Kathmandu: Nepal’s Supreme Court has ordered the government to withdraw all state facilities provided to former prime ministers, ministers and ex-Royal family members, ruling it arbitrary, discriminatory and against the law.
Nullifying the cabinet decisions taken over a period of eight years to provide various facilities to the VIPs, the apex court on Thursday asked the government to withdraw such facilities, the MyRepublica online reported.
The court said that government decisions to provide such facilities were arbitrary, discriminatory and against the law. Meanwhile, former Prime Ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal, Surya Bahadur Thapa and Pushpakamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ welcomed the apex court order and decided to return the vehicles and security guards provided to them by the state. They have already informed Chief Secretary Madhav Prasad Ghimire to take back the vehicles and security facilities at any time. “Former PMs Nepal and Thapa contacted me and said they will not use the vehicles and facilities from Friday onwards,” said Chief Secretary Madhav Ghimire, adding, “They have asked me to come and take back the vehicles.”
However, three other former Prime Ministers, Sher Bahadur Deuba of Nepali Congress, Jhala Nath Khanal of CPN-UML and Lokendra Bahadur Chanda of Rastriya Prajatantra Party have not yet responded to the call of the Supreme Court.
Former King Gyanendra and ex-Crown Prince Paras Shah are yet to make their decision regarding the matter.
Meanwhile, former Home Minister Bhim Rawal on Saturday returned the vehicle and security guards provided by the state.
The Nepal government has decided to limit the access of media during the forthcoming state visit of Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao, a move that has irked the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), the umbrella organisation of Nepalese journalists.
FNJ has expressed concern over the government official’s statement that only three journalists representing state-owned media would be allowed to cover the forthcoming Nepal visit by the Chinese Premier beginning December 20.
The FNJ is concerned over the government’s decision to limit the news access of the journalists during the significant visit by the Chinese leader and asked the government to correct the decision, FNJ president Shiva Gaunle told PTI. (PTI)