KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 18

Lawmakers of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) — Bhim Rawal and Janardan Sharma — and Chief Whip of the Nepali Congress in the House of Representatives Bal Krishna Khand have opposed the distribution of Dashain allowance among federal lawmakers.

Rawal today wrote a letter to the secretary general of the Parliament stating that a policy decision should not have been taken to provide Dashain allowance to people’s representatives, particularly members of Parliament, at a time when the country was facing grave economic crisis caused by the COVID pandemic.

He said he would also write to him that he did not want his Dashain allowance.

As per news reports quoting Parliament Secretariat employees, Dashain allowance would not be provided to lawmakers if they gave it in writing to the Parliament Secretariat that they didn’t intend to accept Dashain allowance. He said if the Dashain allowance had already been deposited in his bank account he was ready to write a cheque to the Parliament Secretariat of a similar amount or the Parliament could deduct the allowance from his next month’s salary. He also wrote on his twitter post that a provision should be made not to give Dashain allowance to lawmakers at a time when the country was facing grave economic crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Janardan Sharma wrote on his Facebook wall: “Corona epidemic is our main problem. Buy ventilators instead of giving Dashain allowance to MPs at this time. I am handing over my Dashain allowance to former Janamukti Sena warrior Narendra Bohara of Kalikot for treatment.”

Khand wrote a letter to the Secretary General of Parliament stating that the government’s decision to provide Dashain allowance to people’s representatives at a time when people were facing extreme economic hardship was not relevant, appropriate or responsible. He said he wanted to deposit his Dashain allowance to the government fund so that the government could use it in public interest.

Meanwhile, Sajha Party lawmaker in Bagmati Province Shobha Shakya issued a press release saying Bagmati Province Secretariat had deposited the Dashain allowance in her bank account but she would not accept it. She said she wanted her allowance to be deposited in the COVID-19 Control and Treatment Fund.

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