UML continues to obstruct NA session, deliberations on budget affected

Kathmandu, July 9: The major opposition CPN (UML) continued to obstruct the National Assembly (NA) today, too, over the Prime Minister's recent public statement in a book launching ceremony on July 3.    

With the obstruction, the schedule about the deliberations on the budget allocations to various ministries under the Appropriation Bill, 2080 BS have been affected.    

Once the meeting convened, the UML lawmakers stood from their respective seats gesturing the continuity of their concerns over the Prime Minister's recent statement in which he said leading truck entrepreneur Sardar Pritam Singh once made efforts before India to make him (Dahal) the Prime Minister of Nepal.    

UML lawmaker Bhagawati Neupane said the NA obstruction would continue until the Prime Minister stepped down from the post over his remark.    

Following the protest, NA Chair Ganesh Prasad Timilsina said the continuous interruption in the NA business would not pave the way for a solution. He urged the opposition lawmakers to put their concerns and allow the House conduct the business.    

It may be noted that the party has been obstructing the NA session for the past four days over the same issue.   

 
Expressing his hope that top leaders would sort out the issue through talks, he urged for cooperation of the party to run the session.    

The today's NA session was scheduled to hold deliberations on the budget allocations to the Ministry of Health and Population, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Ministry of Water Supplies, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Ministry of Home and the Ministry of Defence.    

Likewise, budget allocations to the National Planning Commission, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, the Office of the Vice President and the Office of the President were in the schedule of discussions.    

The NA session has been rescheduled for 11:01 am on Monday of July 10. (RSS)