KATHMANDU- Nepal Communist Party (NCP) Leader Dr. Bhim Rawal has stated that he has not changed his stand on Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)’s grant to Nepal.
Writing a tweet on Monday, the NCP Leader, who is also a standing committee member, demanded the party’s endorsement of a report on MCC recently submitted by the NCP task force.
Rawal is one among many vocal critics of the $500 million grant being provided by the US under the MCC Compact. The opposition within the main ruling party has dragged the MCC Compact into controversy.
“News reports that Bhim Rawal supports the MCC’s endorsement are wrong and ill-intentioned. My view on the NCP task force’s report was that the MCC agreement can be approved only after the revision and amendment of provisions that are against the interest and laws of Nepal,” he stated in a tweet on Monday.
Also the former Deputy Prime Minister and current Home Minister, Rawal stated that there cannot be any compromise on an issue that is related to Nepal’s dignity. “I stand by that position. The report also states the same. I humbly request all to not distort such facts. There cannot be any compromise with anyone on Nepal’s sovereignty, independence, integrity and dignity. It cannot be accepted if anyone does that,” he wrote in his tweet.
What is included in the NCP task force report?
The agreement signed between the Nepal government and the United States in 2017 for the MCC Compact is still awaiting the parliament’s approval. Amidst protests from some NCP leaders against the MCC Compact, the main ruling party’s second central committee meeting had formed a three-member task force to include suggestions and provide the party with recommendations on whether the MCC agreement should be approved.
The task force led by the party’s senior leader Jhala Nath Khanal, also includes Rawal and standing committee member Pradeep Kumar Gyawali.
The task force has already submitted its report to the party, in which it has reportedly recommended the party to make necessary amendments on ‘certain controversial’ provisions before endorsing the MCC Compact Agreement.
If possible, the two sides should aim for a supplement agreement to clarify and amend some of the provisions in the MCC Compact, according to a recommendation made by the task force in its report.
