse of Authority (CIAA) initiated the investigation, the joint secretary, Tirtharaj Bhattarai, and some other officers are being interrogated. They were transferred to the TIA in the interest of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. Those who have been interrogated by the CIAA have stated that they had to submit monthly 50 million rupees to the secretariat of the Home Minister.
Even after the investigation has been started and the possible involvement of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak is suspected, the Minister is denying to tender resignation paving the way to carrying out an impartial investigation. Some of the senior Nepali Congress leaders and also the opposition parties are demanding the resignation of Home Minister Lekhak, he is trying to remain in the post even by forgetting the morale.
On the one hand, the nation is suffering from a scarcity of funds and the general public is burdened with excessive taxation in all sectors, the leaders are involved in unethical works of human trafficking by taking bribes misusing authority and exploiting jobless people. It is unfortunate to state that political leaders are ready to do any kind of work if they get money. Sending Nepali nationals to the USA disguised as Bhutanese refugees has already insulted the nation’s pride. Now, this visit visa episode is another humiliating insult that the Nepalis are facing in the international arena.
King Mahendra had managed land for running Balmandir, as a shelter home for helpless and orphan children. The land has been misused by the officials under political protection.
Accordingly, King Mahendra managed land in Baluatar for the government’s use. The land has been illegally transferred to the private parties. Prime ministers and ministers were involved in transferring the public land to private owners even by developing fake records and the Land Registration Office but they have not been punished.
Undoubtedly, the present political system is based on rampant corruption and daylight loot by those political leaders in the government. The reality is that the nation has been inundated with debts, and the government lacks the necessary funds for capital expenditure. The other bitter fact is that those streetwalker political leaders have become multi-billionaires overnight but the citizens are compelled to go abroad for dirty jobs as the leaders are less bothered about providing jobs to them within the country. Our youths are compelled to go abroad even to work illegally but pay extra money to the brokers even during their exit from the country. Humanity is absent while sending our youths – both male and female – to stay and work illegally in foreign countries.
To end such anomalies, the present system should be ended by ensuring good governance and a strong corruption control mechanism. A strong movement is thus needed to throw away the present corrupt and anti-national system.
Login to add a comment