Rawal issued the warning at an informal cabinet meeting called to extend the term of the police officers on Thursday, said a cabinet member. The meeting could not take any decision after Rawal was dead against extending the tenure despite the prime minister´s direction to let the police officers to continue in their office. [break]
In the meeting Rawal maintained that he had already tabled a proposal in the cabinet seeking a nod for implementation of 30-year service term provision in Nepal Police. The proposal is under consideration in the Administration Committee of the cabinet.
"How can I recommend for tenure extension as I have already recommended for a proposal for 30-year term in Nepal Police," the cabinet member quoted Rawal as saying in the meeting.
Rawal had argued that the 30-year service term policy had already been enforced in the Armed Police Force and the National Investigation Department. "It would not be fair to exempt the Nepal Police from the policy," Rawal reportedly said.
In the meeting, ministers representing the Nepali Congress and the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) had argued that the officers should not be pensioned off till the Administration Committee takes a decision on the proposal tabled by Rawal, said another cabinet member. They also argued that its the cabinet that should prepare national standards on retirement in Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and the National Investigation Department. They warned Rawal that the coalition would be in trouble if the police officers´ tenure was not extended.
It was then Rawal´s turn to issue the threat and warned to quit if he had to see the police officers´ term extended against his decision.
Rawal´s stance is something contrary to a direction from the Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who had just before flying for Egypt on Tuesday directed the cabinet members and senior officials at his office to let the police officers continue in their office till another decision. Nepal acted on a telephone call from Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala before his departure for Egypt. Accordingly, Nepal´s office had written to the Home Ministry not to pension off the police officers on Tuesday. But Rawal defied the direction, inviting trouble to himself and the coalition government.
Politicians and senior bureaucrats have started to predict that Rawal may have to quit over the row after Nepal returns from Egypt on Saturday.
"In a cabinet system, prime minister´s say prevails. Now either the prime minister has to retract his direction or Rawal has to give up his stance. If both continue to stick to their guns, Rawal will have no choice but to quit," said a senior minister preferring anonymity.
In the meantime, a source close to Rawal told myrepublica.com that there is a slim possibility for the government to reverse the retirement of the police officers.
kiran@myrepublica.com
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