Kathmandu: The government has established a high-level study and investigation committee led by former Chief Secretary Shanker Das Bairagi to address the ongoing immigration and visit visa scam. The formation of this committee seeks to tackle the critical issues surrounding visit visas, which have been a point of contention and concern for some time.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak communicated this development during the House of Representatives’ meeting. During the session, he addressed questions from lawmakers concerning current issues, emphasizing the government’s commitment to resolving these challenges. The committee comprises Joint-Secretaries from six different ministries, namely Tirtha Raj Chilwal from the Finance Ministry, Aruna Joshi from the Law, Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Ministry, Ram Krishna Lamichhane from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, Mani Ratna Koirala from the Foreign Ministry, Pradip Koirala from the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Social Security, and Ananda Kafle from the Home Ministry.
Minister Lekhak highlighted that the committee’s establishment is part of a broader commitment to implement policy-level, legal, and structural reforms to address the long-standing issues associated with visit visas. This initiative follows a consensus between ruling and opposition parties to form a high-level probe committee to investigate the visa scam.
Despite this consensus, the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) have voiced their disagreement with the newly formed committee. Dr. Swarnim Wagle of the RSP expressed that the committee, led by former Chief Secretary Bairagi, is unacceptable to his party. He advocated for a parliamentary probe committee coordinated by either an incumbent or former justice.
Similarly, Gyan Bahadur Shahi of the RPP called for an investigation into the actions of the 14 home ministers appointed over the past 18 years concerning the visa scam. He argued that the current committee would not deliver justice and stressed the need for action against all guilty parties, irrespective of their political affiliations or power interests.
Following their statements, lawmakers from the RSP and RPP chose to boycott the meeting, marking their protest against the committee’s formation.