KATHMANDU, Aug 20: Prime Minister KP Oli said that the government cannot disclose all the information related to the state to the general public despite the fact that the constitution has guaranteed the right to information.
He said that the government cannot disclose national secrets and other information that may impact the national interest and threaten national security.
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“Some people want classified information. Each nation and government has its own secrets and one should respect the government’s need to withhold classified information,” Oli said, addressing a function organized by the National Information Commission to mark the 11th National Information Day.
He said that citizens are more interested in their rights than their duties to the country. “Previously, there was the central government only. But now with the implementation of federalism, there are over 700 governments across the country. Some governments might have behaved immaturely, which should be taken as natural,” Oli said, referring to the controversy created by the local bodies’ move to impose taxes haphazardly. He hinted that the federal government is working to resolve the problems surfaced in the governance of the local bodies.
He said that there was no option but to abide by the constitution. He dismissed the criticisms that the new Muluki code curtails press freedom. “A section is not happy with the current government. So, they are simply protesting against the code just for the sake of it,” he said.
Similarly, Minister for Information and Communication Gokul Baskota reiterated that the new code does not curtail press freedom in any way. “It is wrong to suspect that the current political establishment, which had struggled for press freedom in the past, wants to curtail the media,” he said.
