KATHMANDU, Nov 20: The leftist government of Prime Minister KP Oli is pushing the country toward another cycle of conflict, lawlessness and authoritarianism, the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) has alleged.
Taking a sharp dig at the government just days ahead of the by-elections scheduled for November 30, the NC on Tuesday said that Oli government had reneged on all tall promises made during three tiers of the elections.
“It’s said that the morning shows the day, and the government has already spent one third, or 21 months, of its tenure, and the bygone period doesn’t indicate positive sign for result-oriented outcomes in the remaining day or the evening,” NC spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma said during a press conference held at the party’s headquarters in Sanepa.
In a statement, Sharma has listed off 21 major failures of the Oli government since it came to power 21 months ago. The list includes a range of issue including corruption to inordinate delays in completion of mega infrastructure projects to attacks on press freedom and civic liberties.
Let it succeed
Sharma has pointed out the communist government’s soft response on Kalapani issue as its biggest and inexcusable shortcoming.
“The government has failed to demonstrate a result-oriented nationalism through meaningful diplomacy and high-level political effort despite unity across the political spectrum,” reads the statement.
Other major political shortcomings of the government include failure to broaden the ownership of the new constitution and institutionalize federalism, conduct matured diplomacy and initiate peace dialogue with the underground Communist Party of Nepal led by Netra Bikram Chand.
The main opposition has criticized the Oli government for failing to complete the ongoing projects like Melamchi Water Supply Project or end uncertainty over the long-stalled projects like Nijgadh International Airport and Kaligandaki Hydropower Project.
NC has also questioned Oli government’s commitment to good governance and rule of law by lashing out at its reluctance to take on the medical mafia, or start probe into big corruption scandals like the wide-body scam and Lalita Niwas land scam.
Other major disappointments highlighted in NC’s statement include Oli government’s ineptitude to control inflation, stop the bearish stock market from falling further, attacks on the civil liberties and press freedom through introduction of various draconian laws.
Similarly, the police’s ineptitude to unravel the mystery surrounding Nirmala Panta rape case almost a year and a half since her death has been described as a stain in face of Oli government.
Oli government, which came to power in February last year, has found itself on back foot in recent months as it fails to deliver on his promises of ‘Happy Nepali, Prosperous Nepal’. Prime Minister Oli has long accused his critics of being biased against his government.
“There are some who think that the communists by nature are bad. They have been questioning the government even without looking at all the good works this government has been doing,” the prime minister said while addressing a function on Sunday.
