Nepal will host IIFA Awards only if it serves national interest: PM Oli
KATHMANDU, July 5: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has clarified that Nepal will host the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Award only if it benefits the country and support Visit Nepal 2020 program.
“The IIFA Awards will be allowed to take place in Nepal if the circumstances are favorable to the national interest,” said PM Oli during a program organized at Nepal Communist Party’s central office in Dhumbarahi to welcome the new comers to the party on Friday.
“Any even which would incur loss to the country rather than benefiting it financially will not be approved,” he asserted.
According to him, the Council of Ministers, in their decision, had clearly mentioned that permission to host the Indian award ceremony in Nepal would be only issued on a condition ensuring low investment and high returns.
After the parliamentary committee for International Relations on Tuesday directed the government not to host the 20th edition of the three-day event concluding that the amount to be provided to the IIFA organizers, which was reported to be more than 1 billion NRS, was unexpectedly high and inappropriate and the ceremony in Nepal was a threat to national sovereignty, prestige and independence.
PM Oli claimed that the reports that the government was going to spend billions of rupees to host the awards ceremony were false.
“The government has not decided anything on it yet,” he clarified.
Stating that Nepal is planning to bring 2 million tourists in 2020, he added, “False rumors were spread to prevent the IIFA event from taking place in Nepal.”
“Conspiracies are being hatched by anti-development forces to disrupt the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign.”
PM Oli also lambasted the parliamentary committee for making the decision to this effect running after rumors.
UNIFICATION TO BE CONCLUDED BY MID-JULY
PM Oli, also the chair of the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), said that the reaming tasks of the party unification process would be concluded soon as it was delayed due to the merger of different two currents and ideologues.
He also committed that the unification bid would be completed by mid-July at any cost.
Chair Oli invited other communist parties and socialist party to come in merger process, comparing NCP with a big ocean where any kinds of rivers and streams could merge.
Then Naya Shakti party leaders Kalpana Dhamala (former minister), Devendra Parajuli and Manu Humagain among others had joined the NCP.