Opposition Leader Gyan Bahadur Shahi Accuses Government of Politicizing Asset Investigations

Kathmandu. Opposition party Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Parliamentary Party Leader Gyan Bahadur Shahi has accused the government of politicizing the work of investigating assets. Speaking in the House of Representatives meeting on Tuesday, he asserted that the government has politicized this issue by deciding that the assets of its ministers and new MPs will not be investigated. Leader Shahi stated that the government's decision not to make public the asset investigation report of Home Minister Sudhan Gurung can be seen as an example of the politicization the government is engaged in. He noted that the government should be making laws in the interest of the citizens but is doing otherwise, drawing the government's attention to the fact that power is not greater than human life. Speaking in the meeting, he said, 'It is called politicization to make a policy that says I will investigate everyone's assets, but the assets of our ministers and new MPs should not be investigated.' He termed the activities of demanding a committee to investigate others' assets, then forming a committee themselves after their collusion with middlemen is exposed, threatening the committee members themselves, proving themselves innocent, and hiding the committee's reports as politicization. He added, 'Asking to rescue a person stuck on a cliff in Karnali is not politicization; we have entered politics after serving.' He clarified that they did not enter politics by setting fire to the country's physical structures and turning Singha Durbar into ashes, and that despite enduring various attacks while protesting against corruption, they have not harmed anyone. He emphasized that the law should be equal for everyone and the state should be the guardian of the citizens. He said, 'The law should be made for the protection of citizens' lives, not to end lives.' He added, 'Neither power, nor position, nor the arrogance of law, nor anyone's popularity is greater than human life.' He cautioned the government to act as the guardian of the citizens. He also stated that their protest against Prime Minister Balen Shah's anti-national statement in parliament continues.