Secretary texted prime minister seeking personal favour. Police interrogation raises eyebrows

A government secretary's text message to the prime minister seeking personal favors has led to police questioning, sparking debate over official conduct and overreach.

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The tenure of a Government of Nepal secretary is fixed at five years. Given the current circumstances, unless there is your special consideration regarding the post of chief secretary, my retirement on July 8 appears inevitable. I have also noticed the recent call for ambassadorial appointments and respectfully seek your consideration, guidance and support in that regard.

Krishna Hari Pushkar (Karna), secretary at the Office of the Vice President, texted Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who also serves as home minister, requesting consideration for his chief secretary post before his July 8 retirement and for an ambassadorial appointment. Pushkar signed off as "your obedient" and included the prime minister's ancestral district, Mahottari.

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detaining a secretary solely because of a text message is highly inappropriate.

The message, which leaked on social media, prompted police to question Pushkar. However, former government secretary Dwarika Nath Dhungel criticized the police involvement, calling it "highly inappropriate." Dhungel stated that direct communication between secretaries and prime ministers is a common practice and that the Prime Minister's Office should have issued clear directives if this practice was to be discontinued, rather than resorting to police action.

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If the current prime minister wished to end that practice, the Prime Minister’s Office should have clearly instructed officials to communicate through the chief secretary rather than contacting him directly. As far as I know, no such directive has been issued.

Pushkar, who is nearing retirement after completing his five-year tenure, had reportedly been seeking an appointment with the prime minister for days but was denied. His resort to a text message followed failed attempts to secure a meeting through intermediaries. The incident highlights a potential clash between established communication norms and the prime minister's approach to governance.

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I wonder why police involvement was deemed necessary.