President Paudel: Corruption is a Grave Challenge to State Legitimacy and Social Justice

Kathmandu. President Ramchandra Paudel stated that abuse of authority is not a minor error but a grave challenge to the legitimacy of the state and social justice. He further emphasized the continuing need for the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) to work in a manner that assures the general public that no one, regardless of power or position, is exempt from legal accountability.

He expressed this view while addressing a program organized in Kathmandu on Wednesday on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the CIAA.

President Paudel stated that the abuse of authority is not merely a violation of the law but also a profound assault on the faith, trust, and future dreams of the citizens. “The abuse of authority is not just a violation of the law; it is also a profound assault on the faith, trust, and future dreams of the citizens. It goes far beyond economic damage or moral deviation, wounding the bridge of trust between the state and the citizens,” he said. “When public power is used for personal gain, not only is the trust the state has placed in its citizens broken, but the trust citizens place in the state also weakens. This breeds disillusionment with the governance system, weakens faith in the law, and damages the fundamental values of democracy.”

He stated his belief that the unnecessary obsession with acquiring power, authority, and wealth leads people toward corruption by misusing processes, methods, and systems, but if one vows through habit, behavior, conduct, and practice, 'I will not be corrupt and will not allow it to happen,' then the temptation for power, authority, and wealth can be controlled in any way, and corruption can be eradicated from the roots.

“If we can move forward by adopting integrity, morality, impartiality, transparency, and fearlessness as a way of life, this is quickly achievable. For this, I desire that efforts for reform in policy, methodology, technology, and tendencies be made effective, leading to the development of a system of discipline and integrity,” said President Paudel.

Stating that strengthening democracy, economic development, good governance, social justice, and prosperity are our desires, he said that the fruits of democracy cannot reach the doorsteps of the people without good governance and transparency. “The primary and essential condition for achieving the development and prosperity expected by the people is the end of the abuse of authority and the control of corruption. To materialize the concept of good governance, social justice, and prosperity expected by democracy, all forms of corruption must be brought under the scope of investigation,” President Paudel said.

Stating that the country's prosperity through easy and simple service delivery to the people and good governance is the ultimate goal of the Constitution and the Democratic Republic, President Paudel urged everyone not to forget that the voice is raised from time to time to focus all attention on fulfilling this very objective set by the Constitution and the system, and that the younger generation has recently expressed the same desire through struggle.

He stated that the fight against corruption is not the responsibility of just one institution but will only succeed through the joint commitment of all organs of the state, political leadership, the bureaucracy, and civil society, saying, “The struggle against the abuse of authority is ultimately a struggle to stand in favor of justice, equality, and good governance. Only through this struggle can we re-establish the trust of the citizens, strengthen democracy, and transfer a clean, capable, and trustworthy state to future generations, in which I believe.”

He mentioned that firm political commitment is the first condition for controlling corruption and stated that he believes that positive changes in the work culture of political office-bearers also guide the administrative sector.