By demanding an impartial probe committee, Lekhak has an opportunity to script a new chapter grounded in morality – one that could restore his stature as a politician of integrity
Around this time last year, Nepal's Parliament was engaged in intense discussions regarding the alleged involvement of the then home minister, Rabi Lamichhane, in cooperative fund embezzlement. The main opposition, Nepali Congress, had disrupted the House of Representative (HoR) for many days demanding a parliamentary investigation on Lamichhane's case. The ruling coalition had a hard time confronting the logical and irrefutable arguments of the members of parliament (MPs) of the Nepali Congress led by their chief whip Ramesh Lekhak. In a commanding yet melodious voice, Lekhak frequently delivered précised speeches demanding the resignation of Lamichhane on moral grounds to allow the concerned authority to initiate a free and fair investigation. The highlight of Lekhak's speech was his appeal to moral conscience, eloquently intertwined with verses from renowned Urdu poets. With his impressive presentation in the HoR and a relatively unblemished record amid past corruption scandals, Ramesh Lekhak stood out as a voice of moral authority among the largely discredited fellow MPs.
The dice has rolled in the parliament by now, and Lamichhane is serving detention in Butwal prison over his alleged involvement in the cooperative scam. One of the main architects of Lamichhane's downfall, Lekhak, has succeeded him as the home minister. However, Lekhak's tenure as home minister so far has starkly contrasted with the principled and compelling role he had played in the parliament last year. Firstly, Lekhak was severely criticised for failing to execute immediate rescue operations even within the Kathmandu Valley during the severe monsoon floodings last year. After that, his occasional biasedness and favouritism in the promotion and transfer of high-ranking home ministry personnel and police officers were reported by media. Later on, both national and international human rights bodies condemned the security forces' dubious role in using excessive force during the pro-monarchy protest on Chaitra 15. However, the lowest point of Lekhak's tenure as home minister seems to be his alleged involvement in the visit visa scandal. These moral setbacks have severely tarnished Lekhak's image, transforming him in less than a year from a symbol of integrity to a politician now facing allegations of corruption, a fitting semblance to the Jekyll and Hyde paradox.
Jekyll and Hyde are the dual characters of the same individual depicted in the novella 'The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson. The story revolves around exploring the dichotomy of human nature, particularly the conflict between good and evil within the same individual. In the story, Dr Jekyll, a respectable scientist, experiments with a liquid that allows him to transform into the vehement and repulsive Mr. Hyde thereby revealing his hidden, darker instincts. In the end, the evil Mr. Hyde succeeds over the good Dr Jekyll that results in the demise of the latter. Eventually, the evil Mr. Hyde also commits suicide – suggesting that while evil may prevail for some time, it is ultimately destined to destroy itself.
Lekhak has always been an unblemished and decent politician. His past ministerial tenures were mostly uncontroversial. His tenure as the chief whip of the main opposition, Nepali Congress, was also quite notable. All this can be correlated with Lekhak's Dr Jekyll persona – the moral, responsible and unblemished self.
On the other hand, his tenure as home minister is a sorry picture, so far. The recent visit visa scandal has stuck as a fishbone in his throat. It has come to light that a human trafficking racket, allegedly enabled by certain immigration officers, was operating inside Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). This network facilitated the illegal departure of unsuspecting foreign employment seekers on tourist visas. To support the scheme, specific airlines reportedly scheduled targeted midnight flights. Each night, hundreds of Nepali citizens primarily headed to the Middle East on visit visas, unaware that they were being funneled into forced labour and modern-day slavery, which is said to have generated several million rupees daily through illicit means for home ministry officials.
The HoR remains at a standstill over visit visa irregularities issue, with opposition parties demanding Lekhak's resignation on moral grounds. However, it is noteworthy that Lamichhane also did not resign even after the main opposition deadlocked the parliament for many days. Hence, Rastriya Swatantra Party, the most vocal on this issue, does not reserve the right to demand morality from Lekhak.
Lekhak has denied his involvement in the visit visa scam. However, it is implausible that he was unaware of the happenings under his nose. Still, with his almost unsoiled reputation in the past, Lekhak definitely deserves the benefit of the doubt on condition that he himself demands an impartial judicial investigation committee. To allow the committee to act efficiently, Lekhak should voluntarily opt out of the home ministry. An acquittal by such a committee would significantly enhance his reputation as a politician of integrity – setting him apart from the largely tarnished legacy of past home ministers. Lekhak has an opportunity to script a new chapter grounded in morality – one that could restore his stature as a politician of integrity.
Unlike in the Jekyll and Hyde saga, where darkness ultimately consumes the protagonist, this time the good Dr Jekyll must prevail over the corrupt Mr. Hyde. As a political disciple of B.P. Koirala – who always welcomed criticism from journalists and upheld democratic values – Home Minister Lekhak now stands at a defining crossroads. Either he chooses to rewrite the narrative with accountability and reform, or the visit visa scandal will certainly send his political career into a steep decline.
pushpa.joshi@gmail.com
