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Kathmandu Wednesday February 21, 2001 Falgun 10, 2057.
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Turmoil in Parliament
The other day Parliament witnessed a
"wrestling match" between the opposition parties and the ruling Nepali Congress.
A member of the main opposition party dragged back the Minister for Culture, Tourism and
Civil Aviation while he was proceeding towards the rostrum to defend the Prime Minister
over the Lauda Air deal. The exchange of blows and punches on the floor shows
"hooliganism" has invaded the Parliament. This is also a manifestation of the
darker psyche of immature and rowdy lawmakers. It is indeed a disheartening and shameful
incident, and the type of message it sends to the general public is certainly not rosy.
Instead of practicing tolerance and democratic norms, some lawmakers resorted to nasty
means to settle their scores. War inside Parliament is not uncommon. Time and again,
throwing bricks and bats and unruly behaviour of legislators have been reported.
Omkar Shrestha, the newly-appointed Minister
for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and Rajendra Pandey, a parliamentarian of CPN-UML
were reportedly caught in a brawl during the ongoing session of Parliament. Both sides
levelled many charges against each other. The cause of the clash stems from the Lauda Air
scam, that has invariably dominated and obstructed the normal proceedings of the
Parliament since the beginning of this winter session. As things stand now,
parliamentarians do not seem to be in a mood to reconcile, nor are they concerned over the
eroding parliamentary practices. The major question is not who the culprit is, but how
these unpleasant practices can be controlled, and how the controversial Lauda Air deal
will get an outlet.
The opposition parties, except Nepal
Sadbhawana Party, have been raising the Lauda issue persistently and tenaciously. It is to
be hoped that the opposition will pursue the matter vigorously, will get to the root of
the matter and will treat the outcome fittingly. Against the backdrop of the scandal, the
opposition has also demanded the resignation of the Prime Minister on moral ground. Asking
for the Koirala’s resignation is unconstitutional, but he can be constitutionally
removed through appropriate channels. The endless bickering within the ruling party,
rampant corruption, deteriorating law and order, staggering price hikes, and the ordeal of
leading a normal life, and above all, the government’s poor performance have only
served to tarniss the image of the ruling Nepali Congress. The recent development and the
unnatural manner in which the government has handled the scandal have left plenty of room
for suspicion. Surely, there was more to it than met the eye. Otherwise, why is the
government reluctant to probe into the scam and expose the evidence? Why is it hesitant to
reveal the names of those involved in this nefarious activity?
Apparently, the government is trying to hoodwink
the public by appointing a new minister. Ministers come and go, but only hiring and firing
them will not help quell the conflict. Omkar Shrestha, a loyal lieutenant of the
Bhattarai-Deuba camp, was mysteriously given the present portfolio. What is even more
mysterious is the ease with which he accepted the office. Whether it is Tarini Datt
Chataut or Shrestha, the ministership is going to be a turbulent one. If the government is
slow to response to renewed calls for settling the scam from all major quarters, the
consequences will be very serious. The opposition is also expected to sing the chorus of
criticism and mount pressure on the government continuously, till it bows down. Lastly, it
is to be seen whether our leaders are only good at flexing their muscles or are equally
competent at taxing their brains as well.
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