Minister Bhandari’s Secretariat Denies Allegations of Collecting Money for Development Plans
Dhangadhi: The secretariat of Sudurpaschim Province Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperatives Daman Bahadur Bhandari has denied allegations that money was collected from locals on the pretext of implementing various development plans.
In a press release issued Thursday, the minister’s secretariat said it had taken serious note of social media content alleging that employees of the ministry and ministerial secretariat had engaged in financial transactions with various individuals.
In a statement issued by Chief Personal Secretary Ishwor Bahadur Dhakal, the secretariat clarified that no employee of the ministry or secretariat is involved in illegal or unethical financial transactions.
Earlier, CPN-UML cadre Mohan Bohara of Bajhang had alleged through social media that the minister’s secretariat collected money from locals on the pretext of implementing development plans.
Bohara had repeatedly urged the money to be returned through social media posts and warned that the names of those who gave and received the money would be made public if it was not returned.
Minister Bhandari was also accused of changing working procedures to direct the agriculture and livestock sector budget toward private firms and collecting money from local levels in the name of development plans.
However, Bhandari clarified that he had not collected money from anyone by claiming that he or his secretariat would get a plan implemented. He said action would be taken if any person from the secretariat is proven to have done so.
The secretariat described the allegations circulated on social media as misleading, unfounded and fabricated, and urged the general public, media personnel and stakeholders not to follow baseless propaganda.
The statement said the secretariat remains fully committed to good governance, transparency and a zero-tolerance policy, and appealed to the public to remain vigilant against false propaganda aimed at tarnishing the ministry’s image.
Dineshkhabar Desk