Kathmandu, January 13
The Mahalaxmi Sugar Mill owned by Nepali Congress leader Birendra Kanaudiya has been accused of pocketing for its own use Rs 70 million of the government grant that it had received for paying the farmers.
Farmers from various southwestern districts of Nepal who staged a demonstration in Kathmandu with their colleagues from other districts last month claimed the mill received the money from the government in February 2019 but did not pay them. The farmers claim the mill is yet to pay for the sugarcanes it bought from them also.
“Our industrialist is a leader also. The law fears punishing him,” Anup Kumar Chaudhary, a leader of the farmers, says, “We cannot get justice in this country.”
Chaudhary, who is also the elected chairperson of the ward 7 of Shivaraj municipality of Kapilvastu, says the farmers have already come to Kathmandu 34 times and blocked the East-West Highway over five times seeking the payments, but in vain.
Meanwhile, the leader has denied the allegation. In a conversation with Onlinekhabar, Kanaudiya says the farmers instead are yet to pay over Rs 40 million to him.
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has says it does not know anything about the issue whereas the Ministry of Agriculture says this case does not fall under its jurisdiction.
