KATHMANDU, JUNE 14
Main opposition CPN-UML today obstructed proceedings of the House of Representatives over alleged manipulation in the new fiscal budget, a day before the budget was presented in the Lower House.
UML Chief Whip Bishal Bhattarai spoke in the House demanding a parliamentary probe to investigate entry of unauthorised persons in the finance ministry. Bhattarai said that Finance Minister Janardan Sharma sidelined high-level officials of the ministry and allowed unauthorised persons to change tax rates so as to benefit some business houses.
"We were expecting the new budget to bring fiscal revival plans, but contrary to our expectations, the budget aims to benefit some business houses," Bhattarai said.
He said hike in customs duty for imported electric vehicle was one example of manipulation in the budget.
He said budget incorporated favourable provisions for some businesses who were involved in import.
"This is the most serious financial offence and no other offence can be bigger betrayal against the nation?" Bhattarai said.
He said the finance minister lied when he said there was no manipulation in the budget by any unauthorised person. "The House should investigate the issue and CCTV footage of May 28 should be produced before the probe panel. If Minister Sharma's claim of innocence is proven, we will withdraw our accusation," Bhattarai added. Stating that former finance minister Ram Sharan Mahat had resigned from his post over a minor mistake, Bhattarai said Sharma should have resigned by now taking moral responsibility for the budget manipulation.
As soon as Bhattarai finished his speech in the Lower House, UML lawmakers stood up to stall House proceedings.
Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota asked lawmakers to let the House function so that all lawmakers could seek clarification from the finance minster, but UML lawmakers continued to obstruct the proceedings, following which the speaker adjourned the House till 1:00pm tomorrow.
Speaking at the beginning of today's HoR meeting, UML lawmaker and former finance minister Surendra Prasad Pandey demanded that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba be held responsible for the alleged tax rate manipulation in the budget. "Tax is a very confidential matter, like national security and its national interest.
Breach of such secrets is considered a serious crime and should be investigated," he added.
Pandey found it odd that the government waived customs duty on imported sanitary pads but increased customs duty on raw materials used in Nepal to produce sanitary pads.
Earlier in the morning, Finance Minister Janardan Sharma responded to lawmakers' allegation of budget manipulation, saying that the finance ministry followed the established practice while making the budget. "Allegations of the entry of unauthorised persons in the finance ministry and budget manipulation are wrong. The story of the entry of unauthorised persons in the finance ministry and manipulating the budget is fabricated," Sharma added.
A version of this article appears in the print on June 15, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
