Officials of the management at Millionaire's Club & Casino informed that the respective trade unions of the two parties at Casino Shangrila (now Millionaire's Club & Casino) have been obstructing the operations of the new company, saying it was promoted by a group of Nepali investors close to the Nepali Congress (NC). As a result, the situation has been deteriorating day by day, according to the management.
Sources also said that even the chairman of the UCPN(Maoist), Pushpa Kamal Dahal, has been linked to the obstruction of the company in which there is foreign investment.
Manager of Millionaire's Club & Casino, Rajendra Bajgain, said that Dahal's personal secretary Chuda Khadka had telephoned the protesters on Thursday to confirm if the protest was going as per plan. "This shows that the ongoing protest at the casino is completely political in nature," said Bajgain.
Millionaire's Club & Casino is the only casino that the government has issued a license to under Casino Rule 2070. Silver Heritage Group is the investor in the casino. The Hong Kong-based company has already announced it is to invest Rs 15 billion in Nepal. Its investment in Millionaire's Club & Casino is a first phase.
"Talking to Dahal is not enough. Nothing will be settled unless you convince our trade union head, Salikram Jamarkattel," Bajgain quoted Dahal's secretary Khadka as saying. According to Bajgain, Dahal has already been informed through his son Prakash of the threat from Khadka. However, Bajgain said Dahal has not responded yet.
Bajgain also said senior leaders of the UCPN(Maiost) and CPN-UML are attempting to close the casino, citing investment in it by the Nepali Congress. "We have been trying to inform Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli about this. However, we have not been given time by the Prime Minister," said Bajgain, adding, "Everything is clear as the government has been doing nothing to resolve an issue of a company in which there is such huge foreign investment."
Bajgain, moreover, said that ex-prime minister Sushil Koirala has already urged Dahal not to interfere in the operations of Millionaire's Club & Casino. Following obstruction by the UCPN(Maoist) and CPN-UML, Koirala directed NC central committee members Ram Sharan Mahat and Minendra Rajal along with party spokesperson Dilendra Badu to study the ongoing problem at the casino.
Meanwhile, the management of Millionaire's Club & Casino has urged different diplomatic missions through the Australian embassy to mediate the issue, as the government has shown no concern. The casino also plans to update the UN office in Nepal about the matter soon.
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