Pvt sector asks govt to stop CPN-M donation drive

KATHMANDU, JAN 09 -

The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) on Tuesday sought an immediate government intervention to stop CPN-Maoist-launched donation drive that has tormented  industrialists across the country.

FNCCI President Suraj Vaidya said the ‘forceful donation drive’ launched by the CPN-Maoist has deteriorated the country’s business climate already hit by power crisis, labour unrest. “The business community has been paying donation s to political parties. But the mode of collection is aggressive and forceful this time,” Vaidya said, referring to the donation drive being carried out by the CPN-Maoist for its general convention that starts on Wednesday.

Stating that the FNCCI respects the notion of voluntary donation , Vaidya said that the CPN-Maoist has been intimidating businessmen for increasing the amount. He demanded the government introduce certain law to manage the donation system.

“What the government should do now is to fix a limit to donation and the industrialists will donate accordingly,” he said.

FNCCI Vice-president Pradeep Jung Pandey said business sectors including industrial, service and financial have been hit hard by the ‘extortion drive.’ However, the FNCCI refused to mention the amount they were forced to donate to the party and the number of industrialists being tortured.

With its national convention around the corner, the CPN-Maoist has intensified the donation drive. In the past week alone two cases of attacks on the private sector were reported in the Capital.

Last Friday, the party cadres had vandalized the office of Nepal Derivative Exchange (NDEX) after the latter refused to provide donation . According to NDEX officials, the party had first asked Rs 5 million and then scaled it down to Rs 2.5 million after the exchange expressed its inability to pay the amount about 4-5 months ago. Then on Monday evening, an unidentified group attacked Rajan Singh Bhandari, president of Nepal Bankers’ Association (NBA) at Bhainsepati in Lalitpur. “Both the cases are related with the donation issues,” said Pandey, who is also the chairman and CEO of Citizens Bank International, demanding prompt action from the government.

Source: The Kathmandu Post