Prachanda accuses government of protecting corrupt

By Our Correspondent,Nepalgunj, Oct. 22: CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has said that accepting donations from individuals involved in corruption cases also constitutes corruption.

Speaking briefly to journalists at Nepalgunj Airport on Monday, while en-route to Jumla in Karnali Province, Prachanda addressed concerns regarding Min Bahadur Gurung, who was arrested and released on bail in connection with the Lalita Niwas land scam, which is still under judicial review.

Prachanda claimed that the current government was formed due to the fear of the anti-corruption campaign and is likely to protect corrupt individuals, a point he raised in parliament when stepping down from office.

He mentioned that the opposition parties, including the CPN (MC), plan to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister on Monday evening and expressed confidence that the corruption case will be resolved through due process.

Prachanda claimed that the current government, formed in an unnatural and unusual manner, has begun protecting the corrupt and targeting those who oppose it, predicting that the government’s tenure will be short-lived.

In another context, Prachanda remarked that, based on the report of the cooperative fraud probe committee, it was justified for Rastriya Swatantra Party Chairman Rabi Lamichhane to be arrested and investigated. 

However, he questioned why others implicated in the same report had not been arrested.

He stated that arresting those who oppose the government while allowing its supporters to remain free is injustice. 

Regarding Lamichhane, he said the court would make the final decision, noting that Lamichhane has pledged to cooperate with the investigation, and the matter should not be overemphasized.