Make alternative security plan for retired officials: House panel
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KATHMANDU, DEC 11 - The State Affairs Committee of the parliament on Monday instructed the government to make an alternative arrangement immediately for providing security to former prime ministers and other VVIPs who have assumed important state responsibilities in the past.
The decision comes in the wake of the Supreme Court's decision to block all facilities, including vehicles and security personnel, provided by the government to former prime ministers, former ministers and members of the former royal family, among others. The apex court had directed the government not to provide such facilities based on a Cabinet decision but to formulate law and provide necessary services to the VVIPs on its basis.
While former prime ministers and home ministers are returning the government-owned assets, the House committee invited Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar to discuss the issue and the way forward. The committee also discussed potential security threat created by the withdrawal of security from VVIP's.
The committee, during its two-hour meeting, besides stressing the need for a clear security policy, concluded that the Supreme Court had ordered the government to end irregularities over the distribution of state facilities to former prime ministers and other retired officials. Chief Legal Advisor of the Parliament Secretariat Tek Prasad Dhungana briefed the lawmakers that the court had also addressed the security sensitivity of the VVIPs in its verdict last week.
“The court has clearly stated that it is the responsibility of the Home Ministry and the security agency concerned to make an arrangement on the type of security to be offered to former prime ministers, top retired officials and the general public,” said Dhungana. “It has expressed concern over the misuse of facilities even after the demise of former prime ministers and in the name of former royalty and asked the government to stop it.”
Referring to the court's verdict, the committee directed the home minister to immediately take a call on the type of security to be provided to the imminent personalities in accordance with the government's security policy.
During the meeting, Committee Chairman Ram Nath Dhakal stressed that the security situation cannot be improved by mere lip service and stressed the need of implementing the commitment.
Posted on: 2011-12-11 11:31
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