The dispute over the visit scam surrounding Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has brought divisions in the opposition camp, as the CPN (Maoist Centre) struck a deal with the ruling alliance breaking its partnership with the Rastriya Swatantra Party and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party.

Starting May 27, the opposition bloc had been obstructing the House of Representatives demanding the formation of a probe committee and the resignation of Home Minister Lekhak. The ruling alliance, however, had remained firm that Lekhak should be unconditionally allowed to clarify the allegation from the House.

Eighteen days later, on Friday, the ruling alliance and the Maoist Centre sealed a two-point deal that led the latter to withdraw the protest. Through the agreement the government has agreed to fully cooperate with and support the Commission for the Investigation on Abuse of Authority in investigating the scam. Similarly, it has also assured addressing the longstanding issues related to visit visas and immigration through policy, legal, and structural reforms. The constitutional anti-graft body has been investigating the matter since May 22.

The Rastriya Swantara Party (RSP) and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), however, rejected the agreement saying the main opposition had surrendered to the ruling alliance. The party has insisted that formation of an investigation panel—parliamentary or judicial— followed by the home minister’s resignation is non-negotiable.

Following the agreement, Speaker Devraj Ghimire started the House meeting. The dissident parties started obstruction no sooner Ghimire announced the meeting’s commencement. He first allowed Maoist Centre chief whip Hit Raj Pandey for the address. RSP lawmakers banging tables tried to prevent him from speaking while RPP lawmakers did not make any noise.

Rajendra Lingden, the RPP chair, who was allowed to speak after Pandey, criticised the government and the Maoist Centre equally.

“After 18 days of drama, the main opposition party has bravely surrendered. This was bound to happen. It is claiming the agreement was to safeguard republicanism. In fact the agreement was not for the defense of republicanism, but for the defense of looting." Lingden said. The chair of the monarchist party said it is clear the joint-secretary at the Tribhuvan International Airport immigration had the support from ‘higher force’, which is the home ministry.

“Who is above the joint secretary if not the home minister. It would not have been possible without the involvement of the political leadership,” he said. The RSP, which has been taking the matter strongly, claimed the looting from the tourist visa holders was ongoing in coordination with the ministry.

Addressing the House meeting, Manish Jha, the party’s acting spokesperson claimed the CIAA had sent nine letters to the home ministry drawing its attention over the matter but the latter paid no attention. “Why were the immigration staff transferred in haste after the CIAA started the investigation, if the ministry was not involved,” he asked. “There is abundant evidence to establish the ministry’s involvement.”

"Attempts are being made to register fake complaints against me in various places by summoning fake individuals to party offices and writing fraudulent reports," he said. Without explicitly naming the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), he added, "I already know which party office this is being written in. I urge my friends not to try to fulfill political ambitions through such forgery, fraud, and undignified acts."

On May 22, the commission raided the Tribhuvan International Airport Immigration Office following complaints of visit visa manipulation. Lekhak has been dragged into controversy after the constitutional anti-graft body detained the chief of immigration office, Tirtharaj Bhattarai, who is a joint secretary under the home ministry, and seized vital documents.

Following Bhattarai’s arrest, the anti-graft body has also begun investigating staff from the home minister’s secretariat, raising questions about Lekhak’s moral responsibility in the case. The anti-graft body claims to have uncovered evidence indicating that individuals were sent abroad on visit visas in exchange for large sums of money, in collusion with Bhattarai. Bhattarai’s transfer to the home ministry while he was under investigation has fuelled suspicions of higher authorities’ involvement in the scam.

However, Lekhak has been claiming that he has no involvement in the visit visa scandal and that it is not possible for him to be involved. Speaking at the Friday’s House meeting amid noisy protest by the RSP, he expressed his objection to the allegations stating that an attempt has been made to attack him politically in a premeditated and conspiratorial manner.

Referring to the issues being circulated on social media and in the press linking him to the case, he asserted that none of them were based on truth and expressed regret over the matter. Lekhak argued that it is unfair to demand a minister’s resignation merely because civil servants are implicated. He further claimed that higher numbers of people had left the country during the tenures of other home ministers but no questions were raised then.

“I would like to inform this esteemed House that I am not involved, nor can I be involved, in such an act,” said Lekhak. “There has been a deliberate, conspiratorial, and political attempt to attack me. I also urge my colleagues—if any investigation carried out by a constitutional body must be linked to a minister or the government and responded to politically, then how many ministers responded in similar past cases? Do my colleagues have the strength to respond to that?”

Without naming the RSP, the home minister claimed that attempts were being made to register fake complaints against him in various places by creating fake victims. "I already know which party office this is being written in. I urge my friends not to try to fulfill political ambitions through such forgery, fraud, and undignified acts," he said.

The RSP continued gheraoing the well and sloganeering when Lekhak was addressing and even after his address was over. The Speaker even read out the letters from the Prime Ministers using marshalls. The House, however, could not start budget deliberations supposed to commence on June 3. The next meeting has been slated for Sunday.