KATHMANDU, Feb 27: It has been revealed that Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayankaji Shrestha played a role in allowing a group of microfinance victims to enter the parliament building in New Baneshwar.
When the security personnel tried to tighten security, it was revealed that Home Minister Shrestha stopped the security personnel. After the removal of 32 security personnel including an inspector responsible for security from the Parliament building located in New Baneshwar, the Home Ministry summoned the security chiefs for an emergency meeting on Monday evening. During the meeting, Inspector General of Nepal Police, (IGP) Basanta Kunwar, refrained from naming individuals but indicated that orders had come from higher authorities within the Home Ministry to allow the microfinance victims to move about, suggesting that the incident was orchestrated.
Quoting IGP Kunwar, a source said, "The weakness in security agencies is orchestrated by political factions. Members of Parliament have been seen escorting them (the microfinance victim) inside. Orders have been issued from our higher level not to control them. Now, it's unclear whose fault this security lapse is - whether it's the fault of the security agencies or the political factions pushing them to this limit. There is no place to escape by blaming the police for this level of weakness." In response to the question posed by the Home Minister about how protesters managed to enter the Parliament building, IGP Kumar answered that such an incident was attributed to political maneuvering.
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When Nepal Police kept saying that they would not allow the microfinance victims to go out to protest from Sifal Ground, Home Minister Shrestha ordered that they should be allowed to move freely. The home minister called an emergency meeting of the heads of the security agencies after the microfinance victims entered the parliament building and protested.
In the meeting, the Home Minister faced unanticipated criticism. Home Secretary Dinesh Bhattarai, Chief of Nepal Police (IGP) Basant Bahadur Kunwar, Chief of Armed Police Force Raju Aryal, Chief of National Investigation Department Hutraj Thapa, Chief District Officer of Kathmandu Jitendra Basnet participated in the meeting. Additionally, the meeting also included officials such as Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, Chief of the Peace and Security Division of the Ministry. According to an officer who participated in the meeting, after Minister Shrestha inquired about the incident at the Parliament building on Monday, IGP Kunwar expressed his belief that security personnel should not be used to intimidate under the guise of political maneuvering.
"All security arrangements outside are fine. However, it is condemnable how Members of Parliament escorted the microfinance victim by thrusting security personnel inside the Parliament building. Such actions are unacceptable, especially from the ruling party MPs. They need to be held accountable first," remarked IGP Kunwar, as reported by the source. "This is the first time such a presentation has been made to the Home Ministry's internal meeting," the source added. According to the source, it was the first time the IGP had answered questions from the Home Minister.
According to the police, when the security personnel were stationed outside, the MPs brought the microfinance victims inside as their own people and made them stage a demonstration. The police had kept 49 individuals seeking to protest outside the Parliament building under control in the Baneshwor area. However, when MPs brought individuals inside, the security personnel stationed outside could not take the situation under control. There is a dedicated unit solely responsible for the security of the parliament building. The microfinance victims had peacefully gathered. Although they had been protesting in Kathmandu for several days, no specific program was planned for the day.
According to security sources, although the protest program was not finalized, the police had been providing security. However, after directives from the level of the Home Minister not to hinder their demonstration, the police had reduced the security provided at Sifal.
“The parliamentarians of the ruling parties were trying to strategically take them inside and hold demonstrations, with their help, those microfinance victims gathered in Baneshwar in the pretext of buying goods took advantage of the weakness of internal security,” said a police officer of the Kathmandu District Police Range.
According to the police, there was an order to control Durga Prasai's protest, and accordingly, the police conducted an investigation, brought it under control, and as the high-level authorities refrained from arresting those who were protesting in the name of microfinance victims, and let them move freely, such an accident occurred.
