KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) Member of Parliament (MP) Ramhari Khatiwada has strongly objected to the growing practice of appointing advisors in both federal and provincial governments, claiming many of them serve as middlemen rather than providing genuine guidance.
Speaking during a meeting of the House of Representatives on Thursday, Khatiwada criticized the trend of appointing unofficial advisors who lack constitutional recognition but wield influence through backdoor connections.
He pointed out that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has made arrangements for the appointment of a total of 91 advisors, including 45 secretariat members and an expert group of 46 individuals. “These appointments are excessive and lack proper accountability,” he said.
Khatiwada claimed that there are now around 460 advisors appointed across provincial governments and even in the office of the President.
He further criticized the controversial appointment of Captain Indrajit Rai—an ex-Indian Army officer and former advisor to then-Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa—accusing him of involvement in the Bhutanese refugee scam.
“The same Captain Indrajit Rai, who was once appointed as an advisor by the Defense Minister, later surfaced at the Home Ministry and is believed to have planted the seeds of the refugee scandal,” Khatiwada alleged.
He also raised concerns about PM Oli’s current advisors, singling out Agni Kharel, who was appointed as an advisor on human rights and transitional justice.
Khatiwada said Kharel “seems to be wandering around government corridors without any clear role.”
“Are these advisors actually offering sound advice, or are they simply operating as middlemen?” he asked.
“The Prime Minister’s actual advisor is the Council of Ministers itself. The Foreign Minister handles foreign affairs. Yet we have political advisors, legal advisors, environmental advisors, economic advisors, chief advisors—and billions are being spent on them.”
Khatiwada added that many advisors are at the level of ministers or state ministers, while some are former ministers who found no other position and were accommodated as advisors.
“This trend has become problematic. Appointing individuals with no legal status, known only through personal connections, goes against constitutional norms,” he warned.
He urged the government to ensure that advisors and Personal Security Officers (PSOs) are appointed in accordance with constitutional and legal provisions.
“Even rural municipality chairs are now hiring legal advisors, press advisors, photographers—and even ward chairs have started appointing advisors,” he added, calling the practice excessive and unsustainable.
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