As Madhesi parties obstruct proceedings, House deferred till Dec 6

KATHMANDU: Lawmakers of the agitating Madhes-based parties obstructed the proceedings of Parliament on Tuesday demanding that the government addressed their demands at the earliest.

Immediately after Speaker Onsari Gharti provided main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) lawmaker Farmullah Mansur time to speak at the House, the Madhesi-based parties gheraoed the rostrum and started to chant slogans.

At the time Madhesi parties protested in front of the Speaker's well,   lawmakers of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) lawmakers Prem Suwal and Anuradha Thapa Magar stood from their seats and started chanting slogans accusing India of interfering in Nepal's internal affairs.

They demanded that the Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Ranjit Rae, be sent back to India and the Indian blockade on Nepal be immediately lifted.

Speaker Gharti was scheduled to read out the letter received from the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in today's meeting.

Following the obstruction, Speaker Gharti adjourned the House till 1 pm December 6.

Earlier, the meeting of Parliament was adjourned till today following obstruction by the NC.

NC lawmakers had objected to Speaker Onsari Gharti after she provided Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal (FSF-N) Chairman Upendra Yadav with time to speak at the House.

They had demanded that their party should be given first chance to speak as per the set parliamentary practice.