Minister Jhakri insists on clear stand on MCC

CHITWAN: FEB. 23 – Minister for Urban Development Ram Kumari Jhankri has said the coalition members are not expected to exercise a double standard in regard with the US-aid project Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact.

Talking to the media here, the Minister who represents the CPN (Unified Socialist) in the coalition government was of the opinion that any party in the ruling alliance is not expected to have a double standard on the matter. “Either quit the government to take to the streets against the agreement or support it.

The stand should be clear. Staying in the government and joining the street protest against it simultaneously is contradictory.”

She urged the party district committees to submit their views on the MCC, adding that the party would be back on the compact if it finds it inappropriate for the country.

She went on to say that she was ethnically not free to oppose the government’s move being its member, underlining the need for possible consequences that may surface as a result of accepting or rejecting the MCC.

Stating that the party secretariat has decided not to endorse the document as it is, she highlighted the need of further discussions on the issue.

As she claimed, the erstwhile government led by KP Sharma Oli was interested in tabling the agreement in the parliament, the party’s silence at the moment had created some discomfort.