Controversy: Silwal says journalists did not understand English

KATHMANDU: Ranjit Rae, former Indian Ambassador to Nepal, on page 18 of his book ‘Kathmandu Dilemma Resettling India Nepal Ties’, wrote that four of the aspirants of the inspector general (IG) of Nepal Police separately called on him at India House. 

Rae also stated that he had not invited any one of them. “Each of the four candidates visited me at India House conveying their keenness to strengthen cooperation with their Indian counterparts,” he further wrote. 

Two of those four who ‘visited’ [as claimed in the book] Rae hold important government positions. One of them is Nawaraj Silwal, who is now serving as a member of the House of Representatives (HoR) representing the main opposition CPN-UML. The other is Jaya Bahadur Chand, a commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).  Two other aspirants were Prakash Aryal and Bam Bahadur Bhandari. 

On the same page, Rae wrote that the then-home minister (Late Madhav Ghimire) asked him for his views about the candidates. “I conveyed to the home minister my opinion that it would be appropriate to follow the criteria of seniority and merit.”

Journalists did not understand English: Nawaraj Silwal 

When asked whether the things written by Rae were true, Nawaraj Silwal said that he had never visited the Indian Embassy in this regard. He argued that the journalists failed to understand the theme of the language. “It does not mean that the police approached him [ambassador]. Home minister, instead, approached.” 

However, Rae on the same page said that the party chair’s candidate [Jaya Bahadur Chand] was appointed IGP, but the appointment was quashed by the Supreme Court. The home minister’s candidate subsequently quit and joined the CPN-UML and became a member of parliament. Which clearly refers to Silwal. 

Silwal, however, said that he had never visited Rae. “I had never acted against the prestige of my uniform.” He also argued that he was elected as the lawmaker due to his ‘clean image’.