Opposition parties in the House of Representatives on Tuesday demanded the immediate resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, citing his moral responsibility in the unfolding visit visa scam.

As soon as Speaker Devraj Ghimire commenced the day’s proceedings, lawmakers from the opposition benches stood up and disrupted the session. In response, the Speaker offered floor time to Barshaman Pun of the CPN (Maoist Centre), the main opposition party.

Pun said widespread reports in both the media and public discourse have highlighted a network involved in human trafficking under the guise of visit visas, allegedly operating out of Tribhuvan International Airport.

“Not only in the media, but even in people’s homes, discussions are taking place about how millions were extorted at the airport in the name of visit visas,” said Pun.

He argued that an impartial investigation would not be possible while the home minister continued in office and urged Lekhak to step down immediately to allow the investigation to proceed without political interference. He warned that Parliament would not be allowed to function until Lekhak resigns.

Joining the call, Rastriya Swatantra Party lawmaker Shisir Khanal said the minister’s continued presence in office would undermine public trust in the investigation. “Serious allegations have been levelled against him. He should step aside to enable an independent and credible investigation,” Khanal said.

Speaker Ghimire later postponed the meeting for 30 minutes after opposition lawmakers refused to take seats.

The controversy erupted after the Commission for the Investigation of the Abuse of Authority (CIAA) raided the Immigration Office at Tribhuvan International Airport on May 22 following complaints of large-scale manipulation in the issuance of visit visas. CIAA officials detained Immigration Chief and Joint Secretary Tirtharaj Bhattarai and seized key documents. Bhattarai was later transferred to the Home Ministry, but was taken into CIAA custody the following day.

Media reports, citing unnamed CIAA sources, have claimed that the scam involved the collection of hefty bribes from individuals seeking to travel abroad on visit visas. The scam allegedly operated with the assistance of officials at the immigration office and had links to people in the private secretariat of Home Minister Lekhak.

While no formal charges have been brought against the minister, the alleged involvement of his aides has raised questions about his moral and administrative accountability. The Maoist Centre and RSP have both publicly said that Lekhak’s resignation is essential for maintaining public trust in the state’s ability to conduct a fair inquiry.

In response to the mounting pressure, the ruling Nepali Congress held a meeting of its current and former office bearers on Monday, where Home Minister Lekhak offered a clarification and expressed his willingness to resign if it served the party’s interests. According to party insiders, Lekhak insisted on his innocence and said he was prepared to step aside if his presence was deemed a liability for the party or the coalition.