Prime Minister Balen Shah Mocks Secretary's Ambassador Ambition

Kathmandu. Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah wrote a status on social media Facebook on Saturday night. Ministers, including ruling party MPs, have commented with 'jokes' on his status, which reads, 'I also want to be an ambassador, if you have the PM's number, please give it.'

Prime Minister Shah wrote that status to mock Secretary Dr. Krishna Hari Pushkar, who had sent him an SMS with the desire to become an ambassador last Thursday.

The SMS written by Secretary Dr. Pushkar to Prime Minister Shah stated:

'Honorable Prime Minister, Greetings. The tenure of a secretary of the Government of Nepal is for five years. Honorable Sir, looking at it this way, if you pay special attention to the post of Chief Secretary, otherwise there is no possibility for you. That is why my retirement is confirmed on the upcoming 24th of Asar. In the meantime, I saw the advertisement for the post of ambassador, Sir. In this regard, I humbly request your information, guidance, and necessary support. Obediently, Krishna Hari Pushkar, Secretary, Government of Nepal, Jaleshwor 4 Suga, Mahottari.'

Due to that message, Secretary Dr. Pushkar was taken into custody by the Valley Crime Investigation Office for 7 hours on Thursday itself, under the direction of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, and then released.

Prime Minister Shah wrote the status on Facebook to mock that very issue. Education and Sports Minister Sasmita Pokharel, who is also the spokesperson for the government, commented on his status, writing, 'Shall I message?'

Not only him, but also ruling party Rastriya Swatantra Party MPs Ranjhu Nyaupane, known as Ranjhu, and Tika Sangraula, known as Jwala Sangraula, have commented.

Darshana wrote in her comment, 'You can't be both PM and ambassador. Choose one first.'

Sangraula wrote in her comment, 'I have it but I won't give it.'

Not only them, but Victor Paudel, the owner of the Facebook page 'Rutin of Nepal Band', and film producer Ashif Shah have also made comments that seem like jokes. As of the preparation of this news, singer Durgesh Thapa, singer Rachana Rimal, and others have posted more than 17,700 comments on the status, and more than 1,500 people have shared the status.

This raises the question of how the morale of other employees will be affected when the chief executive of the country mocks an SMS sent personally by a secretary in a polite manner, turning it into a joke. A debate has also started on whether employees will now inform the Prime Minister and ministers about essential matters.

Former Chief Secretary Dr. Bimal Koirala says that both the act of Secretary Pushkar directly messaging the Prime Minister asking for an ambassadorship and the Prime Minister using the police to interrogate him based on that message are not appropriate.

'Directly messaging the Prime Minister and the Prime Minister using the police to interrogate the secretary based on the message are both not good,' former Chief Secretary Dr. Koirala told Ratopati. 'The secretary should not have messaged for personal work, and the Prime Minister should not have used the police.'

According to Dr. Koirala, taking the secretary to the police for messaging and the Prime Minister mocking him by writing a status on social media will lower employee morale and affect performance. 'Such activities of the executive leadership will definitely decline,' said Dr. Koirala.

Former Chairman of the Public Service Commission and former Secretary Umesh Mainali says that employees should not be discouraged by the leadership. He states that while employees must be disciplined, it is not appropriate to involve the police just because an employee has violated the normal chain of command.

'Employees must be disciplined. That is natural, but it is not right to involve the police just because an employee has violated the normal chain of command. Doing so seems too much,' Mainali told Ratopati. 'Such actions to discourage employees should not be taken by the leadership.'

Another former secretary, Sharada Prasad Trital, says that Secretary Pushkar's SMS to Prime Minister Shah was not very appropriate in terms of protocol. 'Using technology nowadays seems easy and appropriate,' Trital told Ratopati. 'But in terms of protocol, it is not very appropriate, it is not considered so.'