CPN-UML to obstruct Parliament, intensify street protest
Kathmandu, November 30
The CPN-UML has decided to obstruct the Parliament proceedings and electrify street protests against the constitution amendment bill registered in the Parliament yesterday.
A meeting of UML Parliamentary Party held at Singha Durbar today took a decision to this effect.
The meeting concluded that the bill tabled in the Parliament was against the country’s interests and also against the will of the people residing in the carved out provinces.
“We have decided to obstruct the Parliament and intensify street protests,” said CPN-UML Chief Whip Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal.
He said the meeting had directed all UML lawmakers who were in districts and abroad to be present in the Parliament tomorrow when the House meeting begins. The bill has already triggered protests at several places in Province 5.
UML stated that people of other political parties had also been coordinating with the UML on how they would steer the protest against the bill. “We will continue to disrupt the House proceedings until the government withdraws the controversial bill,” UML’s Whip Gokul Gharti said.
He said people would not accept the bill, which had proposed to change boundary of Province 5.
UML Deputy Parliamentary Party leader Subas Chandra Nembang said the bill was a blatant violation of the Constitution. “Provincial boundary cannot be amended without the consent of the province assembly,” said Nembang.
He said the protesting parties had made the agreement to seek approval of the provincial assemblies for the amendment keeping in mind that the centre could change province’s boundaries.
He said the government had violated jurisdiction of the Supreme Court by tabling the bill. The SC issued show cause notice to the government in response to a petition seeking stay order against the government’s bid to revise provincial boundary through the constitution amendment.
The petitioner argued that as per Article 274, boundaries of provinces could be changed only with consent of the concerned provincial assembly and since provincial assembly had not been formed, bid to revise boundaries would be an unconstitutional act.
But some lawmakers argue that in the transitional period, when there is no provincial government, amendment to the constitution was possible without the consent of the provincial assembly concerned.
Party’s Chairman and PP leader KP Sharma Oli, however, did not attend the meeting, citing health reasons. Vice-chairman Bam Dev Gautam directed the party’s lawmakers to oppose the bill strongly in the Parliament.
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