KATHMANDU, July 16: The government led by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has made important appointments and decisions against the request made by Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (Maoist Center).
The cabinet meeting held on Friday made half dozen appointments and promoted two officials to the post of secretaries. The government has appointed Man Bahadhur Aryal as a member of The Debt Recovery Tribunal (DRT), Govinda Pokharel as the chairman of Gorkhapatra Sansthan, Bhawani Rana and Rajesh Kaji Shakya as members of the Investment Board.
Likewise, the government has placed Maniram Ojha in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) under special service while Joint secretary Puroshattam Paudel been transferred to Regional Adminstration Office, Surkhet after promotion.
Controversy persists over judge appointments
“Decisions on the vacant posts should have been made when the government was in majority but making such decisions after the government being reduced to minority indicates a vested interest,” says a high level official at the Prime Minister’s Office. "The government did not take decisions when it was in majority but it made such decisions after being reduced to minority, which sounds mysterious," said the official. "Decisions of the minority government will affect in the future.”
Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (Maoist Center) registered a no-confidence motion in the Legislature –Parliament on Wednesday. The two parties requested the Oli government not to make any vital decisions that could affect the future, saying that the government has been reduced to the status of a caretaker.
But ignoring the request, Oli government decided to give Rs 10 million to Aditya Dahal Foundation alias Google boy. According to Minister for Information and Communications Sherdhan Rai, money has been given to build the foundation's residence and buy necessary vehicles.
According to Minister Rai the cabinet meeting has also decided to provide Rs 200 million as financial support to Patan Academy of Sciences to buy essential health equipments. Likewise, the meeting decided to strip four Indians of their Nepali citizenships. Matauwa Kurmi, Nanda Kishor Kurmi, Ramananda Kurmi and Ram Charitra Kurmi have been stripped of their Nepali citizenships after having found that they were issued citizenship certificates based on wrong information.
The Maoist Center Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal said that the decision made by the minority government is wrong. "This decision will be detrimental not only to the nation but also to the CPN-UML itself," said Dahal talking to the reporters at his residence. “The government is in minority. We had issued a joint statement requesting the government not to make any political appointments. But they have made such decisions despite our request,” said Dahal. He lashed out at the government's decision saying that the decision by the minority government will bring big losses to the nation.
Similarly, NC leader Prakash Sharan Mahat said that the political appointments and promotions made by the minority government will have long-term effects. "The decision made by the minority government is unacceptable,” he said.
The cabinet meeting has decided to face the no-confidence motion against the government registered in the Parliament. “The meeting held at the Prime Minister’s residence has decided to face the no-confidence motion registered by the NC and Maoist Center,” Minister Rai said. The Oli government has fallen in minority after the ruling coalition Maoist Center withdrew its support.
