Nepal Army chief describes recruitment issue as 'internal matter'

Chief of Army Staff General Rookmangud Katawal on Friday said that the ongoing dispute over army recruitment is an "internal matter" of Nepal Army and that the army itself is capable of resolving it.

General Katawal said during a questioning at the National Interest Protection Committee of the Constituent Assembly (CA).

In response to questions from the members of the committee about the ongoing row between the Ministry of Defense and Nepal Army regarding the recruitment process started by the latter, which has now been completed, the army chief said that he can't speak on the "internal matter" of the army in the meeting called to discuss the future make-up of the Nepal Army.

"I will speak about this issue where it is required," he told the committee, while at the same time assuring its members that the NA now bears the national flag respecting the changes that have arrived in the country.

He said that since there is "absence of national policy regarding Nepal Army" he has prepared a draft of the same. He didn't elaborate.

"The army is moving ahead as per the law and agrees to people's supremacy," he said.

Alluding to the ordinances brought by the government to ensure equal participation of all ethnic communities in public institutions, Katawal said that NA should be kept away from "political allocations."