HEADLINE NEWS THE RISING NEPAL (DAILY)

House proceedings stalled as Oppn MPs continue stir

By a staff reporter

Kathmandu, Feb. 14: The session of the House of Representatives was disrupted for the third day today after the opposition parties did not let the parliament proceed with its normal functioning.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhat adjourned the House till 11 A.M. tomorrow after the opposition MPs raised slogans and gheraoed the rostrum after the House had deliberated for about four hours with more than a dozen MPs speaking.

The speeches were focussed only on the Lauda Air deal. While the opposition party MPs continued with their demand of the resignation of the Prime Minister, saying that they would not let the House proceed ahead until the Prime Minister resigns, those of the ruling party tried to defend the Prime Minister calling the opposition’s demand as inappropriate and wrong.

At the beginning of the session, Speaker of the House read out a notice from the Royal Palace of relieving of Khum Bahadur Khadka as Minister.

Then the Speaker gave time to Bharat Mohan Adhikary of the CPN-UML. In his half-an-hour long speech, Adhikary said the cabinet had done wrong by overriding the instruction of the Commission of the Investigation of the Abuse of Authority and the Public Accounts Committee of the parliament and, thus, as the leader of the cabinet, Prime Minister should resign. He concluded his speech saying until the Prime Minister resign, they would not let the House to proceed further.

When the Speaker said the House has listened to the Opposition parties complaints and demand and asked the MPs to enter into scheduled programme, the opposition MPs objected.

Raghu Pant of the CPN-UML said there is no point in proceeding ahead with the normal business of the House’s other business when the Prime Minister has been accused of corruption. He even said the Prime Minister’s resignation was the most important business before the House.

Pant also read out some portions of the PAC’s report. But the Speaker said that the House has not yet formally received the PAC’s report.

Then Arjun Prasad Joshi of the Nepali Congress said the battle against corruption cannot be fought by disrupting the parliamentary proceeding.

But Govinda Bikram Shah of RPP said when the situation of the country is grave and the government is doing the opposite, proceeding with the House’s business is out of question until the prime minister quits.

Hridesh Tripathy of Nepal Sadhvabana Party talked about the issue of fixing the prices of the agricultural produces, citizenship issue and the demarcation of the parliamentary constituencies. He said, he does not agree with the five other opposition parties demand of the Prime Minister’s resignation. He demanded the resignation of the government as a whole.

Another speaker Asthalaxmi Shakya of CPN-UML also said the Prime Minister should resign.

Pashupati Shumsher Rana of RPP said the condition of the nation is grave and to solve the country’s problems the Prime Minister should resign. "By demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister, we want to teach others a lesson," said Rana.

However, Birendra Kumar Kanaudiya of the Nepali Congress denied that the decision of the PAC shows the involvement of the Prime Minister and the cabinet. Kanaudiya, who is also a member of the PAC said the PAC has only recommended for action against RNAC and the staff involved in the plane deal. He also said no decision of the parliamentary committee is mandatory for the government.

Pradeep Nepal of UML accused Radio Nepal of distorting the opposition’s views and opinions. He also said the Prime Minister must be punished for his wrong-doing in the Lauda Air deal and the cabinet should also be abolished.

Narayan Man Bijukchhe of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party said the Prime Minister should remain to maintain moral standard and until that is done the parliament would not proceed ahead.

Another MP, who also demanded PM’s resignation, was Nara Bahadur Hamal of UML.

Meanwhile, Tarini Dutt Chataut of NC explained about the deal saying it was the cheapest deal RNAC has entered to so far. He said if there are any irregularity that will be investigated and the opposition parties should wait till the conclusion of the investigation comes.

Ram Kumar Chaudhary of NC said the oppositions are only trying to get political benefit of the issue and said the Prime Minister has no hand in the deal.

Narayan Singh Pun of NC spoke about the aviation policy of 2050 and said Lauda Air’s aircraft was brought because it was necessary.

Another speaker who also spoke about the issue was Subash Nembang of UML. Nembang, who is also the chairman of the PAC, said the plane was unnecessary and on top of that the parliamentary committee has found irregularities in the deal.

After these deliberations, when the Speaker told the opposition parties that they have symbolised their protest and to get down to other business, the opposition MPs refused to sit and raised slogans. Then the Speaker adjourned the House for the next day.

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