Youths and students affiliated with various political parties, including the main opposition party CPN (Maoist Centre), staged a protest at Maitighar on Tuesday, demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak over his alleged involvement in the ongoing visit visa scandal.

The protest was organised by youth and student wings affiliated with the Maoist Centre, CPN (Unified Socialist), and other political parties. Demonstrators called for a thorough investigation into the visa racket, punishment for those involved, and the immediate resignation of the home minister.

They accused officials at the department of immigration of extorting large sums from Nepalis seeking to travel abroad on visit visas, using arbitrary and harsh criteria introduced by the home ministry.

The protesters labelled the racket as a form of institutional corruption, human trafficking, and even treason, demanding justice and immediate reform.

Allegations have emerged that the immigration system has been manipulated to create a setting-based trafficking route, especially to Europe, Asia, and African countries.

Tirtharaj Bhattarai, a home ministry joint secretary, has come under scrutiny from the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) over his suspected collaboration with human traffickers. Bhattarai, who was recently transferred from the position of chief immigration officer at Tribhuvan International Airport, was detained and questioned by the CIAA last week.

The scandal has also led to disruption in the House of Representatives, where opposition parties on Tuesday obstructed proceedings, echoing calls for Lekhak’s resignation and a high-level investigation into the issue.