KATHMANDU, AUGUST 10

CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli spoke from the rostrum of the House of Representatives today to denounce the common minimum programme unveiled by the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led coalition government.

Addressing the HoR for the first time after the House was restored, Oli said Deuba was made the PM through a mandamus and not through people's mandate. He called the Deuba government a government a selfish alliance.

Accusing Deuba of trying to undo the progress made by his government, Oli said that the early indications did not give reasons to predict that the government would deliver services as expected by the people.

He said the government was acting with the motive of taking revenge against the opposition.

Oli questioned the government for not clearly saying what it would do with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) agreement which was signed with the US when the Nepali Congress and CPN-MC were partners in the coalition government.

He said the government had stated in the CMP that it would review unequal treaties and agreements, but did not clearly state which treaties or agreements were unequal.

Oli said that the CMP did not reflect the values and norms that the Nepali Congress stood for.

Oli mocked Deuba's government for failing to clearly mention that the government would establish its political and administrative control over Limpiyadhura, Lipulekh and Kalapani where India currently has its political and administrative control. He said that he would become the prime minister again with thumping majority and his party would establish political and administrative control over Limpiyadhura, Lipu Lekh and Kalapani after the next general election.

He said the CMP vaguely referred to border problems with neighbours without specifically mentioning the problems and the names of the neighbours.

Oli dared PM Deuba to investigate embezzlement of government money in the Maoist cantonments and Matatirtha land grab case. He also urged the government to probe the Gaur massacre. Oli urged the government to pass the citizenship bill which had been stuck for three years in the Parliament. Oli justified issuance of citizenship ordinance during his prime ministership, which was stayed by the Supreme Court.

'Eligible youths have not been able to get citizenship and passports due to lack of citizenship certificates.

They are unable to get jobs. I urge the government to immediately pass the citizenship bill and other urgent bills,' he said.

A version of this article appears in the print on August 11 2021, of The Himalayan Times.