I Was Punished For Decisions I Had Taken During My Career As Minister?
‑ Govinda Raj Joshi
Joint-general secretary of Nepali Congress GOVINDA RAJ JOSHI has had a long innings in politics and his political career remains full of ups and downs. Joshi, an influential leader inside the Congress, faced humiliating days following the arrest by the Commission of Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). Joshi - who is still facing the charges of corruption in the special court ? is again at the center stage of Congress politics. Despite many competitors in the leadership, Joshi ? one of the supporters of B.P. Koirala - is emerging as a strong personality among the second-generation leaders. This, he says, is the reason his political opponents accuse him of corruption. But he also has many admirers in the party. With the imposition of state of emergency and detention of all the political leaders in the aftermath of February 1, Joshi single-handedly took major political decision to launch the agitation. Joshi ? a former school headmaster and a lawyer - is also known as a good organizer and mobilizer. He spoke to KESHAB POUDEL at his residence on various political and other issues including forthcoming general convention of Nepali Congress. Excerpts:
You have faced politically humiliating situations in your political carrier including that of your detention by CIAA on corruption charges. How do you look at it?
All these humiliations are the results of my efforts to protect and promote Nepal ?s interests. My experience is that it is very difficult to live as a Nepali. I was punished for decisions I had taken during my career as minister in various ministries. When I was a Minister for Education, I encouraged private sector participation in education paving way for quality education in the country. I institutionalized higher secondary education supporting private investors to come into medicine and engineering education. Thanks to the opening up of the quality education institutions in the country, Nepalese do not have to send their children to India and other countries. My efforts to open education to the private sector neither pleased vested interest groups in the country nor external elements. During my tenure as a home minister, I completely stopped the smuggling at the Tribhuwan International Airport . There was similar situation in the Ministry of Water Resources. Nobody could stop smuggling in the past and none can halt it in future. Whatever the portfolios I held during my career, my priority was to protect Nepal ?s interest. There are files of those decisions and anybody can read them. My only crime was that I always worked for the interest of the country.
If that is so, why was there such a nation wide condemnation and scandal in your party and outside?
Had I rejected the proposal to open medical colleges, private universities in the country to produce quality education, I would not have to face nation wide condemnation and scandals. If I had allowed import of the schoolbooks from outside the country, I would have earned many admirers. Saving Rs.160 million in Chilime (indigenous hydropower) project through open bidding seemed to be my crime and not allowing the spending of Rs. 20 million to prepare a bill on ground water irrigation project hurt the interest of certain group. I saved Rs.150 million in Bagmati Irrigation Project. These groups used CIAA against me. I had followed certain course in announcing the tenders. My decisions to regularize tender process provoked many contractors. Instead of receiving any thanks, I was punished for all the good works. Even the Public Accounts Committee summoned me to question why I awarded the contract work to a company for Rs.480 million and awarded to other company with Rs.330 million.
Why didn?t you try to explain your case?
As an individual politician, I cannot fight with these powerful internal vested interest groups and external elements as they have wide influence in all the sectors. It is very unfortunate to say that even my colleagues in the party and intellectuals affiliated to my party believed with the propaganda and scandals spread by these groups. These groups later even tried to drag our party leader Girija Prasad Koirala into the controversy. The propaganda against me was so powerful and influential I could not stand alone as an individual. Had I lost my proper sense, my political career would have been finished.
Your reported statement on Royal Nepalese Army on Dunai case was highly controversial. Your reported accusation against the RNA said to have widened the differences between security forces and your government. How do you look at it?
First of all, I did not blame anybody. I didn?t use any statement against any institution. I have clear conviction that we need army to protect the country. I just raised the queries that internal security should come under the Home Ministry. Many newspapers distorted my statement projecting me as a person hostile to particular institution. Of course, some of our then party colleagues held hostile attitude against army. Unfortunately, many politicians - who issued much more harsher words against such institutions ? are free and nobody has shown any guts to take action against them. Four important persons of that period who were in key positions including Home Secretary Padam Prasad Pokharel, Police Chief Achyut Krishna Kharel and Defense Secretary Chakra Bandhu Aryal and myself (Home Minister) were transferred the same day. We were transferred and removed by our own government and the CIAA detained all four of us on corruption charges the same day.
How come the CIAA filed cases against you?
Soon after my resignation from home ministry, a strong media lobby was directed against me. Even some of my colleagues ? who are now facing different charges - accused me. Following years of investigation, the CIAA did not find any irregularity in the decisions taken during my tenure and later CIAA filed a case on property accumulation. I did not buy any land or house in capital but I sold the land worth Rs.30 million in Tanahu. Those who owned the houses are now accusing me though I am living in a rented house. I made many vested interest people my enemies by not working as per their wish. Whether as a Water Resource Minister, Education Minister or Home Minister, I had performed my duty in accordance with the law safeguarding Nepal ?s interests.
What are your experiences of working as Home Minister?
Being a home minister was a very challenging work as you have to encounter various problems. When I asked all my staffs to work in accordance with the law, the problems erupted. Smugglers and other vested interest people started to fund moves to discredit me as soon as I took a decision to stop smuggling in the border areas including Tribhuwan International Airport . I sacked some senior police officers on their involvement in such scams. These vested interest people are so powerful that they can influence all the places.
Who are these vested interest people?
They are in all places. They are so influential that they can change your face and fate. These vested interest people can make you corrupt or honest. I don?t want to name them.
Every person accused of corruption charges will give similar argument as you have. How can you prove your arguments are correct?
There are files and documents in those ministries. You can go and see it. If I have done anything wrong as minister, I am ready to face any charge. Had the CIAA and others found my mistakes, they would have filed other cases against me.
How do you see the future of your party and democracy?
We have been passing through a very difficult period of time. All of us have made errors knowingly and unknowingly. In opposing me and our party leaders, some intellectuals and media houses supported the forces which were against democracy. As long as a person like Girijababu - who has a tall personality- is in leadership position, our party is safe. Whether one likes it or not, he is the only leader who understands the reality and importance of national reconciliation of B.P. Koirala. Our party does not have another strong and charismatic leader like Girijababu.
B.P. Koirala never aligned with extremist forces particularly communists but your leader Girija Prasad Koirala is leading the seven party alliance with five extremist parties on the front. Where is the spirit of B.P.?s national reconciliation?
Even B.P. Koirala had stressed that nationalism and democracy can go together and nationalism can help to strength the democratic process. Girijababu is now demanding the restoration of parliament to reactivate the democratic process. There might be differences on the style but the basic thrust of Girijababu is similar to that of B.P. Koirala. We all know that patriotism and democracy can go together. As B.P. Koirala said, patriotic monarchists and patriotic democrats share similar interests.
Some of your party leaders are saying that Nepali Congress has already lost its centrist image? Do you agree with that assertion?
Nepal Congress is still the centrist party and that is its identity. In the history of our party, we always stood for liberal democracy. Of course, we also launched armed struggle against the state but we came to centrist line. Our party?s aim is now to bring all the forces in a single platform for the revival of House of Representatives.
When would your agitation end?
If the House of Representatives were restored, we would have meeting points for negotiations and dialogues. The House represents all the forces - the King, the political parties and others.
How do you assess the performance of the democratic governments?
With the restoration of democracy in 1990, all the governments took many policy decisions. These policies brought enormous changes in the country. Whether it is in the economic liberalization, education, water resources or other sector, the democratic governments, despite certain shortcomings, have made enormous contribution. With the restoration of democracy in 1990, citizens also enjoyed enormous freedom. There were no fear and coercion. After October 2002, the situation has changed now and there is no guarantor for individual freedom. In the course of implementing the new policies, we confronted various conflicts. In the last 12 years, there was conspiracy to discredit political leaders. Thanks to the enormous freedom and free society, it is possible to write anything against us. The open society gives enormous opportunities to the citizens. Whenever something goes wrong, media started to criticize and civil society raised their voices and court intervened in the government decision. Finally, parliament scrutinized the decisions. The situation has changed now and no citizen can speak and write freely as before.
Why didn?t you counter the move?
I did not find time to counter publicity and conspiracy hatched by gold smugglers and other vested interest groups against me. There are certain newspapers that are still hostile to me as I did not accept their proposals.
Are you contesting forthcoming party?s elections?
As a committed party worker, I will contest the forthcoming party?s elections. I was elected member of present central working committee. Having a long association with Congress, I have many admirers and supporters in the party.
Some of your party colleagues accused that you manipulated the party?s organizational elections. How do you look at it?
It is again a false allegation against me. As a joint-secretary of the party, my role was to successfully hold the organization elections. I am able to do so. There is no question of favoritism. Unfortunately, there are tendencies in our party and outside to accuse me whenever anything goes wrong. Some newspapers and intellectuals even portrayed me as a villain of democracy criticizing my presence in the democratic movement.
http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/englishweekly/spotlight/2005/aug/aug05/interview.php
