CPN (Maoist Centre) lawmaker Devendra Paudel has demanded the government’s official stance on the recently leaked audio allegedly involving Federal Affairs and General Administration Minister Rajkumar Gupta.
Speaking during Monday’s session of the House of Representatives, Paudel recalled a similar controversy involving former Minister for Communication Gokul Baskota. Baskota had resigned after an audio clip related to a corruption deal surfaced during KP Sharma Oli’s tenure as Prime Minister.
“Where is Zero Tolerance for Corruption?”
Referring to the leaked audio involving Gupta and allegations of bribery, Paudel said,
“Back when KP Oli was Prime Minister, Gokul Baskota resigned after such audio was made public. Now, we hear similar things again. The government must respond.”
He questioned the credibility of the government’s anti-corruption stance and asked:
“Where is the zero tolerance? Where is the commitment to fighting corruption? Where are the ethics, values, and integrity of democracy?”
Calls for Action and Anti-Corruption Plan
Paudel criticized the tendency of public officials acting with impunity and said the government should present a clear plan to tackle corruption.
“This culture of doing whatever one pleases must stop,” he said. “The government must provide an answer regarding Minister Gupta’s leaked audio and introduce a concrete anti-corruption strategy.”
