Kathmandu, December 19:

Parliamentarians today rai-sed concern over the government’s decision to nominate ambassadors for 13 countries and a permanent representative in Geneva.

The Members of Parliament (MPs) said the cabinet’s recommendation has violated agreements signed between the Seven-Party Alliance and the Maoists.

They also criticised the naming of Shailaja Acharya — a member of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee — as ambassador to India. According to them, Acharya had a hand in suppressing Jana Andolan II.

“This is the beginning of the defeat of democracy as persons who were involved in supressing the people’s mass movement have been nominated as ambassadors,” said CPN-UML MP Pradip Nepal.

Lila Mani Pokhrel criticised the nomination process and the recommendations. The MPs claimed that the cabinet made such a move to thwart elections to a constituent assembly.

“The government thought that this would force Maoists to commit some mistake, which in turn would obstruct the peace process and the elections to a constituent assembly,” Pokhrel said.

The MPs said the cabinet should own responsibility for any untoward incident that may take place because of the nominations.

MP Nawaraj Subedi also came down heavily on the cabinet for the nominations. He said it was against the spirit of the mandate given by the people. “Shailaja Acharya, the person who opposed the people’s movement, has been nominated ambassador,” he said.

MP Bijaya Subba condemned the nominations and said they are not inclusive. According to him, the government has sidelined women and the ethnic minority.

MPs also opposed some Articles of the interim constitution, including the one that makes the Prime Minister the most powerful person. MP Nepal demanded that the government scrap Article 40, as it gives autocratic rights to the PM.

“There are serious flaws in the interim constitution. They should be discussed in the House. The idea of a Constitutional Council headed by the Prime Minister sounds strange,” Nepal said.MP Sohan Lal Chaudhari also asked why the government had not yet tabled the interim constitution in the House.

Meanwhile. the Rastriya Prajatantra Party today labelled the government’s decision on appointing ambassadors a belated one .”This does not bode well for the future,” party chairman Pashupati SJB Rana told this daily.