KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 29

The main opposition Nepali Congress has urged Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to go through the recent report of Transparency International to see the real picture of corruption in the country.

A press release issued by the NC claimed that the report had endorsed what the main opposition was saying all along about the massive corruption that had seeped into the system after formation of the incumbent government.

“It is very disheartening that the TI report categorically blames the prime minister for the rise in corruption. This has tarnished the image of the country among the international community. Therefore, the ruling party to make public its institutional opinion on the report,” read the release.

“The NC has long been demanding fair, impartial and independent investigation into various scams, including in the wide body aircraft deal, Baluwatar land grab, security printing press and procurement of medical equipment.

The TI report also proved that our demands were genuine,” it added.

According to the TI report, corruption has increased by 58 per cent in the past one year in the country. The report, ‘Global Corruption Barometer – Asia 2020’ revealed this on the basis of a public opinion survey conducted among thousands of citizens. It also shows that 50 per cent of corruption cases are related to persons or institutions associated with the Office of the President or the Office of the Prime Minister. Of the total survey respondents, 12 per cent said they had bribed public service officials for availing services from government offices while 21 per cent used personal connections to get services.

The report notes that daily experience with corruption and bribery remains alarmingly high, with nearly one in five citizens paying a bribe to access key government services, such as health care or education, and one in seven being offered a bribe to vote one way or another during elections.