Kathmandu, June 8
Despite the first all-party meeting since the formation of the government led by Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah, Speaker Dol Prasad (DP) Aryal was unable to run the House today.
The opposition party lawmakers continued their protest in the Lower House of the Federal Parliament, demanding an apology, evidence or the expungement of Prime Minister Shah's remarks on the border dispute.
Following the disruptions from the opposition, Aryal adjourned the meeting for 15 minutes. However, the meeting could not resume afterwards, and it was called off until 1:00pm tomorrow through a notice.
This is the first time a House of Representatives meeting has been adjourned by posting a notice since the historic March 5 election.
The opposition parties have demanded that Prime Minister Shah either present evidence or expunge his statement from the record after he stated that 'Nepal has also encroached upon Indian land.'
While the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) stated that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already issued a clarification regarding the prime minister's statement and that the foreign minister will clarify further if necessary, the HoR meeting has been stalled because the opposition parties refuse to back down from their stance.
COMMUNICATION BRRAKDOWN
Rabi Lamichhane, chair of the ruling RSP, convened an all-party meeting with parliamentarians today to kick off negotiations. There had been no formal dialogue between the two sides since the RSP-led government was formed on March 27.
The discussion centred on national politics, governmental and parliamentary proceedings and interparty cooperation. All opposition parties, with the exception of the Shram Sanskriti Party (SSP), sent representatives to the meeting today.
Although communication has resumed, the Parliament remains deadlocked as the opposition maintains its decision to obstruct proceedings until the prime minister corrects his remarks on the border.
Lamichhane kicked off today's all-party meeting at Singha Durbar by updating attendees on his recent trip to India. In response, opposition parties demanded clarification on discussions with the Indian side about the encroachment on Nepali territory and the eminent persons group (EPG) report.
However, Lamichhane reportedly failed to respond clearly to either of the opposition's questions. The discussion then shifted to resolving the parliamentary deadlock. During the meeting, the opposition urged Lamichhane to ensure that the prime minister apologises to the House for his statement and that the incorrect remark be removed from the parliamentary record.
Lamichhane responded by proposing that because it was a thematic matter, the prime minister would not speak immediately and the foreign minister would respond. Lamichhane also expressed his willingness to address the issue directly. The opposition, nevertheless, could not agree to Lamichhane's proposals.
MPS SPEAK
The House of Representatives convened immediately following the all-party meeting today at 1:00pm. But as soon as the meeting began, opposition MPs disrupted the meeting again, reiterating their demand that the prime minister apologise for his border comments.
Opposition parties - including the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepali Communist Party, Shram Sanskriti Party and RPP - staged a protest.
Budget discussions have stalled due to opposition protests. The House met on June 2 but adjourned due to opposition disruptions and reconvened today. Following the ongoing protests, Speaker Aryal gave party representatives an opportunity to address the House.
Speaking at the meeting, lawmaker Padma Kumari Aryal demanded that PM's statement be removed from the official records. She recalled that a national consensus was reached in 2020 to include Lipulek, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani on Nepal's official map.
NC lawmaker Santosh Subba asked, "Will the Parliament find a way forward or not? You are our custodian. You do not have the luxury of failure. It is your responsibility to guide us. We may make minor errors that we can correct, but you do not have that luxury."
He also stated that the speaker must accept full responsibility for initiating and maintaining parliamentary proceedings.
"The prime minister must appear in the Parliament and give answers. He must clearly state where Nepal has encroached on Indian territory. This is the Nepali Congress' stance. It is prepared to remain dignified, improve parliamentary practice and empower you as we move forward," he said.
EV CUSTOMS SCANDAL
Meanwhile, legislators including Harka Raj Sampang Rai, Barshaman Pun and Gyanendra Bahadur Shahi, among others, expressed concerns about alleged irregularities in vehicle imports from China and have called for a thorough investigation into the situation. They cited media reports alleging that changes in tax rates and customs procedures had facilitated such irregularities.
The Armed Police Force (APF) had earlier seized 779 electric vehicles, the majority of which were BYD models, from Korala, Jomsom, Kusma and other locations for further investigation into possible customs and revenue violations. In addition, the government has formed a committee to investigate the matter, which includes representatives from the Ministry of Finance, the Department of Customs and APF.
Nonetheless, Shahi, leader of the RPP parliamentary party, has called for the formation of a parliamentary investigation committee, claiming that Finance Minister Swarnim Waglé manipulated tax rates.
Speaking at today's House of Representatives meeting, he argued that any investigative committee formed by the government itself would lack credibility.
"Previously, government ministers would commit wrongdoing, form their own investigation committees, clear themselves of all charges, and then expect Parliament to applaud. The public became sick and tired of this, which is why the events of September 8 and 9 occurred. Keep in mind that a parliamentary probe committee is required to investigate the country's finance minister," he stated, questioning the government's accountability to Parliament.
They also demanded that those found responsible face the consequences.
