NC keeps up with House boycott

Kathmandu, December 24:

Today’s parliamentary session was adjourned till Friday after main opposition Nepali Congress boycotted the House, demanding Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal to furnish replies to the implemention of nine-point agreement reached with NC on November 11. The NC has boycotted the House for three times over the issues of agreement and PM’s remarks against the norms of democracy.

Bishwendra Paswan of Janajati Dalit Party and two independent CA members, Sadrul Miya Haq and Baban Singh, also boycotted the House, saying that the Bill on Scholarship (third amendment) 2008 failed to follow the principle of inclusiveness on government scholarship in educational institutions, and not including Muslim CA member in the Constitutional Committee.

“PM Dahal had agreed to return all seized property to rightful owners and end paramilitary structure of the YCL as well as vacate public buildings and premises occupied by YCL by December 15,” NC chief whip Laxman Prasad Ghimire said. “But he did not keep up with his words given to Parliament about a month ago.” Ghimire demanded the PM to inform the House about the issues of returning the seized properties and disbanding the paramilitary structures. “NC will continue to boycott the House until the PM replies to the House,” he added.

The PM has, however, proposed to form a parliamentary committee to investigate the property seized during the conflict. But NC could not believe in his deceptive words.

Likewise, Shankar Pokharel of the ruling CPN-UML expressed concerns over attacks on media houses, hospitals and strikes in industrial sectors, mainly by the Maoist affiliated trade unions. He also condemned the UML-affiliated Youth Force’s act of burning copies of Ankush Weekly, a Nepali vernacular published from Birgunj, on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, a press statement issued by Ishwor Pokharel, chief of UML’s publicity department,

said the act of burning copies of Ankush Weekly was condemnable and the party demands action against the guilty.

The party has also instructed the district party committee to take action against the YF cadres for involving in such activities.