KATHMANDU, September 5: The main opposition CPN-UML has demanded that the government provide clarifications on the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) land scam.
Speaking in Parliament on Monday, UML Vice-chairman Bhim Rawal demanded that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba inform the parliament about the actions being taken by the government with regard to the land scam.
"NOC has been implicated in embezzling a huge amount of money while procuring land plots in several districts," Rawal said at the House meeting. "Why is the government promoting institutional corruption? Many of the big corruption scandals, which have drawn strong criticism from the public, originated from the cabinet decisions."
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Rawal further said that such activities must be stopped and the prime minister should answer the parliament about the NOC land scam.
UML has sought answers from the prime minister at a time when NOC is found to have misappropriated over Rs 1.5 billion while procuring land plots purportedly for constructing oil storage facilities in various districts.
On a different note, Rawal came down heavily against Prime Minister Deuba for signing various agreements including one on starting survey for LP gas-pipeline in Nepal "without holding domestic consultations".
"The government ministries themselves are in the dark about the pipeline agreement, but the Indian side has already started survey on our land without informing the authorities concerned," he said.
Former Home and Defense Minister Rawal further said that the agreement has undermined Nepal's sovereignty. Rawal also criticized Deuba for speaking about the constitution amendment issue at the joint press meet with the Indian prime minister in New Delhi last week.
Opposition UML leader Rawal also accused the government of breaching the election code of conduct by transferring civil servants "in an attempt to influence the upcoming polls". He also sought answers from the prime minister over the civil servants and security personals transfer after the election code of conduct coming in to effect.
