KATHMANDU: Lawmakers speaking in the Special Hour of the National Assembly meeting today voiced their concerns on various issues.

Radheshyam Adhikari, referring to the Prime Minister's consultation on Monday with some editors, said it was the job of the government to raise hope among the people by removing the sense of despair.

Drawing the attention of the government to the incident in which former Maoist combatant Lenin Bista was prevented from boarding a plane at the airport in connection with participating in a programme abroad, he commented that the government infringed on the right of a citizen by preventing him from travelling abroad.

Adhikari also criticised the government saying that Khadga Bahadur Bishwakarma, the spokesman of the Communist Party of Nepal led by Biplav, has been held in custody time and again despite the court order to release him.

He called on the government to immediately form the National Natural Resources and Finance Commission to resolve the problems to do with tax.

Hari Charan Shivakoti alleged that the bureaucracy instituted during the time of the unitary political system in the country was creating hurdles towards pursuing the socialism-oriented economic policy enshrined in the constitution.

Brisesh Chandra Lal expressed concern over the growing cases of violence against women and called on the Home Ministry to be serious about this.

Komal Oli described the Fourth BIMSTEC Summit taking place in Nepal as a matter of national pride and it would be fruitful in terms of enhancing connectivity in the region.

Ramprit Paswan said that some of the government offices and the district administration office in Janakpur defied the public holiday announced for Province 2 by the provincial government on the occasion of Bakar Id and Rakshya Bandhan festivals. He said this incident indicates that the federal government is still guided by the traditional mindset, adding that this type of attitude would weaken the federalism rather than strengthening it.

Ram Lakhan Chamar drew the government's attention to the problems faced by the locals of Susta area. He demanded that the government should form a powerful monitoring team for taking action against the people committing irregularities in the development works. He also urged the government to utilise the BIMSTEC Summit forum and take initiative for the implementation of the agreements reached with India.