Kathmandu: CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli has demanded the formation of a parliamentary committee to investigate the involvement of an unauthorized person to alter taxes provisions in the budget speech just before it was presented before the Parliament.
Addressing the meeting of the House of Representatives on Monday, Oli demanded that CCTV footage should be made public while the Finance Ministry has claimed that the footage has been overwritten.
“Let’s form a parliamentary probe committee to investigate the issue. Altering taxes provisions in the budget by involving an unauthorized person is unimaginable,” said Oli. “What could you expect more than this drama to collapse the country’s economy?” Oli alleged that the tax rates were altered to please certain business groups.
“The prime minister should pledge to look into the matter. He cannot keep mute while believing that his ministers and government can do anything,” he added.
The main opposition party has been demanding to investigate against the Finance Minister by forming a parliamentary probe committee.
There have been calls for the resignation of Finance Minister Janardan Sharma after it was revealed that he had allowed a former government official—of a non-gazetted first-class level—to alter provisions in certain areas with the aim to ensure benefits to certain private sector businesses and business elites on the midnight of May 28, few hours before the budget was presented by the minister in parliament on May 29.
The current allegation is probably a third in the series of misconduct that the Finance Minister from the Maoist Center has committed since he took office. He is found to have committed the misconduct to undermine the financial system for the sake of enriching the business cliques of his favor.
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