Nepal’s federal parliament has not been able to function for 15 days due to strong protests by opposition parties. The protest began on May 27, 2025, after a major visit visa scandal was uncovered at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. The opposition has been blocking sessions in the lower house, demanding a proper investigation into the scam. At the center of the controversy is Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who is being accused of allowing corruption and mismanagement within his ministry.
The scandal involves illegal payments made by people trying to travel abroad using visit visas. These payments were reportedly collected by immigration officials with the help of travel agents. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) started an inquiry after receiving several complaints. During the investigation, CIAA discovered that many officials at the airport were involved in taking bribes to allow travelers to leave Nepal illegally.
Joint Secretary Tirtharaj Bhattarai, who was the Chief of Immigration at Tribhuvan International Airport, was arrested after the CIAA investigation. He had only been moved back to the Home Ministry a day before the CIAA raid. Devices like phones and computers were taken from the immigration office for further investigation. Reports say travelers paid up to NPR 300,000 for visa clearance. Around 400 people reportedly left Nepal daily using this system. It is believed that the scam generated about NPR 5 million per day.
Opposition parties claim that some of the people involved are linked to the private office of Home Minister Lekhak. They also argue that key airport officials were handpicked by him and were chosen based on loyalty rather than qualifications. Although Lekhak has denied these claims, opposition lawmakers say he should take responsibility.
The Rastriya Swatantra Party has asked for a high-level committee to investigate the scam. Their proposal includes forming the committee within five days and allowing the CIAA investigation to continue separately. However, the Nepali Congress and the ruling coalition are not in favor of creating another committee. They believe the CIAA is already doing its job and that no further steps are necessary at this time.
House Speaker Devraj Ghimire has asked lawmakers to allow Parliament to work again. He reminded them that Parliament is the place to solve national issues. But no progress has been made, as talks between political parties have not led to any agreement. The opposition is not ready to drop its demand for a committee, and the ruling side refuses to accept it.
Many citizens are upset that Parliament is stuck in a deadlock while a serious corruption issue remains unresolved. The delay in action has raised questions about the government’s ability to handle problems related to human trafficking and corruption. If a solution is not reached soon, the political crisis in Nepal may grow worse in the coming days.
