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Kathmandu, July 14: Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairperson and lawmaker Rajendra Lingden has aimed at Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, raising pointed questions about the absence of the government’s promised good governance commission in the wake of mounting corruption allegations involving ministers.

Addressing the House of Representatives on Monday, Lingden asked, “Where is the prime minister’s much-touted good governance commission now, when the country is desperately seeking accountability? One minister after another is being exposed for questionable financial dealings.”

He further challenged the government’s moral standing, saying, “If any ethical standards remain, shouldn’t those ministers be removed from their posts?”

Lingden also accused the government of intentionally distracting the public while engaging in systemic corruption. “They claim to have defeated royalists and silenced critics of the republic, but the truth is starkly different. Like the cunning jackal in the tale who cries ‘eagle’ only to snatch the chick itself, they are diverting public attention while plundering the nation.”

His remarks came amid the growing scandal surrounding Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration Raj Kumar Gupta, who is embroiled in a bribery case. An audio recording recently surfaced allegedly revealing a deal linked to the transfer of officials within the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, and Poverty Alleviation.

According to the complaint filed with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Minister Gupta accepted Rs 5.3 million to block the transfer of Ramchandra Adhikari, the then-chief of the Kaski Land Revenue Office, and another Rs 2.5 million to appoint a district-level chairperson in the Land Commission—totaling Rs 7.8 million.

The complaint was supported by photos of two bags filled with cash, including clear images of serial numbers and currency bundles. Following the complaint, the incriminating audio recording was leaked to the public. Reacting to the scandal, Prime Minister Oli summoned Minister Gupta on Monday morning and reportedly instructed him to step down.

People’s News Monitoring Service