Kathmandu, October 18
Minister for Health Gagan Thapa said on Tuesday Members of Parliament should raise their voice against CIAA Chief Commissioner Lok Man Singh Karki as his conduct contravenes the constitutional position that he holds.
The government cannot comment on chiefs of constitutional bodies. Members of Parliament should question Karki’s conduct.
Talking to journalists on Tuesday, Minister Thapa said: The government cannot comment on chiefs of constitutional bodies. Members of Parliament should question his conduct.
Demands of Dr Govinda KC vis-a-vis Lok Man are alright, Thapa said, adding that only the Parliament has jurisdiction over the matter. Thapa said he his stance on CIAA Chief Karki, which he had articulated when he was lawmaker only and not a government minister, remains unchanged. In the capacity of lawmaker, Thapa had demanded Karki’s impeachment.
At the same time, Thapa said Dr KC’s hunger strike does not serve any purpose as government has already fulfilled some of his demands and is in the process of fulfilling some others. Dr KC has staged a series of hunger strikes demanding reforms in Nepal’s medical sector, including impeachment of Karki for his alleged irregularities in the sector.
Meanwhile, CPN-UML MP Yagya Raj Sunuwar on Tuesday accused the government of sending CIAA Chief Karki abroad by providing him daily allowance from the state coffers. MP Sunuwar urged the government to inform the public about the matter.
Speaking with the media outside the Parliament, Sunuwar accused the government of hiding Lok Man for about a month by providing him daily allowance in dollars. Prime Minister and Home Minister should respond to questions related to Lok Man’s status.
The incident of barring court staffers from pasting summons (at Lok Man’s house) is an act that has trampled on the principle of judicial supremacy, he said, adding that the government is to blame for this.
Tabling an impeachment motion in the Parliament against Lok Man is impossible without consent of top leaders of major political parties, Sunuwar said, adding that blaming lawmakers for failure to table such a motion is pointless.
Meanwhile, Nahakul Subedi, spokesperson for the Supreme Court, said the court has already issued summons in Lok Man’s name.
