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Nepali Congress (NC) has denied any involvement of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak in the visit visa scandal.

A meeting of both former and current office bearers of the party held at the private residence of Party President Sher Bahadur Deuba in Budhanilkantha today concluded that Minister Lekhak, who represents the party in the NC-UML coalition government, had no role in the scandal.

During the meeting, the Minister presented a detailed statement regarding his alleged involvement in the scam, according to NC Spokesperson Prakash Sharan Mahat. After reviewing his clarification, the party leadership decided there was no evidence linking him to the scandal.

The meeting also called for an impartial investigation into the matter, urging that those found responsible be brought to justice.

It is worth noting that on May 21, Tirtha Raj Bhattarai, the Chief of the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) Immigration Office, was interrogated by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) for allegedly facilitating illegal foreign travel of Nepali nationals on visit visas.

It was later discovered that he had been in regular contact with officials in the Ministry, raising suspicions about the Minister's involvement in the scandal.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has instructed the security agencies in the Madesh Province to adopt draconian measures to control criminal activities and smuggling in the bordering areas between Nepal and India in the Province.

Minister Lekhak directed this while inaugurating the provincial level security seminar organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs and departmental ministry of the Madhesh Province in Janakpur today.

Furthermore, Lekhak urged the concerned authority to maintain a high-level caution for security concerns, he added, saying all eight districts of the province share open borders with India.

He emphasized the need for the security agencies to discharge their duties with honesty in the changing context of the world.

The Home Minister asked the civil employees in the province to be honest and unbiased and deliver public services in an easy manner and promptly.

Minister Lekhak expressed his concern over the increasing cases of drug abuse, road accident, suicides and cybercrimes in the recent times.

Likewise, Madhesh Province's Chief Minister Satish Kumar Singh drew the attention of the Home Minister, stating that maintaining peace and order in the province was becoming challenging in absence of adjustment of police personnel in the province.

He said the province government had been extending utmost support to the security agencies in the province despite its limited means and resources.

On the occasion, he urged the concerned authority to take forward the adjustment process in the police organization.

Similarly, Province's Minister for Home Affairs, Communications and Law Raj Kumar Lekhi appealed to the security agencies to remain vigilant and aware towards the prospects of heightened security challenges that arise in the bordering areas due to the conflict and tensions between the neighboring countries.

Chiefs of the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force Nepal and National Investigation Department in the province as well as the Chief District Officers of all eight districts in the province were present in the program.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said the religion should not be used to address political interests. 

At a meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today, the Minister said any incidence of violence should not be covered up and excused in the name of religion.

"I do not mean to say that one religion is best and another is not. I do clearly mean that the Tinkune violent incident and the arson that took place on March 8 should not be judged from linking those incidents with any religion or religious faith," he said, adding that "The Hindu faith believes in non-violence, peace and fraternity which were not reflected during the Tinkune demonstrations."  

The advocacy for monarchy made during the Tinkune demonstration is against Nepal's constitution, the Home Minister said adding that such a move can't be judged as an appropriate one under any pretexts. 

According to him, the necessary investigations and prosecutions against those responsible for the violence in Tinkune are currently underway. He stated, "Anyone found guilty during the investigation will be brought to justice." Regarding the violent demonstrations carried out by pro-monarchist forces in Tinkune, he said he has already informed the respected State Affairs Committee of Parliament.

According to him, photojournalist Suresh Rajak from Avenues Television was killed in a fire set in a private house in Tinkune, while another individual, Sabin Maharjan, succumbed to bullet wounds during the efforts to control the demonstration.

"The government is clear that the organisers of the demonstrations should take responsibility for the arson at a herbal medicine manufacturing company. Investigations are going on to determine the details of the damages caused during the Tinkune demonstrations," he said.

Of the injured during the demonstration, three individuals are currently receiving treatment, while the others have already returned home after recovering. The government has guaranteed free treatment for those injured, he added.

In response to a question regarding the delay in implementing the Supreme Court's verdict on the Giribandhu Tea Estate, the Minister explained that since the Ministry is not a defendant in the case, it is not in a position to receive information or engage in correspondence regarding the implementation of the verdict.

"I would like to request that the relevant ministries and bodies take action regarding the implementation of the verdict issued by the Supreme Court’s constitutional bench on 2080-10-24 BS (February 7, 2024)," he stated.

Minister Lekhak further said the Ministry of Home Affairs is fully prepared to implement the Constitution of Nepal, the laws of Nepal, and the decisions and verdicts of the respected courts, ensuring the protection and promotion of government and public property.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that the prisons would not only be transformed into open correction homes but also into an industrial village.

Inaugurating the newly constructed building and facility of the Morang Prison Office today, Home Minister Lekhak made it clear that the aim is to modernise the prison and transform it into an industrial village with the objective of helping inmates make productive use of their time and earn a living.

He stated that although there is a mandatory provision to keep the convicted persons in jail in accordance with the prevailing legal provisions, the government is sensitive to the human rights of the inmates.

Stating that the human rights of all individuals will be guaranteed in a democracy, the Home Minister informed that necessary preparations are underway to address the complaint of prison buildings being fewer compared to the number of inmates and the lack of necessary infrastructure.

The Minister of Internal Affairs and Law of Koshi Province, Rewati Raman Bhandari, expressed confidence that the newly constructed prison building will provide additional facilities to inmates, clarifying that the government is on the side of human rights along with the proper utilization of inmates’ labour.

The Chief District Officer of Morang, Indradev Yadav, expressed his commitment to address the issues seen in the prison and to treat the inmates appropriately.

Lawmaker Amanlal Modi, Province Assembly member Bhim Parajuli, Chief of the Federal Urban Development and Building Construction Office Pradeep Kumar Singh, and Director General of the Central Department of Prisons Narayan Bhattarai expressed their views in favour of the employment and human rights of prisoners.

The Department of Building has stated that a total of Rs 361 million and 285 thousand has been spent for the construction of the newly built prison building. The new building is constructed in the complex of the old District Jail located at Hathkhola in Biratnagar.

The prison building can accommodate 218 male and 99 female inmates.

Foreign Department Chief of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Bijay Chauthaiwale, met Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak today.

BJP leader Chauthaiwale, who is currently on a Nepal visit, met Home Minister Lekhak at Singh Durbar. 

On the occasion, Minister Lekhak condemned the recent terrorist attack in Jammu-Kashmir of India and made it clear that Nepal government is against terrorist attack. He held talks with the visiting leader to strengthen Nepal-India relations, which are cordial and subsisting for long.

BJP leader Chaudhaiwale also expressed belief that relations between the two countries would be further strengthened.  "Nepal-India relations are firm and no issue can strain the friendly relations," he said, expressing condolence to the family members of a Nepali youth who was killed in the terrorist attack in Kashmir.

He further said BJP would cooperate fully to consolidate Nepal's democracy.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said the ruling coalition of the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML had no problems at all. The coalition is working smoothly, he argued.

Also a Nepali Congress leader, Lekhak said the ruling partners have good relations to take together the activities as per plan. He said it during a press meet organized by Nepal Press Union Kaski chapter  today.

The government has utmost understanding, he reiterated, expressing wonder why some people were saying the government would collapse. Lekhak reminded that Nepali people did not like anti-democratic and unconstitutional activities. 

He made it clear that free press and media are imperative in a democracy. So those against democracy target free press first, he viewed.

The ill efforts against the present Constitution would not be entertained. However, we can learn from weaknesses and make corrections gradually.

The Home Minister also shared legislative development like preparation of a bill on citizenship.

On a different note, he said there were no issues at all on appointment of governor. 

He further said that the government is committed to fulfilling teachers' demands.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that anti-constitutional activities are not acceptable.

Inaugurating the Gandaki Province-level security seminar in Pokhara today, he said that anti-constitutional activities and instability in the name of former monarchists or any other name would not be forgiven in any condition.

Minister Lekhak said that everyone should be ready to defend the present Constitution obtained through long struggle and sacrifice.

Stating that seven Constitutions have been framed in a span of seven decades in Nepal, he opined that the present Constitution is the world's most advanced democratic Constitution and it is possible to solve every problem through it.

"Criticism, evaluation and various activities can be carried out remaining within the Constitution. Anarchic activities such as promoting murder and violence through anti-constitutional activities cannot be carried out. Action will be taken as per law if such activities are carried out," the Home Minister said.

Stating that protecting the Constitution is the need of the hour, he said, "It is 10 years since the current Constitution was promulgated. Efforts will be made to further improve the Constitution carrying out an assessment of this period and by making amendments based on the need through consensus with all concerned.”

The Home Minister said the government is continuously working towards solving all the problems such as the increasing drug abuse, suicide, vehicle accidents, cybercrime, and natural disasters among others which have emerged as challenges in recent years.

Meanwhile, he stressed on the need for the government bodies to make their service delivery more effective and efficient.

Home Minister Lekhak pointed out the need for the Office of the Chief District Officer, as the representatives of the federal government, to be active to make service delivery effective by coordinating among the federal, provincial and local levels, and others in the districts.

Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak has said the arrests of those responsible for the violent demonstrations by pro-monarchists on March 28   continue to take place. 

During a meeting of the Law, Justice and Human Rights Committee, the House of Representatives today, the Minister said the main accused in the demonstrations, Durga Prasai, has been apprehended. 

He added that the Council of Ministers has already decided to ensure free treatment for those injured in the demonstrations. "The government will bear the cost if the need to buy medicines outside the hospital pharmacies," he said. "I have visited the injured at hospitals." 

According to the Minister, the process has been initiated to provide compensation of Rs one million each to the families of two killed in the demonstrations. He described the Tinkune demonstrations as a violation of the Constitution. 

He further asserted that there is a space for expressing dissatisfaction in the constitutional and democratic system, but there is no excuse for seeking an alternative to democracy and for the regression. 

The government has taken the Tinkune incident seriously. Such incidents must not recur, he added. "We are clear that the incident was predetermined and is a crime capable of spreading terror and anarchy."

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has vowed stringent action against those involved in violent attacks on journalists and media houses during the March 28 demonstration at Tinkune, Kathmandu. Fair investigation into the violent incidents would find those behind the atrocities, he added.

Home Minister Lekhak made such a pledge during a meeting with a team led by General Secretary of the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Ram Prasad Dahal, on Wednesday. The FNJ delegation submitted a memorandum to Minister Lekhak. 

It was an anarchic and violent demonstration orchestrated by those sans ideology, Lekhak reminded, adding that the anarchic mob was intended to perpetrate crimes. "The mob crossed every limit, thereby putting journalists and media houses at the receiving end. The Nepal government is serious about it," he stressed.

He shared information on relief assistance to be provided to the family of victim journalist Suresh Rajak and another injured journalist.

On the occasion, FNJ General Secretary Ram Prasad Dahal requested the Home Minister to investigate well the atrocities meted out on media houses and death of an on-duty journalist during the demonstration, and to take a stringent action on culpable ones.

Information on it was shared by the Home Minister's secretariat.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said the government is highly sensitive regarding the March 28 incident that took place in Tinkune of Kathmandu, causing the loss of lives and property.

He said this during a  meeting with the delegation from the Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ) at his office today.

The eight-member delegation led by General Secretary Ram Prasad Dahal submitted a memorandum to the Minister, concluding that media houses and media persons were targeted during the demonstration. He demanded a fair investigation into the incident. 

Receiving the memorandum, Minister Lekhak said an anarchic and violent mob was responsible for the violence. "The group was just intended to commit a crime." 

It was not associated with any ism or principle, according to him who further elaborated that the destructive mob demonstrated violence and as a result, media and the journalists bore the brunt of it. "The government is very much sensitive over the incident."

The government is determined to find out facts surrounding the arson on a house with journalists, assaults on media houses, according to the Home Minister.

"The death of journalist Suresh Rajak in the fire is the high concern of the government and it is serious about the injured media persons as well. The government is thinking about what can be done for the relief of the victims," he said.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak today inspected different areas including Tinkune and Koteshwor where supporters of the former king vandalized and torched various physical structures.

A team comprising Home Minister Lekhak, Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi, high-ranking officials of the Home Ministry and police officers carried out the inspection of the torched private house at Tinkune, Kantipur Television, Annapurna Post Daily, Judibuti-based Herbs Production and Processing Company Limited, party office of CPN (Unified Socialist) and CPN (Maoist Center) and Koteshwor-based sales store. 

In the course of the monitoring, Home Minister Lekhak said the attack on the media house was condemnable and those involved in such inhumane activities would be brought to book. Condemning the attempt of destroying the media, he committed to taking action against the perpetrators. 

He mentioned, "In democratic republic, there will be mutual competition. There are government and opposition sides as per the people's mandate. But it should be countered by being united when anyone orchestrates anarchic activities against the system."

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has condemned the physical attack on Annapurna Media Network by pro-monarchy protesters.

Home Minister Lekhak, accompanied by Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi, Inspector General of Nepal Police Deepak Thapa, and Inspector General of Armed Police Raju Aryal, inspected the office of Annapurna Post in Tinkune on Saturday morning.

Pro-monarchy supporters vandalized the office of Annapurna Media Network during a protest in Tinkune on Friday.

The protesters had also attempted to set fire the office of Annapurna Media Network.

After taking stock of the incident, Home Minister Lekhak said that the attack on the media house was condemnable and that anyone involved in the incident would be brought to justice.

Inspector General of Nepal Police Thapa said the physical attack on Annapurna Media Network was condemnable.

Annapurna Media Network General Manager Manoj Basnet informed the team, including Home Minister Lekhak, about the incident.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said autocracy cannot be an alternative to democracy at all. Nepali society has been accustomed to democratic values, so sliding back to autocracy is unacceptable, he added.

Minister Lekhak, who is also a Nepali Congress leader, was speaking at an interaction organized by his party's constituency-3 working committee in Rupandehi. Nepal cannot backtrack, he reiterated.

"Nepali people believe in democracy, Nepal is moving forward with democratic system,” he said.

He, however, admitted weaknesses in present delivery. The people's plight cannot be taken advantage of for disrupting the system, Lekhak asserted.

Minister for Home Affairs Ramesh Lekhak has said that housing would be provided to the people of Bagmati and Koshi Provinces, which were affected by the floods last September.

After the 30th meeting of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Executive Committee held here today, he said permanent and temporary shelters would be constructed as per the need after analyzing the damage caused by floods, landslides and inundation.

He said that the decision on how the state could help in the construction of private houses would be taken on the basis of the situation in the affected areas.

In the meeting, the concerned bodies have been instructed to be prepared to control all types of risks from disasters in the coming days, stressing on the need to work in a coordinated manner among all the agencies in the government.

Stating that offices have been established in Doti, Achham and Jajarkot districts to collect complete details of the damage caused by the earthquake and to coordinate the reconstruction works and helping out the victims, Home Minister Lekhak said that the construction of permanent houses has started in the places where the damage has been analyzed.

Minister for Health and Population Pradip Paudel, Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi and other high-ranking government officials were present in the meeting.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that it should be made clear by a law whether to provide the state facilities to former VIPs.

In his response to the topics raised by lawmakers during a meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today, the Home Minister apprised that there is no law granting the facilities to the former VIPs and the government has been proceeding with the formulation of laws towards that end following the advice from the court, Office of the Auditor General and the parliamentary committees.

"It will cause no additional burden on the State coffer to grant such facilities."

He argued that the government is aware of the need to avoid unnecessary economic burden on the State and recognize the citizens' sentiments while proposing the draft bill regarding such facilities. "The government believes that the taxes paid by the citizens should be spent lawfully."

In his replies to queries over the Pathibhara cable car construction project, he said the government has expected the roles with responsibilities from all quarters to resolve the disputes through dialogue peacefully. "The government is ready to address social, religious, and cultural concerns of agitating sides and the locals.  Presently, the area has been guarded by a security force with high patience."

According to the Minister, disaster management, preparedness for potential incidents of fire,

Fair investigation into the cases of crimes reported from various parts of the country, reduction of road accidents, better treatment for the injury cases, and compensation to the affected are the priorities of the Ministry.

The control of cross-border crime between Nepal and India, the safety of Nepali and Indian citizens along the border areas, and smooth and decent movement of the citizens are the agenda of a coordination meeting held frequently among the security forces of the two countries.

 "We have implemented measures accordingly.  The border surveillance by security forces has been intensified. The government is planning to add seven more border outposts this year. Measures against smuggling have been intensified. A zero tolerance has been adopted against smuggling."

The Home Minister further said no inhumane treatment and torture at the Drug Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre is accepted.

He also pointed out the need to increase the security workforce in Dailekh, adding that the issues of citizens in Siraha, Rautahat, and other districts are under investigation.

"The government has initiated actions to prevent any untoward incidents in the Child Correction Home in a sustainable way."  The government is much committed to ensuring peace and security by the maximum utilization of available resources, according to the Minister.

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has said that the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority has been handed over to the province government.

Addressing the Provincial Emergency Warehouse Handover Program in Birendranagar, Surkhet today, he said the right under the policy, directive and responsibility of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) has been delegated to the province.

According to him, now there is no need for the province to ask the NDRRMA for its permission at the time of disaster and the province government will itself manage the disaster management works.

"The government has managed emergency warehouses in all the seven provinces attaching high priority to disaster risk reduction. We will make arrangements for constructing such emergency depots at the local level also as the local government is closest to the people," the Home Minister said.

He added that the NDRRMA as well as the National Council presided over by the Prime Minister and the Executive Committee, coordinated by the Home Minister, have been carrying out works becoming sensitive to disaster risk reduction. 

According to the Home Minister, reconstruction and rehabilitation works have been intensified based on the details of structures damaged by the earthquakes that struck on various dates last year in Doti, Bajhang, Bajura and Jajarkot.

Home Minister Lekhak handed over the Provincial Emergency Warehouse at Itram, Birendranagar Municipality-7 in Surkhet to Karnali Province Chief Minister Yamlal Kandel, in writing.

Chief Minister Kandel said that not only the warehouse facility, the federal government should also be ready to hand over the related entity and the rights associated with it to the province.

Stating that it took seven years for handing over the emergency warehouse to the province government, he urged the federal government to also manage the required budget for operating the warehouse.

NDRRMA Executive Chief Bhishma Kumar Bhusal said that the responsibility of mobilizing humanitarian goods had been given to the Home Ministry before this, but the disaster management rights have been now decentralized in the context of the NDRRM Act determining the rights of all the three tiers of the government.