Home Minister Lekhak Defends Stance Amid Calls for Resignation – International Edition (English)

Kathmandu, May 25 – As demands escalate from various political factions for Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak to resign due to his involvement in a visitor’s visa scandal, he has maintained his stance, asserting that he would withdraw from politics should evidence emerge proving him responsible for irregularities identified at the Tribhuvan International Airport immigration office.

On Wednesday, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) arrested Tirtha Raj Bhattarai, who heads the TIA Immigration Office, and questioned him regarding his suspected involvement in colluding with individuals to arrange travel for Nepalese citizens overseas at the request of human traffickers.

The CIAA conducted a search at his workplace and seized various items such as computers, mobile phones, and pertinent documents for further examination.

Millions of rupees in transactions came to light during investigations into the arrangement of visit visas for Nepalese citizens heading to nations in the Persian Gulf and further abroad. Authorities at the anti-corruption agency believe that personnel from the immigration department, labor export agencies, and intermediaries may have been collaborating systematically within the immigration office framework.

Bhattarai, currently serving as joint-secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been granted bail; however, the CIAA continues to investigate his involvement in uncovering potential collusion between immigration officers and human smugglers, which reportedly occurred under the oversight of officials from the home ministry.

The CIAA has not made any public statements regarding its current investigation into Bhattarai and potential wider connections with home ministry personnel. However, certain media outlets have reported, based on anonymous sources within the CIAA, claims suggesting involvement of staff from Lekhak’s office in the scandal as well.

The visit visa scandal has caused an uproar across both traditional and social media platforms, raising questions about the involvement of Home Minister Lekhak and his private office. Leaders from various political parties have called for Minister Lekhak to clarify his stance, with several urging him to resign.

“I urge [the authorities] to demonstrate my connection,” Lekhak stated to the Post. “I am not someone who participates in such endeavors.”

Regarding a video that has been shared widely on social media platforms, Lekhak stated on Saturday that he plans to speak before the House of Representatives on Tuesday to elucidate his stance.

“I am currently facing a baseless and conspiracy-driven smear campaign. While this isn’t limited to the matter of the visit visa at the Tribhuvan International Airport’s immigration office, should anyone manage to prove even one instance of financial misconduct involving me, I commit to stepping down not only from my role as home minister but also from active political life altogether.” He stated this to journalists gathered at the home ministry on Saturday night.

Lekhak stated that he has already asked for time to speak in the esteemed House of Representatives on Tuesday, promising to delve deeper into the issue there.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs is extensive, employing hundreds of thousands of people. At any moment, a constitutional entity or appropriate authority could start an inquiry into any staff member. So, if one worker faces such scrutiny, would this imply that every minister must step down? Is setting this precedent what we desire? … And has anything like this occurred previously?” responded Lekhak.

“The current situation I am facing is part of a politically driven, planned, and conspiracy-based defamatory campaign,” the minister stated additionally.

On Saturday evening, Joint-Secretary Chhabi Rijal from the Ministry of Home Affairs released a statement voicing grave concerns about media reports suggesting ties between the ministry’s leadership and an occurrence at the Immigration section of the international airport.

Objecting to reports linking the ministry and Minister Lekhak to the incident, the statement said, “We want to make it clear that there is no involvement of the ministry’s leadership in any illegal or corrupt activities.”

The statement highlighted that the local government remains actively engaged in upholding peace, security, public order, and effective governance within the nation.

“As stated in the document, the ministry has implemented a strict zero-tolerance approach towards various types of misconduct and illegal actions,” highlighting the continuous efforts for restructuring and improving the efficiency within the domestic management system.

Regarding the operations at the TIA Immigration Office, the ministry stated that the truth will be revealed once the investigation concludes. They pledged “complete cooperation” with the inquiry.

At least 14 staff members were relieved of their duties by the ministry on Friday. The majority of these individuals reassigned from the airport immigration office hold junior positions.

However, certain officials within Lekhak’s own party, the Nepali Congress, have similarly called for his resignation.

A prominent Congress figure, Shekhar Koirala, urged Lekhak to step down from his position. While addressing reporters at Biratnagar Airport on Saturday, Koirala stated that it would be appropriate for the home minister to relinquish his role due to ethical concerns following the exposure of corruption within the Department of Immigration.

“Previously, some ministers have stepped down to enable such inquiries. Should Minister Lekhak choose to resign, it would enhance his personal integrity,” Koirala continued. “He could declare, ‘I’ve tendered my resignation so that an inquiry commission can be established. I am fully supportive of this,’” she added.

The primary ruling party, CPN-UML, has yet to disclose its stance on Lekhak. Similarly, the leading opposition party, CPN (Maoist Centre), remains silent on this issue as well.

On Saturday, the Rastriya Swatantra Party, an opposing political party, called for the home minister’s resignation.

In a released statement, the party voiced its concerns about allegations suggesting the home minister and their secretariat were implicated in a human trafficking case, purportedly conducted under the pretense of issuing “visitor visas.” The organization called for the immediate resignation of the home minister.

The legislator, who serves as a Member of the House of Representatives, previously stated in Parliament that “resignation from the position of minister should occur when queries arise, allowing for assistance with investigations.”

The RSP indicated that Lekhak’s statements appear to be directed at himself now. They called for his immediate resignation from the position of home minister to enable a fair inquiry into the issue, as stated by the fourth biggest party in Parliament.

Furthermore, the government should guarantee that any disturbance in Parliament regarding this matter does not lead to public disenchantment or animosity towards Nepali politics.

On Saturday morning, Lekhak informed party members in Janakpur that various claims were being circulated online, but he remained quiet for a couple of days attempting to grasp the situation’s location and underlying reasons.

“I’ve learned quite a bit. Soon, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the subject as well. Therefore, I won’t elaborate further at this moment.” The author additionally asserted that there’s no reason for the party involved to feel anxious.

I’ve dedicated my whole life to politics and have always strived not to disgrace either the party or myself,” he stated. “Every concern raised will undergo thorough investigation.