Kathmandu, February 17

The main opposition Nepali Congress today said the government spent its first year in office in vain despite favourable political environment with two-thirds majority.

The NC said the government had lost people’s faith because of its failure to address Madhes issues through constitution amendment; passage of the health education bill violating the agreement with Dr Govinda KC and failure to book culprit(s) in the Nirmala Panta rape-and-murder case in Kanchanpur.

Other activities that contributed to people losing faith in government, according to the NC, were decision to award contract of Budhigandaki hydropower project to a foreign company without study and its bid to take credit for the contribution-based social security scheme that was in fact initiated by the NC-led government.

Issuing a statement, the NC said there was an ‘ideological paradox’ in the ruling party composed of groups coming from two schools of thought. It said the government failed to make concrete progress due to this ideological irony. On the one hand, the party has expressed its commitment to democracy and the constitution; while on the other, stands its love for classical communism.

The NC said the government was headed towards authoritarianism, justified by statements from Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and ruling Nepal Communist Party’s Co-chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The party said the government had made no effort to revise provisions in the criminal code that were against the freedom of press and expression.

“Federalism means decentralisation of power, but the past one year saw the prime minister’s office making efforts to centralise power,” read the NC statement.

It also said the formation of constitutional commissions in the absence of the leader of the opposition was against constitutional provisions. Referring to the government bulldozing the health education bill through the Parliament when the opposition was protesting, the NC said the move was against democratic and parliamentary norms.

The NC also that the PM Oli lacked qualification to run the government, stating that he was more focused on delivering funny and light speeches rather than focusing on delivery. “Actions rather than speeches are written in history. It suggests the next four years are going to be challenging,” read the statement.

According to the NC, the government exhibited diplomatic immaturity by making unnecessary comments on the Venezuela crisis. The government also failed to win the confidence of the bureaucracy though a flawed civil servant adjustment bill, it said.

The NC said the government failed to curb corruption. The statement referred to various graft scandals such as those related to aircraft procurement for Nepal Airlines Corporation, Nijgad International Airport and Budigandaki hydropower project, and Melamchi drinking water project.