Communication ministers of the erstwhile royal government have admitted to have distributed money to journalists during the direct rule of King.

Minister Tanka Dhakal at the press meet. nepalnews.com/ks

Former communication minister Tanka Dhakal (File photo)
During an interrogation by the members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House of Representatives on Sunday, then communication minister Tanka Dhakal, who was later shifted to local development portfolio, and then state minister for communication, Shrish Shumsher Rana, conceded that they had distributed money to journalists and some media groups, reports quoting PAC members said.

Dhakal told the committee that it was his idea of make cash handouts to journalists and some pro-palace media groups. He said he had brought the proposal to the cabinet, which was readily approved. He, however, claimed the money was doled out legally and under the one-door advertisement policy adopted by the royal government.

Former Minister for information and communication Shrish Shumsher JB Rana answering the questions asked by members of the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representative regarding the distribution of money to journalists from government coffer, Sunday, July 23. Former Minister for information and communication Shrish Shumsher JB Rana answering the questions asked by members of the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives regarding the distribution of money to journalists from government coffer, Sunday, July 23 06. nepalnews.com/rh

Former Minister for information and communication Shrish …
Similarly, former state minister Rana, who held the communication portfolio during the final days of the royal rule, admitted to have distributed money from state coffer but expressed ignorance about the legal provisions regarding such deals. “I didn’t know much about the rules and regulations. Most of the matters would be handled by the communication secretary,” reports quoted Rana as saying.

On a question asked by MPs as to why the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), which is the umbrella organisation of journalists in Nepal, had not been allocated any fund by the then government, Rana said the FNJ would get funding had it requested for the same.

Both Dhakal and Rana had reputation of one of the most vocal of royal ministers.

Then secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication, Kumar Poudel, was also present at the PAC to answer the questions of the MPs on the issue.

The questioning of the former communication ministers and the ministry secretary by the committee comes as the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) prepares for investigation into the distribution of money to journalists by the royal government.

Tens of millions of rupees was illegally doled out to scores of journalists and pro-palace media groups during the royal regime.