Kathmandu, February 6

Minister of Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa today faced several crime-related questions from both ruling and opposition lawmakers.

The lawmakers sought answers from Thapa on cases related to rape and murder of Nirmala Panta (Kanchanpur), Nishan Khadka (Khadaghari, Kathmandu), Namraj Bista (Achham), Gopal Tamang and Ajay Tamang (Bhaktapur) and use of pesticides in drinking water in Morang.

Furnishing his replies, Thapa said the administration had been investigating the cases and culprits would be brought to book. Law enforcement agencies have been successful in identifying and bringing to book culprits in 96 per cent of the cases, while investigation into the remaining four per cent would conclude soon, he said.Reading out readymade written replies in tune with what he has been saying publicly, Thapa did not furnish any new details or progress in investigation.

The first questioner, Nepali Congress lawmaker Devendra Raj Kandel, asked Thapa about the murder of 11-year-old Nishan Khadka and police encounter of the Tamang duo. Disappointed with Thapa’s reply, Kandel again put forth his supplementary question, but Thapa again failed to satisfy lawmakers. Nepali Congress Chief Whip Bal Krishna Khand also asked supplementary question on the same issue.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Dila Sangrula asked why the government had not been able to bring to book culprit(s) in the Nirmala Panta case. “The government is serious about the case, and culprit(s) will be brought to book no matter where they are — in Singha Durbar or Baluwatar,” Thapa said.

Citing Defence Minister Ishwar Pokharel’s statement a few months ago that culprit(s) in the Nirmala Panta case had been identified, NC lawmaker Gagan Thapa sought clarification from the home minister. The minister expressed ignorance about the defence minister’s views, but added that Pokharel might have said the culprit(s) would be brought to book soon. “It seems it will take some time to identify culprit(s). Investigation is under way,” the home minister said.

In today’s House session, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development Chakra Pani Khanal, Minister of Women, Children and Senior Citizens Tham Maya Thapa, Minister of Forest and Environment Shakti Bahadur Basnet and Minister of Finance Yubaraj Khatiwada faced questions from lawmakers.

A limit had been set that no more than five lawmakers would ask supplementary questions to a minister. As per the parliamentary regulation, the question-answer session has to be held for an hour, but Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara today allowed more than two hours. Mahara later said the session would run no longer than an hour henceforth.

Mahara disallowed lawmakers Man Kumari GC and Hira Gurung, among others, from asking questions citing the parliamentary practice that supplementary questions should be asked on the basis of the main written questions.