KATHMANDU: Amid growing controversy over the visit visa scandal, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has urged for an environment to allow him to address the Parliament and respond to allegations made against him.
Speaking at a meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee on Wednesday, Minister Lekhak requested that he be granted the opportunity to speak in the House regarding the visit visa issue.
“If the concerns were limited to just the members of this committee, I would have responded here,” Lekhak said, referring to inquiries raised by lawmakers during the meeting. “But since there are wider concerns, I respectfully request to be allowed to speak in the full House.”
He assured the committee that he is prepared to address all questions raised and defend himself against the accusations brought forward by opposition parties.
The controversy erupted after the chief of the Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport, Tirtharaj Bhattarai, was arrested by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on suspicion of being involved in illegal visit visa dealings.
Following the arrest, Minister Lekhak has come under political pressure, with opposition parties demanding his resignation and obstructing parliamentary proceedings over the issue.
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