RPP slams visa probe panel as political cover-up

KATHMANDU: The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) has strongly objected to the government-formed investigation committee tasked with probing the visit visa scandal, calling it a political cover-up to protect former Home Ministers allegedly involved in the case.

Speaking at Tuesday’s session of the House of Representatives, RPP Chief Whip Gyan Bahadur Shahi slammed the government’s approach, stating that the committee lacks legitimacy and is designed to shield those who should actually be under investigation. “In the past 18 years, there have been 14 Home Ministers. All of them must be brought under the investigation net,” he demanded.

Shahi criticized the government for appointing officials close to those under suspicion, comparing it to “making the cat a witness for spilled milk.” He warned that such a biased approach would never establish the rule of law. “How can justice prevail when the accused are allowed to select the investigators?” he questioned.

He further claimed that the probe committee is part of a new propaganda campaign intended to protect high-profile political figures rather than uncover the truth. “This is a deliberate effort to give immunity to those involved in human trafficking under the guise of visit visas,” Shahi said.

Labeling the incident as a case of human trafficking, Shahi urged lawmakers not to let the issue die down based on numbers or political influence. “This is about people being sold. We cannot let this issue be buried for political convenience,” he warned.

Shahi concluded by declaring that RPP will launch a unified protest both on the streets and in Parliament to oppose the committee and demand genuine accountability.