KATHMANDU, July 26

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam on Sunday told the Parliament that the incident in Makawanpur in which an RPP-N lawmaker and many others were injured occurred because RPP-N tried to obstruct the suggestion collection programme.

“When police tried to control the mob that began attacking people who were giving their suggestions on the draft constitution, 19 security personnel were injured besides four RPP-N cadres including lawmaker Ganesh Thapa in Hetauda,” Home Minister Gautam claimed.

Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang had directed Minister Gautam to clarify on the Hetauda incident after RPP-N Chief-whip Dilnath Giri demanded that the government inform the House about the incident during the last meeting of Parliament. Giri had also warned of obstructing the House.

Minister Gautam said nobody can violate the right of others to express their views while exercising their right to protest.

He said suggestions were collected without any trouble in 41 districts; with peaceful protests in 22 districts, but 12 districts including Saptari, Siraha, Makawanpur, Kapilvastu, Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Dhanusha Mahottari, Nuwakot, Sarlahi and Rupandehi witnessed violence.

He said that in Makawanpur election Constituency No 2, Hetauda RPP-N cadres were sent out of the programme by security forces as they began hurling chairs at people. “They obstructed the function and therefore security forces had to take control of the mob.”

Gautam, however, said the government expresses grief over the unfortunate incident.

However, addressing the parliament after the clarification by Home Minister Gautam, RPP-N Chairman Kamal Thapa objected to Gautam’s claim.  He said the Home Minister lied and tried to create illusion about the incident among the public though he spoke little truth.

“We were indiscriminately charged with lathis by security forces and attacked by weapon-wielding goons, who were backed by the security force,” Thapa said.

He said the party still wants to know why they were attacked so brutally.

Meanwhile demanding time from Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang, some lawmakers including Baija Nath Tharu, Dulari Harijan and Bikram Khanal demanded that the government take the incident in which a child was sacrificed in Nawalparasi very seriously and ensure such incidents never repeated anywhere in the country.

On Sunday’s Parliament endorsed the National Youth Council bill-2015 presented by Minister for Youth and Sports Purushottam Poudel.

Addressing the meeting to discuss the bill, some lawmakers including Prem Suwal said the Council was essential but there should be some corrections in its provisions.

While Mina Pun claimed that formation of the Council was erroneous because that included only civil servants instead of youth organisations that have been working for the welfare of youths for long.