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| Kathmandu Thursday March 21, 2002 Chaitra 08, 2058. |
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Negative ethos
The allegation that Gajendra Wagle - who is
close to a bigwig in the Deuba faction of the ruling party - has been misusing government
vehicles does not come as any surprise. Such incidents are so rampant — especially
among the ruling party politicians — that the government hardly takes them seriously
any more. All political activists - be they of the UML or NC - have abused their political
clout. But what surprises many in the case of Gajendra Wagle is how he could misuse a
government vehicle with the full knowledge of the Minister for Physical Planning and
Works. Gajendra Wagle happens to be a close relative of Minister of Physical Planning and
Works Chiranjibi Wagle. Obviously, Gajendra Wagle misused the vehicle with Chiranjibi
Wagle’s connivance. Now, the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority
(CIAA) has decided to investigate the incident. Nevertheless, going by past experience, it
won’t be that easy to initiate action against Gajendra Wagle even if the CIAA comes
up with adequate evidence of wrongdoing.
Gajendra Wagle took a vehicle that belongs to
the National Construction Company Limited which is under the Ministry of Physical Planning
and Works. In addition, Gajendra Wagle used fuel from the construction company and billed
the maintenance cost in the company’s name. This is how a close relative of
Chiranjibi Wagle has been misusing government property. Similarly, former minister of
state Govinda Bahadur Shah continues to use a government vehicle. Earlier, Nona Koirala
had taken a government vehicle, which was attacked by a Maoist student wing, to Janakpur.
Like Wagle, Koirala and Shah, there are three dozen parliamentarians, political party
cadres, judges and bureaucrats who have been misusing government vehicles for years. The
CIAA has not elaborated on what sort of action is going to be taken against Gajendra
Wagle. Nor has any incident of the CIAA taking action against persons misusing government
vehicles for years been cited. What the CIAA has done is interview Gajendra Wagle over the
allegation and suggest further investigation, which is expected procedure.
That the CIAA has been unable to press action
against persons misusing government vehicles is a known fact. Out of the dozens of such
cases investigated so far, not a single person has been brought to justice, despite
evidence of gross misconduct. How can the CIAA initiate any action against Nona Koirala or
Chiranjibi Wagle when they happen to be those who can promote or demote CIAA officials?
The law of this land appears to be too ineffective, looking at the way it functions. Any
allegation either of corruption or misuse of government vehicles becomes mere talk among
the political leaders. Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala has in the past
de-fanged the CIAA when it scented a trail of corruption leading to his door. Similarly,
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba too misused government vehicles when he was out of
power. It has become completely meaningless to write about corruption or misuse of state
properties in this country. Indifference and callousness towards such misconduct has
become like part of the national ethos. |
