Oli govt spent one year talking big, working less: Dr Mahat

KATHMANDU, Feb 15: Dr Prakash Saran Mahat, leader of main opposition party Nepali Congress has criticized the Oli-led government for talking big and working less.

Prime Minister and Nepali Communist Party Chair K P Sharma Oli is celebrating his one-year at office today. He during a televised address on Thursday claimed that the government remained largely successful dubbing the one-year period as “foundation year”.  He argued that the years ahead would see the years of achievements.

However the Oli-government has been widely criticized by the opposition NC and other political parties for failing to bring economic development, prosperity, control corruption, misrule and inconsistent economic and foreign policies.

“The government has boasted its one year period as successful. Actually, they are successful in big talks but has worked too little,” said Dr Mahat speaking at an interaction program organized by the Reporters’ Club Nepal on Friday.

“Their slogan ‘Prosperous Nepal: Happy Nepali’ is good. But No nepali people are happy with the incumbent government’s activities, neither the country has gained development and prosperity,” he added.

“The government has failed to control price hike and reduce trade deficit. The foreign direct investment is sliding not domestic investments are increasing. The interest rate at banks is high and the government’s inconsistent economic policy has created mess in NEPSE.”

“People are not getting rich. But the ruling party leaders have definitely generated big money,” he fumed.

He also slammed the government for failing to check corruption.

“Oli government declared zero tolerance to corruption. But he has not been able to take actions action against the individuals accused in the misappropriations of Rs 4.35 billion in procurement of two wide-body aircraft,” he said.

“Budi Gandai Hydroelectricity project should have been built in domestic investment. But the government awarded it to Chinese company, Gezhouba, whose credibility is already in question.”

Dr Mahat also said that the government is unsuccessful in its foreign policy. “Why should the government have to criticize the United States (US) move to recognize the Juan Guaidó as the leader of the country? Nepal has a positive diplomatic relation with the US. But the NCP press statement has done nothing but worsen the bilateral relation with the US.”

“Why did the prime minister direct the withdrawal from the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) level military exercise?”

He also criticized the government scheme to provide unemployment allowance.

“In fact, the unemployment scheme has been brought not for the people but for the party cadres. It is in fact a cadre allowance scheme,” he said.

He also slammed government for bringing law to curtail freedom of expression by introducing harsh punishment for posting “improper” contents on social networking sites