No facility to former political VIPs‚ demands NC Prez

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KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala has said that no facilities from state coffers should be given to distinguished personalities active in politics.

It was quite irrelevant for the incumbent government with caretaker status to decide to provide privileges to former VIPs instead of maintaining fiscal austerity, President Koirala further said.

He was addressing the closing ceremony of the three-day relay hunger strike that was staged by Nepal Civil Society at Shantibatika, Ratna Park since Thursday. The relay hunger strike was organised against the government's decision to provide state facilities to former special personalities.

"Every conscious citizen has crucial role in ridding the country of corruption," Koirala noted, adding that the movement initiated by the civil society for fiscal transparency is relevant and genuine.

Leader Koirala suggested, "It would be a justified to mobilize the fund required to provide facilities to former special personalities to sustain the livelihood of poor people."

NC central member Dr Ram Sharan Mahat said it is unsolicited corruption on the part of the government to decide through ordinance to provide facilities to former special personalities.

Chairperson of CPN-Maoist Matrika Yadav accused Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai of making such decision through ordinance with an eye on facilities that he would get in future through this decision.

Society Chairperson and former administrator Khem Raj Regmi said that they would launch nationwide signature campaign against the decision for three days.

The Society resorted to hunger strike in protest against the government's decision to bestow facilities such fuel expenses and residential allowances to former Prime Ministers, former Home Ministers and former Chief Justices for lifetime.

Some 9,500 persons and 62 organizations had expressed solidarity in the campaign.