Major opposition UML continues to protest in parliament

Kathmandu: Today’s meeting of the House of Representatives scheduled under the 10th session of the Federal Parliament was obstructed by the major opposition CPN (UML).

Once the Speaker announced the commencement of the meeting, UML lawmakers reached to picket the well and chanted slogans. In response, Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota said the condition preventing the people’s representatives to air their voices in the parliament would disappoint the people. “The House is the place for raising the voices of the public,” he said, frequently urging the UML lawmakers to help build an atmosphere for getting own voices heard and listening to voices of others as well.

Citing that the parliamentary system did not just follow its principles, it sought a cooperative approach as well and the situation would keep changing, he again urged the agitating lawmakers to allow the government function and resume the House proceedings. The Speaker asserted that any member in the parliament should be aware of binding of endorsed practices and rules, urging the protesting members to put their reservations being confined to the parliamentary process. The Speaker also reminded the session about the constitutional provisions that does not entertain the parliamentary discourse on any issues sub-judice in the Supreme Court. He urged the lawmakers to let the House operate as per the Rule 6 (2) of the House of Representatives Regulations, 2075 BS.

The UML’s accusation is that the Speaker ignored the party’s July 16 recommendations for parliamentary actions against its 14 lawmakers including the then UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and abetted the party split to form the CPN (Unified Socialist) led by leader Madhav Kumar Nepal.

Tags: Budget, Government, Law, Madhav Kumar Nepal, Parliament, Protest, UML