HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

An affront to norms
MPs criticise UML action against its PAC members

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 13: Lawmakers of ruling Nepali Congress today lambasted the main opposition party CPN-UML for action against its MPs related to the Public Account Committee (PAC) of the House of Representatives.

Speaking at the special hour of the Lower House, they remarked that the UML move had attempted to tarnish the dignity and norm of parliament and the Constitution.

According to the MPs, the UML in its recent meeting decided to take action against the PAC members, including its president Subash Nemwang, K.P. Oli, Rajendra Pandey and Birodh Khatiwada for their role to allege the party’s central committee member Bhim Bahadur Rawal on a controversial deal of China Southwest Airline plane. The PAC had accused Rawal of irregularities in the leasing of the plane when he was the Civil Aviation Minister.

Afterward, regarding this matter, the UML had formed a probe body that gave a clean chit to Rawal and blamed the PAC saying that it failed to bring out the truth and fact.

NC stalwart Ramchandra Tiwari said that the UML had challenged the parliamentary committee by forming a committee to probe the PAC decision.

Another MP Romi Gauchan said that the UML’s action has disregarded the Article 62 (1,3) of the Constitution that bars to raise the decision of Parliamentary Committee even in the Supreme Court.

Likewise, the UML action has drawn the attention of Article 62 (7), thereby ignoring the parliamentary norm and value, added Gauchan.

He also demanded that the government should provide remote allowance to the employees.

CPN-UML Mahendra Bahadur Pandey demanded that the government should bring about a clear-cut policy and programme in the education sector of the country.

Blaming the government’s wrong policy for the failure of about 70 per cent students in the SLC examinations this year, Pandey said that the budget allocation in the education sector was inadequate.

On one hand, the education system has produced such a large number of high-school failures, on the other, he said, the CPN-Maoists are utilising them against the State by alluring them to provide practical education. Pandey further said that reduction of budget for the Tribhuvan University by about Rs 320 million would hamper the quality of education.

He said that the budget reduction has directly hit the activities of the TU’s Service Commission. He also blamed that the Commission was bogged into financial irregularities and politicization and demanded for a probe body for the investigation of the misappropriation.

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