Kathmandu, June 26
Lawmakers from the main opposition Nepali Congress and the ruling CPN-UML engaged in a war of words on Sunday over corruption in the state-owned Nepal Television.
The situation turned tense when lawmakers representing the CPN-UML at the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee demanded action against former Information and Communications Minister, Minendra Rijal, for not taking action against officials accused of involvement in corruption.
Speaking at the PAC meeting, NC and UML lawmakers spoke in defence of their parties instead of demanding action against corrupt officials regardless of their political leanings. This prompted PAC to take a decision to initiate investigation against high officials tasked with taking action against corrupt NTV officials.
PAC Chair Janardan Sharma ‘Prabhakar’ informed the meeting about the committee’s decisions.
He said the committee decided to direct responsible authorities to remove those NTV officials, whose involvement in corruption had been established. The PAC also decided to form a subcommittee to bring those officials, who were supposed to take action against corrupt NTV officials, under the purview of investigation.
NTV and Information Ministry-constituted probe committees had unearthed a big scam at NTV. The probes found that television officials had swindled around Rs 90 million by showing forged bank guarantee. But those accused in the scam have not faced any action as yet.
At the meeting, UML lawmaker Bikas Lamsal said then Information Minister Rijal is to blame for not initiating action against those involved in corruption at NTV. Probe committees pointed at those involved in corruption, but Minister Rijal took no action against them, Lamsal claimed. He demanded formation of a sub-committee to probe this inaction.
Responding to the charges, Rijal warned Lamsal and other lawmakers not to level charges against him without proof. He warned that PAC will not be able to move ahead by levelling baseless allegations.
UML lawmaker Mamata Giri and NC lawmaker Usha Gurung also engaged in a war of words. Lawmaker Giri said there’s no need for the PAC to get involved in corruption at NTV as the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority has already sent a letter stating that there’s no need for action in this case.
NC lawmaker Gurung remarked that two probe committees have already pointed at corruption in the corporation. In this context, PAC will lose its relevance if it chooses not to discuss the matter, Gurung said.
