We believe this is an issue relating more to an institution than to a particular person, and a condemnable political conspiracy hatched by notorious businessmen and staged by incompetent politicians to elbow out a competent bureaucrat. What is scary is that it might be the beginning of a series of assaults on the bureaucracy to crush all possible obstacles to fulfilling the vested interests of politicians and businessmen. Whether Khanal’s resignation is accepted or not, the way an honest secretary of the government has been compelled to quit has shattered the confidence of an already feeble bureaucracy.
Khanal, a true democrat by nature, did many unparalleled things for the country even when the political landscape was not hospitable. Many political leaders don´t even know that he was the one who opposed the huge funds demanded by the then royal government to quell the people’s uprising in 2006. He was the chief architect of reforms that resulted in an astonishing 20 percent plus growth in revenue on average over the last five years while the economy was growing at less than 2 percent. He foresaw the real-estate bubble and persuaded the central bank board to take measures that enabled the government to manage a comfortable landing.
Though Khanal has chosen to exit quietly, it is understood that his hand was forced by strong political opposition to his determination to deliver to the people the peace-dividend of development and to punish tax evaders. We believe Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikari, whose competence and sincerity have often been questioned, is the main culprit in the episode.
Instead of standing behind Secretary Khanal, it is disgraceful that Adhikari, who is also the chief of the country’s treasury, was exerting pressure for a decision that favored wrongdoers. A peaceful agitation initiated by government employees, disruption in parliament and a joint statement issued by the donor community indicate that all stakeholders share the same concerns as us.
We believe it is the right of bureaucrats and all Nepali citizens to learn about the full depth of this affair that led to the untimely exit of a competent and professional civil servant. Hence, we urge parliament to probe the case and dig out the facts in the public’s interest. It is also necessary to do justice to Khanal and also ensure long-term respect and safeguards for sincere and competent bureaucrats through due reforms to the civil service.
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