Nepali Congress demands independent investigation into the Dewanganj-Kaptanganj incident

KATHMANDU:- The main opposition party, Nepali Congress, has accused the current government of failing on all fronts regarding good governance, transparency, and accountability. Spokesperson Devraj Chalise made the party’s official stance on the government’s shortcomings public during a press conference held at the party’s central office on Tuesday.

According to the press note distributed at the press conference, the Congress maintains that the state lost its restraint and resorted to repression during the tense situation in Dewanganj-Kaptanganj, Sunsari. Expressing skepticism that the government-formed inquiry committee would merely cover up its own shortcomings, the Congress has demanded the formation of an independent, impartial, and high-level judicial commission.

Similarly, a demand has been made for the formation of a universally acceptable high-level commission to investigate the events of Bhadra 23 and 24, citing the government’s silence regarding the National Human Rights Commission’s report and the impossibility of conducting an impartial investigation under the leadership of the accused individuals. The Congress has also alleged a lack of transparency in the passport procurement process, attempts to sideline the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), and an unconstitutional effort—through the recently passed House of Representatives regulations—to place lawmakers above the law.

According to the Congress, the state apparatus is being misused to instill fear and intimidation among the opposition and critics. The party has also cited the government’s administrative incompetence regarding several issues: undermining the economic climate through unsubstantiated raids on the private sector; failing to supply fertilizers to farmers during the planting season; inability to manage the shortage of LPG gas; and unleashing “bulldozer terror” instead of seeking a permanent solution to the problem of landless squatters.

Spokesperson Devraj Chalise stated that the government has demonstrated a lack of maturity in conducting the country’s foreign policy, violated diplomatic decorum, and acted irresponsibly by failing to implement agreements reached with various organizations and communities. The Congress has urged the government to move beyond slogans and assurances and to work with complete transparency and accountability.