'Now it should be arranged that mobile phones cannot be taken to cabinet meetings. No one but the spokesperson will speak. It is a matter of action.
Minister of Communication and Information Technology Prithvisubba Gurung has said that the news that the Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority, Kulman Ghising, has been relieved of his post was published online 18 minutes before the decision of the Council of Ministers.
Speaking at the department level interaction on the right to information organized by the National Information Commission in Kathmandu on Friday, Minister Gurung said that the news of Kulman Ghising's dismissal has been made public while the Cabinet meeting was still going on.
'Cabinet meeting is going on, there are 18 minutes left for the meeting which is said to have been decided, but the news has come online - that Kulman Ghising has been removed. Only the ministers and the chief secretary were there. Who said that? Prime Minister? Ministers? Chief Secretary? The spokesperson did not say. Who is the online reporter - the minister?' Minister Gurung asked.
He also said that he already knows who the minister is who will reach the news in the media. 'Now it should be arranged that mobile phones cannot be taken to cabinet meetings. No one but the spokesperson will speak. This is a matter of action,' he said.
Gurung also informed that he has already discussed the matter with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. 'I asked the Prime Minister - who said? Me or you or the chief secretary? The spokesperson did not say. Now it must be closed,' he said.
He mentioned that his expression in the media should be understood as a 'sarcastic question'. 'I asked sarcastically - how did you know? Kulman said? that It was made viral,' explained Minister Gurung.
Similarly, he also said that a policy decision was made to publish the decision only after 24 hours, as the decision of the Council of Ministers has to be withdrawn in some cases. Stating that he would not hold personal opinions as a spokesperson, he would only publicize formal decisions, Gurung emphasized that he should be responsible for the flow of information and seriousness.
