KATHMANDU, MAR 03 -
Sharada Bhusal, an anti-corruption crusader, called off her indefinite hunger strike on Saturday night after the government’s commitment to address demands raised by her team.
Bhusal had launched the strike nine days ago, demanding investigation into the misuse of funds in local bodies and strengthening of corruption controlling mechanisms. Bhusal together with her companions ended the strike at 10:30 pm after the government pledged to complete the investigation of Danauli-Banauli VDC corruption cases within 30 days.
The agreement, signed by Kathmandu CDO Choodamani Sharma on behalf of the government in presence of Physical planning Minister Hryadesh Tripathi and Chief Secertary Lilamani Poudel, has committed to filling the vacant positions of commissioners at the CIAA through political consensus, distributing the social security funds through the banking system and making them public on websites of the District Development Committees, enforcing recently introduced Resource Mobilisation Regulation-2013 for transparent distribution of local funds and ensuring publicity notice mentioning date, time and venue of local council meetings.
Similarly, the agreement has committed to transfer, promote and appoint the local officials based on their performance, hold polls for electing single trade union of civil servants for effective performance. The government has also addressed their demands of implementing the directives issued by the Supreme and Special courts in terms of controlling corruption.
PMO Secretary Rajuman Singh Malla, Local Secretary Shanta Bahadur Shrestha and anti-corruption campaigner Kedar Khadka, among others, have worked hard for the past two days to bring the protestors and government together.
The anti-graft campaigners had demanded a fair probe into corruption widespread in Tarai districts, holding of local polls, halt to government grants in local bodies until elected peoples’ representatives are in office, distribution of social security funds through the banking system and appointing commissioners to the CIAA, among others.
In nine days of the fast, Bhusal’s weakness had bowed her mum as she lied down helplessly in a feeble tent at Shanti Batika. With every forlorn wink of her eyes, Bhusal’s health condition had deteriorated as the government failed to promptly address her demands.
On Saturday, Sharada could not say much to the well-wishers rather dutifully wrote down the names of the people who issued regular death threats on her to cover their corruption cases. A long list of names penned down by her, included the powerful people running NGOs, government officials and media tycoon repeatedly misusing the local development funds, at her home district of Mohattari. Among them are Shree Krishna Subedi and Ranjit Jha of Banauli Damauli VDC-3, Rupesh Jha and Bajinath Chaudhary operating and NGO called Rataulai Youth Club, Sunil Thakur and Amit Jha of Ward-8, Dhirendra Thakur, Dipendra Thakur, Rabindra Jha, Armendra Jha and Madhubindra Jha of Ward-3, Nagendra Dubey and Bajinath Chaudhary.
Others include VDC secretary Shatrugan Mishra, Sunnil Thakur of Dalit Utthan Samiti, Bipin Thakur of DAO Mohattari, Madan Jha of Mohattari Land Revenue, Nirmal Gurung of Sagarmatha Television.
Why the CIAA is ignoring the case?
A corruption case was filed against two VDC secretaries Ram Ekwal Yadav of Banauli Damauli and Shatrughan Mishra of Loharpatti on charge of embezzling Rs 1.9 million and Rs 7 million respectively some four years ago. But the CIAA did not expedite the investigation into the matters. According to CIAA sources, Ram Gopal Shrestha, a section officer at the commission, was assigned to look after the case. Shrestha produced the report but the then CIAA secretary Bhagwati Kumar Kafle was not satisfied with the report. Later, a probe committee was formed under SP Bharat Sharma to investigate into the corruption in Terai districts along with their complaints. Despite all their complaints was not addressed for years. Consequently, Bhusal-led team had launched fast-unto-death for delay in probing into the corruption complaints. They had ended the fast-unto-death after then Secretary Trilochan Uprety committed to address their demands. CIAA officials claim they were unaware about the past investigations, instead they are just referring to the recent corruption cases of Dhanusha and Saptari districts.
As the pressure mount on CIAA, top officials there have expressed commitment to complete the investigation. “The commission is committed in controlling corruption so they must trust us,” said the CIAA secretary Ganesh Raj Joshi, who is also acting as officiating head of the anti-graft body. Even after the Mahotari locals raised the issues of local corruption, an investigation of the Ministry of Federal Affairs has concluded that Rs 300 million was misused in Dhanusha district and Rs 380 million in Saptari. The ministry’s investigation report has been forwarded to the CIAA for further investigation and action against those involved in the corruption but no progress is made in this regard.
