Shrestha's act of seeking financial help from a businessman has tarnished the image of the RSP.Â
APRIL 13
This is perhaps the first time in Nepal's political history that the central committee of a national political party has taken disciplinary action against its own leader, expelling him from the general membership of the party as well as terminating his membership as lawmaker of the Federal Parliament. The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) decided to expel lawmaker Dhaka Kumar Shrestha from the party as well as terminate his post as lawmaker for seeking money from a businessman to become the health minister in the Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led cabinet in January.
The RSP's central committee meeting held on Wednesday said it found Shrestha, in an audio tape leaked to the media last week, telling Durga Prasain, a medical sector businessman, that he had been asked by RSP chair Rabi Lamichhane's three-member 'core team' to arrange Rs 20 to 25 million if he wanted to become the health minister. In the telephonic conversation, Prasain is heard saying he would try his best to provide him the sum in a day or two. Shrestha was elected to the House of Representatives under the Proportional Representation (PR) system. At a press meet on Wednesday, Lamichhane said the party would recommend the Election Commission to nominate Bindabasini Kansakar, an acid attack victim, to replace him.
Lamichhane said his party would cooperate with the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority and other relevant agencies in their investigation against Shrestha.
He said the party's central committee expelled him from the party and rescinded his membership as lawmaker after it came to the conclusion that it was Shrestha's voice in the audio tape that went viral in the social media.
The RSP had no option other than to take action against Shrestha in view of the April 23 by-elections being held in Chitwan-2, Bara-2 and Tanahun-1. Rabi is contesting the Chitwan-2 by-election to regain the constituency that he lost as a result of the Supreme Court's verdict on his citizenship controversy on January 27. He also dared other parties to take similar action against their leaders who were caught seeking kickbacks while in office if they were really committed to ending corruption.
However, Shrestha has already said he would challenge the party's decision to revoke his parliamentary seat in the Supreme Court. He has also said he would expose the names of the core team. As per the law on political parties, a lawmaker shall lose his or her seat only on two conditions: If s/he violates the party's whip or quits the party. Without question, Shrestha's act of seeking financial help from the businessman is unethical and immoral, but not unlawful as per the existing law. However, a question has arisen about the political credibility of the newly-formed RSP, which rose to national prominence within a short period of its formation. The audio tape that was leaked to the media just weeks ahead of the by-elections will definitely affect Lamichhane and his two other candidates' prospects of winning the elections, which will make or break the party's image.
This incident has taught a lesson to all the political parties and their leaders that their political career will be cut short if they try to use their political clout for financial gain.
Tobacco is killing
It is shocking to learn that Nepal tops the list of countries with the highest smoking rate and deaths caused by it in South Asia. According to figures made available by Nepal Development Research Institute, tobacco was responsible for nearly one in five deaths in Nepal. Indeed tobacco use is widespread in Nepal, with large numbers of women also smoking in the rural areas. Tobacco use prevalence is at a high of 32 per cent among the Nepali population, and it is disturbing to note that there are tens of thousands of children aged 10 to 14 who smoke in Nepal.
Over the years, the government has taken a number of steps to discourage smoking among the people.
It's been ages since cigarette and tobacco advertisements were seen in the print or electronic media.
Pictures of damaged lungs now cover a good part of cigarette packs. Yet these have not brought down the smoking rate in Nepal. As suggested, the government could take a bold step to raise taxes on tobacco in the new budget from the current 41 per cent to the levels of neighbouring countries, such as India at 53 per cent and Sri Lanka at a whopping 77 per cent. It is good to be wise now than to be sorry later.
A version of this article appears in the print on April 14, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
