The parties are unable to come to an agreement about the creation of a House committee to look into allegations of cooperative fraud against the deputy prime minister and minister of home affairs, Rabi Lamichhane, with just three days left before the next parliamentary session begins.
The ruling parties’ request for a panel with extensive authority to investigate the issues facing the cooperative sector overall was rejected by the Nepali Congress on Tuesday. The Congress has been calling for a parliamentary investigative panel since the current ruling alliance was formed.
In Tuesday’s all-party meeting called by Speaker Devraj Ghimire, the ruling alliance had proposed to a committee with a mandate to look into the problems of the cooperative sector as a whole, unearth fraudulent acts and find who is involved in those cases. They had also proposed that the committee could recommend action against those involved in fraudulent activities.
While not refusing the proposal to study the malpractices prevalent in the cooperative sector, the Congress reiterated its demand for investigation against Lamichhane. Ramesh Lekhak, chief whip of the main opposition party, said the Congress welcomes any initiative to study problems and fraudulent activities in the cooperative sector as a whole. “However, the investigation against Lamichhane is our bottom line. As questions have been raised against him, finding the truth in the case should be the top priority,” said Lekhak.
The ruling parties, at the all-party meeting, unanimously objected to the demand of focusing investigation against an individual. “There is no possibility of forming a committee targeting an individual. Let’s find a solution to the overall problem,” said Mahesh Bartuala, CPN-UML chief whip.
The leaders of the main opposition parties, however, said Lamichhane is not just an individual, he is a deputy prime minister of the country. “It is the duty of the person holding a responsible position to come clean when questions are raised against him. The government should itself have formed a committee to investigate him, even without the opposition’s demand,” said Lekhak. Prior to the all-party meeting, the parliamentary party meeting of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) concluded there was no need for a committee to investigate its chairperson when there is no case against him.
“There are lawmakers convicted on corruption charges in the House and yet the Congress asks for an investigation against me,” according to Lamichhane. “What precedent do we want to set? Convicts will take part in House proceedings while a person against whom there is no case will be investigated,” said Lamichhane claiming even the Attorney General Office had cleared him of wrongdoing.
The RSP has demanded that Lamichhane be allowed to clarify the charges against him in the Parliament. Lamichhane on Tuesday has registered an application at the Parliament Secretariat demanding time to offer his clarification. The Congress has been barring him from addressing the House and presenting bills ever since he became part of the Pushpa Kamal Dahal Cabinet on March 4.
The largest party also resorted to the obstruction of several proceedings of the House of Representatives in the winter session. As a result, the House could not make much headway in terms of law-making. Endorsement of the national budget will not be possible if the Congress continues its obstruction. Its leaders say whether the House functions or will depend on how seriously the ruling parties and the government take their demands. “It has been established that Lamichhane received a loan from the Supreme Cooperative,” said Lekhak.
“Whether the House functions will depend on how the government and the ruling parties present themselves. We want the announcement of a probe committee in the first meeting of the new session.” The budget session commences Friday. Against the claim from Lamichhane that there are no cases against him, the Congress leader said he is a defendant in a fraud case filed at the Rupandehi District Court.