Nepal Home Minister Sudden Arrival of New Vehicle Raises Eyebrows

Nepal’s Home Minister Sudhan Gurung has been using a new vehicle, a Toyota Land Cruiser, which he brought from the Election Commission, despite having access to a luxurious vehicle already provided by the Home Ministry.

The Home Ministry had a Toyota Land Cruiser, with license plate number Ba 1 Jha 6433, which was being used by former Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal. However, Minister Gurung did not want to use this vehicle and instead brought a new one from the Election Commission.

According to sources at the Home Ministry, Minister Gurung had been using his personal vehicle, a Scorpio, for official work. However, after the Election Commission provided him with the new vehicle, he started using it.

Minister’s Vehicle Choice Raises Questions

The choice of vehicle by Minister Gurung has raised questions about his commitment to simplicity and austerity. During his election campaign, he had promised not to use government vehicles and to be mindful of public expenses.

However, after becoming the Home Minister, he started using government vehicles, and now he has brought a new vehicle from the Election Commission. This has led to speculation about his priorities and commitment to public service.

According to the Election Commission, the vehicle was provided to Minister Gurung at his request. The Commission had received the vehicle as a gift from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Government of India.

Previous Home Ministers’ Vehicle Usage

It is worth noting that previous Home Ministers have also used luxurious vehicles. For example, former Home Minister Ravi Lamichhane used the same Toyota Land Cruiser, with license plate number Ba 1 Jha 6433, which is now being used by Minister Gurung.

Similarly, former Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha used the same vehicle for about 11 months. The vehicle was also used by former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who later switched to a Toyota Fortuner.

The usage of luxurious vehicles by government officials has been a topic of debate in Nepal, with many criticizing the practice as a waste of public resources.