"We would not let the House take up regular business until the prime minister clarifies these things," said NC Chief Whip Laxman Ghimire during special hour in the legislature-parliament. [break]
He said Deputy Prime Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari has come under the scanner after the resignation of the finance secretary, who had pushed for investigations and action against those evading VAT worth billions of rupees.
"The prime minister should also disclose to parliament the names of business houses that have been involved in VAT evasion. It is unfortunate that a qualified finance secretary has been forced to resign over that scam," he said.
The NC lawmakers demanded that the prime minister clarify to parliament three things: differences between the government and the finance secretary; the law and order situation in the Terai; and the barring of newly appointed chief of Bharatpur Cancer Hospital Laxmi Narayann Singh by Maoists from taking up his job.
Joint Secys plan group resignation
The episode of Finance Secretary Khanal´s resignation has agitated the revenue administration, with senior officials threatening to resign en mass and observe a pen-down for two hours.
Staff at the Inland Revenue Department, Customs Department, Revenue Investigation Department and offices under them halted work from noon to 2 pm on Wednesday. The strike was called by the Public Service Employees Union -- Revenue Administration.
Furthermore, the union threatened to intensify the strike if the government does not publicly commit itself to not accepting Khanal´s resignation and reinstating him.
A joint-secretary at the ministry also informed that some three dozens joint-secretaries at Revenue Administration are preparing to tender their resignation if the government does not turn down Khanal´s resignation.
“We know that influential business houses involved in evading VAT have been exerting pressure for his ouster. If the government accepts his resignation, we (joint-secretaries) will resign also,” said the official, adding, "If Khanal is forced to sacrifice his career for fighting ills, why should we work - and to serve whom?".
Although Khanal has not publicly disclosed the reason for his resignation, sources close to him said he was traumatized by the duplicity shown by the DPM and finance minister. “Although Adhikari commits himself in public to strong action against tax evaders and financial criminals, he was found talking otherwise in political circles and even projecting Khanal as a ´major obstacle´,” said the source.
Khanal was firm against granting amnesty to VAT racketeers, who have robbed the national treasury of well over Rs 4 billion, and was also pushing for control of financial crime. He was pushing hard for corrective measures to control the assets bubble and restore confidence in the economy.
Although sources close to Khanal said the chances of his resuming office are slim, a group of joint-secretaries met Chief Secretary Madhav Prasad Ghimire and asked him to return Khanal to work ´at any cost´.
“Khanal is a person of integrity and professionalism. The day he is allowed to quit in such circumstances will be the darkest in the Nepali civil service. History will judge you, and we appeal to you to rise to the occasion,” they told Chief Secretary Ghimire.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary Ghimire has briefed a cabinet meeting on Khanal´s resignation. The cabinet did not endorse Khanal´s resignation letter.
I´ve no differences, appeal to him to return: DPM
KATHMANDU (Republica) - Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari on Tuesday denied having any differences with Finance Secretary Khanal and even appealed to him to withdraw his decision to resign and return to work.
“Refer to your own newspapers. I have always committed myself to strong action against wrongdoers. I have no personal interest in harboring differences with Khanal. Still, if my words and actions have hurt him in any way I apologize and request him to return,” Adhikari told Republica.
Adhikari even said he had been trying to contact Khanal on his mobile phone since Tuesday, but in vain.
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