M A I N   N E W S

4 ex-ministers held in Nepal

Kathmandu, February 5
Continuing its crackdown on political activities, Nepal’s new Royal government has arrested four ministers of the ousted Deuba cabinet and has decided to set up a commission to probe corruption cases against politicians and others.

Those arrested include former Works and Physical Planning Minister Prakash Man Singh, Agriculture Minister Homnath Dahal, Education Minister Bimalendra Nidhi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Prakash Mahat and spokesman of Nepali Congress (Democratic) Minendra Rijal.

The central members of Deuba’s Nepali Congress (Democratic) party were arrested yesterday while they were holding a meeting at the party office in Maharajgunj area of the capital, party sources said.

The first meeting of the new council of ministers chaired by King Gyanendra, who assumed all executive powers after dismissing the Deuba government, decided to form a Royal Commission within 15 days to probe corruption cases, state-run Radio Nepal reported today.

The meeting decided to take action against those who amassed huge property by evading tax and smuggling. It also decided to empower the commission to investigate abuse of authority.

Besides making public its 21-point programme which includes administrative reform plans and ways to penalize corrupt politicians, King Gyanendra’s government decided to form a land bank within 15 days to distribute land to landless people.

The government also decided to provide educational scholarship to the Dalits, backward and physically challenged students.

Leaders of various political parties, including Nepali Congress (NC) President Girija Prasad Koirala appealed to all democratic forces to join hands and unitedly oppose the “unconstitutional” steps taken by the King and fight to restore the sovereignty of the people to protect the 1990 democratic constitution.

Despite the bandh called by the Maoists, vehicles operated and shops opened in Kathmandu today, the third day of the strike.

Telephone services, cut off after the royal takeover, resumed for about two hours yesterday afternoon and an hour at night for the first time but again it was disrupted.

All Internet Service Provider offices have been closed and security forces have been deployed there. — PTI