Finance Minister Waglé rejects tax manipulation allegations, Claims ‘organized group’ targeting government

KATHMANDU: Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Waglé has strongly denied allegations that tax rates were altered after the presentation of the national budget, claiming that a coordinated campaign is being waged against both the government and the country’s top leadership.

Appearing before a meeting of the parliamentary Finance Committee on Wednesday, Waglé sought to clarify concerns surrounding discrepancies identified in provisions of the Economic Bill and accused critics of exaggerating the issue.

“The provisions added later were only those that had been mentioned in the budget speech but were inadvertently omitted from the Economic Bill. That’s all,” Waglé told lawmakers. “Do you see treason in these six points? Do you see anything against national interests? There is an organized group behind this attempt to create panic and controversy.”

The minister, however, did not identify the group he was referring to.

Only One Customs Duty Rate Changed, Says Minister

Addressing allegations that customs and tax rates were altered without proper authorization, Waglé acknowledged that the customs duty rate had been changed only for carriers used to transport blood and vaccines.

“The customs duty rate was changed only for blood or vaccine carriers. In other cases, it was merely a matter of clarifying language or incorporating provisions that had been left out,” he said.

According to the finance minister, most of the revisions involved technical and linguistic clarifications rather than substantive changes in tax policy.

Accuses Media of Spreading Misinformation

Waglé also criticized sections of the media, alleging that reports had created a misleading narrative suggesting that arbitrary tax revisions were being carried out within the Ministry of Finance.

“For an entire week, newspapers portrayed the issue as if Swarnim Waglé was sitting inside the Finance Ministry secretly manipulating tax rates. Such reporting has created unnecessary confusion among lawmakers and the public,” he said.

He urged committee members not to be influenced by what he described as exaggerated interpretations of routine legislative corrections.

‘A Storm in a Teacup’

Defending the government’s budget, Waglé described it as a “historic budget” and claimed that political opponents were attempting to discredit the administration.

“A significant section of society has still not accepted the mandate received by the Rastriya Swatantra Party. Their objective is to tarnish the Prime Minister’s image and then target the Finance Minister,” he said.

Calling the controversy “a storm in a teacup,” the minister vowed to confront the allegations head-on.

“These accusations are completely baseless. I have come here with the determination to face them firmly. The amendments reflect humanitarian and national priorities,” he added.

Probe Committee Formed Over Border Customs Concerns

Waglé informed lawmakers that the government has formed a committee to investigate concerns over possible irregularities related to vehicle imports through the Rasuwagadhi and Korala border checkpoints.

The investigation will examine whether customs-related provisions concerning imports through the two northern trade routes were improperly influenced or implemented.

Dispute Over Economic Bill Changes

The controversy emerged after differences were identified between the Economic Bill tabled in Parliament on May 29 and the version later uploaded to the Ministry of Finance’s website.

The government registered a 467-page Economic Bill in Parliament, while a 450-page version containing revisions was subsequently published online by the ministry.

Critics argue that any amendment to a bill after its registration in Parliament requires parliamentary approval. Former Parliament Secretariat Secretary Som Bahadur Thapa has stated that substantive changes to a registered bill cannot legally be made without the consent of Parliament.

Waglé, however, maintains that the Ministry of Finance acted within the authority granted to the finance minister under existing laws and that the revisions were aimed solely at ensuring clarity and consistency in the legislative text.