Smooth House proceeding calls for softening of stances

By Pallav Bhusal,Kathmandu, May 16:The meetings of both the Houses of the Federal Parliament are scheduled for Thursday. However, considering the differing expressions made by the leaders of the ruling and opposition parties, it seems to take further negotiations and softening of stances to make sure the proceedings can go ahead smoothly.  

The Nepali Congress obstructed both the House of Representatives and National Assembly meetings immediately after President Ramchandra Paudel presented the government’s policy and programme in the joint session of the Federal Parliament on Tuesday. The NC has warned of obstructing the House businesses until its demand for forming a parliamentary committee is met. 

The Nepali Congress has been demanding a parliamentary committee to probe alleged involvement of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane in irregularities in transaction with cooperatives. 

However, the ruling parties, especially the CPN-UML and Rastriya Swatantra Party, are against the formation of the committee. Instead, they have been demanding that the opposition party should allow DPM Lamichhane to address the parliament meeting.

“The Nepali Congress showed immature behaviour by not allowing the parliament to pass the vote of thanks to the President for presenting the policy and programme,” said Yogesh Bhattarai, Member of Parliament from the CPN-UML.

MP Bhattarai stated that an investigation committee could be formed through understanding between all parties, but the Nepali Congress should not obstruct the House and should allow DPM Lamichhane to speak in the parliament.

“It is a democratic practice to allow the members of the parliament from any party to speak in the parliament. Nepali Congress does not have the right to stop MPs from speaking in the House,” he said.

However, the Nepali Congress is committed to its stance that the government should form an investigation committee otherwise it will continue to obstruct the parliament proceedings. 

“The Nepali Congress will obstruct any proceeding and work of the government until our demand for forming an investigation committee is met. Giving thanks to the President is also considered government work, which is why we obstructed the House,” said Min Bahadur Bishwakarma, Member of the Parliament from the main opposition party, the Nepali Congress.

Bishwakarma clarified that although Prime Minister Prachanda was positive towards finding a consensus, CPN-UML chair KP Sharma Oli and DPM Lamichhane were not willing to fulfil the Nepali Congress’s demand for forming the investigating committee.

“Parliament is not a place for any accused individual to clarify themselves. That is why the Nepali Congress is very persistent in forming a committee and conducting an investigation properly. The government should not protect anybody who is involved in criminal cases,” said Bishwakarma.

While the leaders continued to air contradicting views, the meeting of the parliament is likely to be obstructed for a few days until the ruling and opposition parties reach a consensus. It was said that NC allowed the President to present the policy document after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ assured the NC leaders of forming the committee on Tuesday. 

“The Nepali Congress cannot and should not accuse DPM Rabi Lamichhane without any grounds of evidence. Nepali Congress should work within the rule of law and due process and let the government and the Parliament function properly without obstruction,” said Dev Gurung, Member of the Parliament and Chief Whip of the ruling CPN Maoist (Centre).

Gurung emphasised that the government led by Prime Minister Prachanda is serious about providing justice to cooperative victims. “Solving cooperative issues and providing justice to the victims of cooperative fraud should be the main objective of both the ruling and the opposition parties,” added Gurung.

Gurung stated that the opposition party should not obstruct the House proceedings because it would go against the principles of the rule of law and would hamper the presentation and passing of the budget by the parliament, thus directly affecting the victims of cooperative fraud as well.