There is a strong earthquake being seen in the politics of Nepal these days. Balen Shah, who was once known for honesty and tough decisions, now seems to be coming under the scanner. The resignation of an important minister of his government within just 26 days is indicating that everything is not as clear in the corridors of power as it was being shown in the beginning. The ‘clean image’ created among the public is now slowly coming under scrutiny.
Initially, when Balen Shah became the Prime Minister, he was being compared to Anil Kapoor’s film Nayak. A leader who shakes up the system and attacks corruption harshly. But with the passage of time, such cases have started coming to light from within the same government, which are raising questions on this ‘honest image’. Especially when their own 36 year old Home Minister had to step down amid serious allegations.
Within just 26 days, the country’s 36-year-old Home Minister Sudan Gurung had to resign from his post. This resignation has come at a time when serious questions were being raised against him regarding business relations and investments. Which had also started affecting the credibility of the government. In fact, the Balen Shah led government was already under pressure and now the resignation of another minister has deepened the political crisis. The special thing is that this is the second big resignation, due to which questions are being raised on the transparency and accountability of the government.
What was the whole controversy?
Home Minister Sudan Gurung was accused of having business relations with a businessman who is being investigated on money laundering charges. After his name surfaced in this case, both the opposition and the public started raising questions. However, Sudan Gurung had earlier termed these allegations as rumors and said that allegations and truth are not the same. Decisions should not be based on emotions, but based on evidence. But amidst increasing pressure he finally had to step down.
Why did Sudan Gurung resign?
While resigning, Gurung wrote on social media that ‘to ensure a fair investigation of the cases related to me and to avoid any kind of conflict of interest or influence on the investigation process while in office, I have resigned from the post of Home Minister with effect from today.’ He made it clear that he has taken this decision out of moral responsibility. ‘For me, morality is greater than position, and there is no greater power than public trust.’ Sudan Gurung also said that the Gen Z movement going on in the country is giving a clear message that people in power have to be accountable and transparent.
Did the ‘Gen Z movement’ also exert pressure?
In his statement, the Home Minister specifically mentioned the ‘Gen Z Movement’ going on in the country. He said that the young generation is now demanding clean politics and accountability. He said that ‘today’s ‘Gen Z’ movement, which is demanding good governance, transparency and accountability, gives the same message that public life should be clean and leadership should be accountable. This statement clearly shows that not only political pressure but also the influence of social and public sentiments was behind this resignation.
Has such action been taken in the government before also?
This is not the first case. Earlier on April 9, Deepak Kumar Sah was also removed from the post of minister. He was accused of misusing his position to keep his wife Junu Shrestha in the Health Insurance Board. This action was taken on the recommendation of Ravi Lamichhane, which clearly shows that even within the government, tough decisions are being taken regarding discipline and credibility.
Is the crisis increasing for the government?
Questions are being raised on Balen Shah’s government due to the removal or resignation of two consecutive ministers. The opposition is calling it a failure of the government, while supporters say that it is an example of transparency and accountability. Now the biggest question is whether these incidents will affect the stability of the government or will it prove to be a strong step towards clean politics.
Comments are closed.