Kathmandu, September 1:

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam today said he would make

necessary changes in the institutions under his ministry to maintain law and order situation in the country in consultation with partners of the coalition government.

He said he would be able to restore law and order across the country within six months.

“I will make timely changes in the Nepal Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department to make them more effective to maintain law and order in society. I will also bring necessary changes to the regulations of those institutions,” Gautam said at an interaction organised by the Reporters’ Club.

He added that all the changes would be made in consultation with the yet-to-be-formed High-level Political Coordination Committee of the coalition partners.

He said the officials who failed to carry out their duty and responsibility would be relieved and would be replaced with qualified and competent persons.

“I will also quit if I failed to run the administration effectively,” he said. Saying that there were some serious problems in some parts of Tarai, Gautam said the political problems would be solved politically and the criminal activities would be controlled by using force.

Asked whether he would be able to rein in activities of Young Communist League, Gautam said, “Those trying to take law in their hands won’t be spared. All the property seized during the conflict will also be handed over to the rightful owners as per the agreements reached among the political parties and the government in the past.”

He also said he had already discussed those issues with the Prime Minister, and the latter had pledged to cooperate with him in this regard. Gautam also emphasised the need for a new security policy in the changed political context. “But it is the government which needs to work on it in line with the changed political context,” he added.

“Government’s twin objective of writing a new constitution and establishing lasting peace will not be achieved without restoring rule of law. My primary responsibility is to restore rule of law and make the people feel a sense of security,” he said.