DPM Shrestha calls for maintaining religious tolerance

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha has urged one and all to keep up the inter-caste and religious tolerance.

Addressing a press conference organized by Press Centre Nepal, Parsa chapter here today, he called for maintaining the unity in diversity since Nepal's identity is a nation with multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic and multi-cultural identities.

The DPM and Home Minister warned that the government would take action in accordance with the existing laws and the constitution against those undermining the social harmony and disturbing its unity. He also urged one and all to stand in favour of social goodwill and national unity along with tolerance towards each other's religion, culture, customs, faith, sentiments and traditions.

Stating that the government is committed to maintaining good governance in the country by eliminating corruption, DPM Shrestha also pledged to take the gold smuggling scam and the Lalita Niwas land grab scam to its final conclusion and to bring to justice all the culprits.

"In the beginning, the Department of Revenue Investigation carried out investigation into the gold smuggling case and now the Nepal Police's Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) is looking into this. We will also go for a high-level investigation process after carrying out the legal and structural and associated probe and reaching to a conclusion once the CIB completes its investigations," the Home Minister said.

According to him, CIB has already conducted its investigation into the Lalita Niwas land procurement scam and submitted its report to the Government Attorney Office. The Attorney Office will also move ahead the prosecution process on this soon, he added.

Reiterating that the government has forged ahead its works focusing on good governance, prosperity and social justice, he said the government's attention is centred on giving a new feel of change among the people in terms of their living standard, making the political change as the means and an end.

Responding to a query by journalists on Gaur massacre case, DPM and Home Minister Shrestha said, "The investigation into the Gaur massacre case is not stopped. Some more matters have to be looked into in course of the investigations. Therefore, additional investigation is being done in this regard. We will move ahead by making an appropriate decision on this matter."

Home Minister Shrestha is scheduled to inaugurate the newly-constructed office building of the District Administration Office, Parsa today itself. He will also be addressing the CPN (Maoist Centre)'s training and party induction programme at the Birgunj-based Town Hall later in the afternoon. Shrestha is the vice-chair of the CPN (Maoist Centre).

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