Kathmandu, September 19:

Members of Parliament (MPs) today criticised the government for a ‘deteriorating security situation’ and not introducing the interim constitution.

CPN-UML lawmakers, including Pradip Nepal, accused the government of “conspiring” not to bring out an interim constitution, and for “aborting” the idea of a Constituent Assembly.

“The government is hatching conspiracy not to introduce an interim constitution and not to let Constituent Assembly elections take place. Otherwise, why was the government in a hurry to introduce the Citizenship Act?” said MP Pradip Nepal.

He also demanded that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala give up the Defence portfolio. “Koirala does not have the right to remain as the Defence Minister if he cannot democratise the Nepali Army.”

Pointing at the recent abduction of a child from Koteshwor, he added, “The government has not been able to address the issues related to security, theft, murder, abduction and rape. The Home Minister must resign.”

MP Lila and leader of the Janamorcha Nepal Lila Mani Pokhrel accused the personal assistant of the Home Minister of not letting the police take action against the culprits involved in the abduction of a child from Koteshowor.

“The Home Minister should resign because he is defaming the seven-party alliance government by not being able to maintain security,” said MP Raguji Panta of the CPN-UML.

MP Hari Acharya said the government was not serious about introducing the interim constitution. MP Mohan Bahadur Basnet said the Nepali Army was not moving towards democratisation because people with senior Cambridge degrees are being promoted to senior generals, while those who joined the institution after passing bachelor’s level are being given retirement as brigadier generals.

He accused the government of sheltering “robbers with licence” for resorting to extortion in the form of Maoists. “Maoists activities are objectionable,” Basnet said.