Suspension of acting mayor recommended

Rautahat, September 5

A meeting of the executive at Katahariya Municipality has recommended suspension of the municipality’s Acting Mayor Nurjanha Khatun, in Rautahat.

The meeting of the executive held today at the municipality took a decision to this effect saying Khatun had embezzled millions and plunged the municipality into a mess.

The recommendation letter seeking suspension has been sent to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration through the District Coordination Committee

The executive meeting of the municipality was chaired by Khatun. She had left the meeting after majority of members brought the issue of corruption worth millions. According to Ward No 4 Chair Chandan Kuswaha, out of 18 members at the executive, 14 signed the recommendation letter.

Acting Mayor Khatun, however, said that hundreds of people led by Provincial Assembly member Kundan Kuswaha had seized the municipality, shouted slogans seeking action against her while the meeting was under way on how to conduct the upcoming municipal council. She termed the recommendation for action deplorable as executive members were coerced into signing the letter under threat.

Khatun said PA member Kuswaha had gathered hundreds of locals for gas stove distribution and used them to seize the municipality. She sought fair investigation into the incident. “If I am involved in financial anomalies, I am ready to face action after the investigation”, she added.

Katahariya Municipality Chief Administrative Officer Ramlal Sahani said that  PA member Kuswaha had brought hundreds of people and barged into the meeting and forced him to write a letter seeking action against Khatun. “They manhandled us and forced us to write the letter,” Sahani said.

Meanwhile, PA member Kuswaha claimed that he had not threatened anyone to take the decision of against Khatun. According to him, a dispute had broken out when majority of the members raised the issue of financial embezzlement when the meeting was discussing preparations for the council meeting. He said that he had reached the meeting when he was called for advice. “I had advised them to implement the decision of majority of members”, Kuswaha said.

Birgunj bench of Janakpur High Court had convicted Mayor Shiyaram Kuswaha of killing Hindu Association Parsa Chair Kashi Tiwari five months ago. Mayor Kuswaha is doing time at Dillibazaar prison in Kathmandu. After Kuswaha was sent to jail, Khatun had started working as acting mayor.