KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 7

House of Representative Speaker Devraj Ghimire issued a ruling to the government to inform the House on the khukuri attack on Nepali Congress Joint-general secretary Mahendra Yadav, and the death of a girl in Kanti Children's Hospital during treatment.

Speaking at the zero and special hours of the Lower House today, MPs had drawn the attention of the government to these two incidents. In response, Speaker Ghimire instructed the government to inform the House. Lawmakers across the parties sought action against those responsible for the incidents.

Nepali Congress Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak demanded that a fair probe be launched into the attack on Nepali Congress Joint-general secretary Mahendra Yadav. Condemning the incident, Lekhak called for stern action against the guilty. 'An attack has been carried out with the intention to take life. The incident is not ordinary. I urge the home minister to give full information on the incident in the next meeting of the House of Representatives,' said the NC Chief Whip, speaking at the 'special time' in the House of Representatives today. Lekhak further said, 'One can put differing views in a peaceful way. There is freedom of expression in democracy.Khukuri attack can never be an alternative. Violence, terror and murder can never be the options.'

Meanwhile, CPN-UML Whip Mahesh Bartaula said the government should take responsibility for the deadly attack on Yadav. He said the main opposition party's leaders are not allowed to go to their constituencies. Now, leaders of the ruling party are also being targeted.

'The UML condemns the deadly attack on the joint general secretary of the Nepali Congress. The prime minister must answer. The government should respond to a situation wherein a lawmaker is unsafe in central Kathmandu,' he said.

'Earlier, such incidents were not the priority of the government, because they happened to opposition leaders, however, today even an MP of the ruling party has been ambushed, who knows which other leader will meet the same fate. People are commenting that criminal activities are being encouraged. So, it must be probed seriously,' he said.

NC's Mahendra Yadav was hit with a khukuri on his head yesterday just a few minutes after he left a press meeting at Reporters Club in Bhrikutimandap, Kathmandu.

Shyam Sapkota, 47, who was at the press meet, had attacked Yadav.

The MPs also drew the government's attention to the death of Rejisha Gopali, a five-year-old girl due to lack of treatment. She was suffering from persistent vomiting and fever when she was brought to the emergency ward for treatment.Instead of sending her to the doctor, the hospital staff told her mother and grandfather to get a ticket and wait for their turn, according to Naya Patrika.

'They kept pleading to understand the seriousness of her illness, but no one listened. The unconscious girl, who struggled for two hours while waiting for treatment, finally died in her grandfather's arms,' reads Naya Patrika.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 08, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.