National11 (Spotlight Weekly)

Action Appeal

Green Nepal Party kicks off its campaign against corruption by handing over a memorandum to the CIAA

By A CORRESPONDENT

Although the government has dissolved the House of Representatives and scheduled fresh elections on November 13, political parties are yet to get into election mood.

GNP leaders handing memo to CIAA : Demanding action

At a time when even bigger political parties are not showing much enthusiasm with the prospects of facing the voters' wrath, smaller ones like Green Nepal Party (GNP) are asserting themselves. According to figures by the Election Commission, there are less than ten big national parties whereas the number of small political parties crosses 100.

The GNP, which has made anti-corruption drive its focal point of politics, recently handed over a memorandum to the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) asking it to take prompt and strict action against corrupt persons.

"The Green Nepal Party has always launched strong campaign against corruption ever since it came into being. Corruption has destabilized multiparty democracy restored in 1990 and now the voices against corruption are being raised nationally as well as internationally," stated the memo.

The party states that parliament had enacted Corruption Control Act 2058 and Abuse of Authority Control Act (Second Amendment) 2058. And under wide public pressure the government even formed a judicial commission to probe properties. The GNP has stated that the role and responsibility of† the CIAA is pivotal in controlling corruption and enforcing such legislation and therefore it has asked the CIAA to effectively expedite its duties.

In its memo addressed to Surya Nath Upadhyaya, chief commissioner at the CIAA, the GNP has said that the main factor responsible for tarnishing the image of multiparty democracy is the rampant and unbridled growth of corruption. "Nepalese people expect the CIAA will carry out its constitutional duties and punish corrupt persons named in various reports prepared by various probe commissions set up in recent years."

Meanwhile, the GNP recently observed its sixth anniversary where party leaders revealed they would take part in the forthcoming elections. It has also demanded that to ensure free and fair elections and to bring down the costs of elections, a small and efficient all party election government should be set up.

Responding to the declaration of election, the party said none of the Nepalese shed tears over it except those party leaders who fear to approach their voters, as they were unable to fulfill any aspirations of the people.