DEV GURUNG SAYS RULING PARTIES SUBSERVIENT Kathmandu, 22 Dec.:: Secretary of the CPN-Maoist, Dev Gurung on Saturday has claimed that foreign elements were guiding Nepali politics because of the submissive nature of the ruling political parties, RSS reports from Dhangadi.. The country's sovereignty has therefore been jeopardized, he argued. "All parties need to cooperate and become united on the issues of national sovereignty,” said secretary Gurung at a press meet organised by Revolutionary Journalists' Federation in Dhangadhi. Efforts from new vein were needed to seek a political way out in the country, stressed Gurung. Responding to a query, secretary Gurung claimed that the discussion and talks limited to four parties could never end political crisis. Nnnn CORRUPTION COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST FOREST MINISTER Kathmandu, 22 Dec.:A complaint has been filed at the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Friday against Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Yadubansa Jha for allegedly embezzling more than Rs. 150 million, RSS reports. In the complaint registered by Journalist Laxman Bajgain of Makranchuli, Makwanpur, the Forest Minister, representing CPN (ML-Socialist) party in the government, has been charged of depositing more than Rs. 150 million earned illegally in the US and India under his brother Haribansa Jha's account. It has also been stated in the complaint that Jha, who came with a mediocre financial background to become a Minister, now has deposited healthy sum of money in the Punjab National Bank of India. The complaint calls to bring Minister Jha's Secretariat aides Dasarath Mishra, Devendra Kunwar, Devendra Ghatani and Sanjib Jha into the ambit of investigation into the illegally amassed property of the minister. Likewise, journalist Bajgain has also urged the CIAA to carry out the necessary probe into the release of the suspension order issued against District Forest Officer Bishnu Kant Mishra, who was involved in the red sandalwood scam in Rasuwa. nnnn CJ ADMIITS FAILURE TO TACKLE JUDICIAL CRISIS Kathmandu, 22 Dec.:Admitting his failure to address the judicial crisis arising from the failure to appoint Supreme Court judges despite ‘serious efforts’ on his part, Chief Justice Khil Raj Regmi today called on all stakeholders to help end the crisis, The HImalayn Times reports.. Regmi was addressing a function that Supreme Court Bar Association had organised to mark its 56th Bar Day. Noting that some people have been calling him a Chief Justice lacking in vision for his failure to fill up judicial vacancies before the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly, Regmi said, “Had the constitution been promulgated as per the apex court verdict, they would have admired me as a visionary.” He added that since the constitution drafting body was mulling over setting up a Constitutional Court and reducing the number of apex court judges, the Judicial Council under his leadership had no option but to wait for promulgation of the constitution. “Unfortunately, the CA got dissolved without promulgating the constitution,” he said, adding, “We were advised not to fill up the vacancies at that time but to wait for the constitution.” Nepal Bar Association President Prem Bahadur Khadka questioned the recent remarks of Justice Ram Kumar Prasad Shah in which the latter objected to the direct appointment of lawyers as apex court justices. Attorney-General Mukti Narayan Pradhan, senior advocates Krishna Prasad Bhandari, Basanta Ram Bhandari and Borna Bahadur Karki suggested that the judicial leadership garner support for crisis resolution. Nnnn COLD WAVE SWEEPS JANAKPUR Kathmandu, 22 Dec.; Growing cold wave has badly affected normal life for some days here, RSS reports from Janakpir.. Especially children, sick and elderly ones are hit hard with the cold. It has also hampered daily activities of workers, farmers and drivers. Similarly, the number of patients suffering from pneumonia and asthma has grown at the clinics and hospital. For the relief, people have made fires at different public places and been enjoying the heat. The drivers said it has been difficult for them to drive due to thick smog with cold. Surendra Karna, Section Officer at the Land Revenue Office of Mahottari said the number of service recipients has declined sharply owing to severe cold. nnnn