KATHMANDU, Nov 5: Who ordered the removal of Nepal Police Inspector General (IGP) Dan Bahadur Karki? The government says it acted on a directive from the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). The party, however, says it gave no such instruction.
The conflicting statements have added another layer of controversy to the government’s decision to remove Karki and appoint Additional Inspector General (AIG) Manoj KC as the new police chief.
Government spokesperson Sasmit Pokharel, while announcing the Cabinet decisions on Wednesday, said the government had changed Karki’s responsibilities following a directive from the party. “There have been changing circumstances in many areas. The party had also directed the government to take action on a matter of a sensitive nature. That is why his responsibilities were changed,” Pokharel said.
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The RSP, however, has distanced itself from the decision. Party spokesperson Jagadish Kharel said the party had neither asked the government to remove anyone from office nor recommended anyone for appointment.
Kharel said the party’s secretariat meeting on Saturday had instructed the government to investigate incidents in which police personnel entered media offices and arrested journalists, and to take action against those responsible. But, he stressed, the meeting had not called for the removal or dismissal of any individual.
Responding to Pokharel’s remarks, Kharel reiterated that the decision was the government’s own responsibility. “The party has not told the government to remove or appoint anyone. The government will have to explain why it made this decision. This was not a directive from the party,” he said.
The Cabinet meeting on Wednesday decided to remove Karki as IGP and appoint KC, who was serving in the Crime Investigation Department, as his successor. The government has also decided to appoint Karki as Prime Minister Balen Shah’s chief security adviser following his removal from the police leadership.
The contrasting explanations from the government and the ruling party have left unanswered questions about the political and administrative process behind the change at the top of Nepal Police.
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