Dhurba Giri
Even though a scandal involving the trafficking of people to Spain under the guise of a visit visa—allegedly involving leaders from the ruling party, opposition MPs, and a prominent trainer from a rising political party—has come to light, the issue has not progressed seriously. Initially, the matter was raised in Parliament, gaining public attention. But later came silence, neglect, and signs of a ‘case settlement.’
Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmakers raised concerns in Parliament, alleging that individuals were taken to Spain under the pretext of attending a program involving Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. The issue triggered fierce blame games among leaders from the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, and RSP. A demand for investigation was raised in the House. However, it was the media that delivered a more powerful blow than Parliament.
News 24’s “Sidha Kura” program aired a detailed exposé—how people were gathered, how their passports were collected, and how some were turned back from the airport. The report was so clear that investigative bodies could have moved forward with the case based solely on it.
But when RSP leader Kamal Subedi’s name quietly emerged in the coverage, the matter began to fade. Subedi is the secretary of RSP’s Central Training Department, known for traveling nationwide to train party cadres. Allegedly, during these visits, he encouraged politically ambitious but financially weak cadres to go abroad temporarily, earn money, and return to invest in politics.
Subedi’s involvement was hinted at in the first part of the report. Names of UML’s Lalitpur district chairperson Purushottam Acharya and provincial committee member Pradeep Chaulagain were also linked. It was revealed that Subedi had used the letterhead of an organization called “Campaign for Social Change” to recommend visit visas to the Spanish Embassy in New Delhi.
As the issue went viral on social media, Acharya and Chaulagain filed a complaint at the District Administration Office, claiming misuse of the organization’s stamp and letterhead. However, their complaint failed to name any suspects. This suggests a quiet effort to resolve the issue politically, despite its seriousness.
Is this scandal merely the result of individual greed? Or is it an institutional conspiracy among power players? Is the connection between Subedi and high-ranking UML leaders a mere coincidence? These are the lingering questions surrounding this case.
The investigators are silent. Politicians are silent. Such a major scandal—swept under the rug! This silence raises troubling questions: are such trafficking networks being given political protection? Or should we simply wait for the next “visit visa scandal”?
