Prime Minister (PM) Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that he is ready to go to jail if corruption in Maoist cantonments were proved.
PM Dahal has said so while answering the question raised by RPP lawmaker Gyanendra Shahi as to whether he is ready for investigation during the question-answer session with PM Dahal in the House on Thursday.
“I want to inform you all that I am ready to go to jail myself if I were to be deemed guilty following investigation on the basis of someone’s complaint. Everything can be investigated. The issue of combatants’ cantonments is fictitious and prejudiced,” Dahal has stated.
He has claimed that the issue was verified and concluded when Girija Prasad Koirala was the PM and Ram Sharan Mahat the finance minister.
Maoists have been alleged to have received regular payment even in the name of combatants who were not present in the cantonments during the peace process.
PM Dahal has also assured that he would raise the issue of border problems with India during his India visit. Responding to questions raised by Dilendra Prasad Badu of Nepali Congress (NC) and Rahuji Panta od CPN-UML, he has stated that he would tell India that Nepal will not give up even an inch of land or take even an inch of others' land and assured that he would never compromise on the issue of nationalism, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Responding to the question of Nagarik Unmukti Party Gangaram Chaudhary about why the government has not made the report of the commission formed under Girish Chandra Lal following the Tikapur incident public, Dahal has said that the government is for making the report public and assured that the party’s leader Resham Chaudhary will be released soon as the bill for the purpose has already moved forward.
Resham Chaudhary is one of the main accused of the Tikapur incident in which eight police personnel including an SSP of Nepal Police and a toddler were lynched on August 24, 2015.
The Kailali District Court had slapped life sentence on Chaudhary over the Tikapur incident and the Dipayal High Court endorsed the life sentence. The Supreme Court also upheld the verdict of the Dipayal High Court on Tuesday.
Chaudhary has been at Dilli Bazar Jail after surrendering before the Kailali District Court on February 26, 2018.
The government has recently registered amendment in the Criminal Code 2017 to withdraw cases of Nagarik Unmukti Party leader Resham Chaudhary, and leaders and cadres of CK Raut-led Janamat Party and Netra Bikram Chand’s party.
PM Dahal has also stressed that there is no compulsion for the PM of Nepal to visit India first after becoming PM. Responding to the question of Rastriya Janamorcha Party lawmaker Chitra Bahadur KC, Dahal has clarified so. “There is no compulsion for Nepal to visit India first (sic). I have given answer to that even in my first term as PM. Visiting India is a tradition but there is no political compulsion.”
