August 10: Guru Bhattarai, the General Manager of Nepal Railway Company Limited, has announced that he will not furnish clarification to the government.

 The government had asked Bhattarai to submit an explanation within three days saying that he had not been able to work as per the capacity of the general manager and had publicly criticized the government and officials through social media.

Bhattarai said in a press conference on Monday said that he would not give any explanation. Stating that the railway company which was in a state of zero has recently been made operational, Bhattarai said that has made up his mind not to give the clarification sought by the government but he would instead resign. Stating that he was asked for an explanation due to political reason, he said that he could not give such explanation as he was a government employee.

He accused that the government had made an excuse to remove him from office. The recent meeting of the Council of Ministers had questioned him saying “why shouldn’t you be removed from the post of General Manager on the ground that you have not acted in accordance with clause (d) of Article 9 of the Criteria for Appointment and Nomination of Public Bodies of the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport”. He was asked to submit a clarification on the same matter.

The ministry had written to him on Sunday asking him to give an explanation within three days as per the decision of the cabinet.

The Council of Ministers has also sought an explanation from Bhattarai for making indecent remarks court orders and for insulting political parties and their office. He was appointed general manager of the company last year by the previous government led by KP Sharma Oli.