CPN-UML lawmaker Raghuji Pant has sought resignation of Health Minister Mohan Basnet and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala.
Speaking in the House of Representatives (HoR) meeting on Thursday Pant has sought Basnet’s resignation pointing that he is under investigation of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and Jwala over the Balkumari incident.
Pointing that Sher Bahadur Tamang—the then law minister from CPN that was formed after unification of UML and CPN (Maoist Center) and who is now in UML after the Supreme Court later invalidated that unification—had resigned over his comment, Pant has taken swipe at Basnet for going to the CIAA to record statement on his official vehicle waving the national flag. He has further claimed that no minister since the Panchayat regime has remained in position after giving statement over corruption investigation.
He has also demanded resignation of Jwala over the Balkumari incident.
Birendra Shah of Achham and Sujan Rawat of Dailekh were killed during clashes between security personnel and protestors demonstrating over the Employment Permit System (EPS) examination at Balkumari of Lalitpur after the vehicle of Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Prakash Jwala was torched on December 29, 2023.
The government then formed a three-member inquiry commission headed by former high court judge Shekhar Prasad Paudel to investigate the incident. Former additional inspector general of police Arun Kumar BC and Home Ministry Spokesperson Narayan Prasad Bhattarai were members of the commission.
The commission has said that Minister Jwala was responsible for the incident. It has also found Deputy Superintendent of Police Umesh Lamsal and Minister Jwala’s personal security officer Bodhraj Danuwar guilty and recommended departmental action against them. The government has not taken any decision on it yet.
