KATHMANDU, Nov 16: A meeting of the State Affairs Committee under the House of Representatives on Friday turned tense after lawmakers from the Nepali Congress (NC) questioned Minister of State for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, Purna Bahadur Tamang (Kanchha Tamang).
The meeting turned tense during a clause-wise discussion on the bill to amend the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Act 2048 BS on Friday. During the discussion, lawmakers expressed their views on whether anonymous complaints should be allowed. Minister Tamang became agitated after a NC lawmaker raised concerns about the misuse of authority.
Speaking as an amendment proposer, Minister Tamang stated that section 9 of the bill should require a certified copy of the complainant's citizenship certificate to be attached when filing a complaint against any individual or institution. "I proposed the amendment to ensure that people do not suffer," he said. He mentioned that he was not a minister when the amendment proposal was registered.
"I have faced hardships since the time of the special police before the establishment of the CIAA and I still experience them today. Due to anonymous complaints, government employees, the public, and businesspeople are all facing challenges. If we make a copy of the citizenship certificate mandatory for complaints, 70 percent of the complaints at the commission will decrease," Minister Tamang explained.
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"Complaints have increased due to anonymous complainers. How many cases do we have to address? How long must we carry on like this?" he questioned.
After he presented his views, NC General Secretary and lawmaker Bishwo Prakash Sharma questioned State Minister Tamang, asking, "Your construction company has been blacklisted. What do you have to say about that?" MP Sharma demanded clarification on why Tamang’s company was on blacklist. This question from General Secretary Sharma put Minister Tamang into distress.
Responding to his frustration, State Minister Tamang asserted that he had left the construction business well before becoming a lawmaker. "I stepped away from the company two and a half years before I got a ticket to run for Parliament," said Minister Tamang, who has a background in construction. "If the law proves me wrong, I won't stay in this position for even a minute."
Taking full responsibility for his time at the company, he stated that if the law finds him guilty he will not only step down from his position immediately but also retire from politics entirely. "If proven wrong, I am ready to leave not just my ministerial post but politics altogether. I will renounce everything and return to my previous work," he said.
UML MP Raghuji Panta pointed out that the State Minister should take responsibility for what has happened so far. "There is still unfinished work in my area, and the questions are raised against you because you left the work incomplete," Panta said. "Questions have been raised in various districts, don't you need to answer? Even if you step aside, please don't claim the work will be done faster." In response, State Minister Tamang explained that they have been working in accordance with the state's policies and regulations, securing millions in assets as collateral. "The state doesn’t keep a son-in-law. Millions in assets are held as collateral," he said. "If the law finds me at fault, I am ready to pay the fine as per the law. If I've acted illegally, the collateral can be seized." The Public Procurement Monitoring Office blacklisted Tamang's companies-Kanchha Ram Construction, NB Construction, Kanchenjunga Construction, and Biruwa Construction in November for two years.
During the committee meeting, lawmakers emphasized the need to regulate anonymous complaints. Most corruption complaints received by the CIAA are anonymous. Based on these complaints, the commission conducted investigations and inquiries. Complaints have come through various means, including letters, emails, faxes, and phone calls. Some anonymous complaints have affected development projects, while at the same time some innocent individuals have had to defend themselves at the commission.
Despite this, the practice of accepting anonymous complaints continues. In the meeting of the House of Representatives, lawmakers also raised the issue of stopping the acceptance of anonymous complaints. Some lawmakers have registered proposals to prohibit anonymous complaints in the bill to amend the CIAA Act 2048 BS.
Section 13 of the main Bill introduced by the government allows the commission to investigate and take action based on any complaint or information received from any source related to corruption, in accordance with this law. This provision enables the recognition of any complaint. However, some lawmakers have argued that this system allows the commission to interfere and prevent work after any complaint is made, which has caused distress to innocent individuals, and therefore, this provision should be removed.
Sumana Shrestha of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) stated that if anonymous complaints are not accepted, there would be no complaints submitted to the CIAA. She mentioned that in certain sensitive cases, no one would be able to file complaints with their names. She emphasized the need to regulate the complaint system, but insisted that the provision for accepting anonymous complaints should not be removed.
