Kathmandu, July 2

The Parliamentary International Relations Committee today directed the government to immediately halt all work related to organising the International Indian Film Academy Awards in Nepal.

In its decision, the House panel said the draft agreement to be signed between the government and IIFA organiser Wizcraft International Entertainment would hamper Nepal’s independence, freedom and identity, and adversely affect Nepal’s cultural liberty and national interest.

“The Nepal government’s financial liability mentioned in the draft agreement is inappropriately and unnaturally high, considering the country’s economic status,” read the panel’s decision.

Emerging from the parliamentary committee’s meeting, Chairperson Pabitra Niraula Kharel told THT that the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and Nepal Tourism Board could not furnish convincing arguments as to why the event should be organised in Nepal.

“In the meeting, almost all lawmakers criticised the government’s decision to organise the award function using funds from the national treasury,” Niraula said. “That’s why the committee decided to direct the government not to organise the event.”

The committee also decided to seek all the details regarding the planned event from the government in the next meeting of the committee.

Members of the parliamentary committee representing the Nepal Communist Party (NCP), including Bhim Rawal and Agni Sapkota, also spoke against the government’s plans to hold the event in Nepal.

They said the government should not spend such a huge amount of money for organising an Indian film award function. They suggested that the money could be spent on development of the country.

Speaking at a regular press meet on Thursday, Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul Baskota had announced holding the award in Kathmandu in August. He had said Kathmandu Metropolitan City would be co-organiser of the event. It was planned that Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Nepal Tourism Board would arrange accommodation for guests of the event.

The government had also formed a high-level committee for organising the award function.