Row between NHRC officials exacerbates

KATHMANDU, SEP 16 –
The blame game between two National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) commissioners and officials has reached saturation point.
To counter the accusation of irregularity in the country’s leading rights body made by commissioners Lila Pathak and KB Rokaya against a few officials, the latter organising a press meet on Thursday charged that the commissioners misused their authority.
NHRC Secretary Bishal Khanal said the commissioners were trying to tarnish the dignity and image of the autonomous rights watchdog by making baseless accusation.
“Pathak and Rokaya, going beyond the NHRC code of conduct, are solely motivated in creating illusion among the general public,” said Khanal.
In the four-page press release, the officials lavelled several charges against the duo under 19 points. The accusation, among others, includes abusing the authority while appointing their personal secretaries, using office devices for personal benefits and misusing the treatment fund. “Though they are absent in every official meeting for the last 10 months, they have been drawing the full salary, allowance and other facilities, which is against the clause 2.3 and 3.5 of the NHRC code of conduct 2003,” said NHRC director Subarna Karmacharya.
However, Pathak and Rokaya said nobody other than the president and members of the parliament has the authority to raise question against them. “The accusation is a conspiracy to hide the irregularity,” Rokaya said.
“NHRC officials do not have right to accuse us, organise a press meet without the decision of the commission and use the official letter pad,” Pathak said.
Source: The Kathmandu Post – 17.09.2010