KATHMANDU, MAY 17
The main opposition, CPN- UML, which had been obstructing the Parliament since September 8 over Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota's refusal to confirm the expulsion of 14 UML lawmakers, including Madhav Kumar Nepal, ended the obstruction today.
The government had not been able to pass any bill due to the UML obstruction and had to pass this fiscal's budget and get the Millennium Challenge Corporation's Nepal compact ratified by the Lower House amidst the UML's obstruction.
UML lawmakers stalled House proceedings in the National Assembly today, but later UML Chief Whip Dipendra Dahal addressed the House saying that his party decided to end obstruction as the continued obstruction of House proceedings deprived people's representatives of the right to voice public's concerns.
As soon as House proceedings began on the first day of the budget session today, UML lawmakers rose from their chairs, following which Speaker Sapkota let UML's Pradeep Kumar Gyawali speak from the rostrum.
Gyawali said that their obstruction was aimed at pro-tecting democratic values and as the situation had changed after local polls, his party decided to end House obstruction.
He said they still believed in the issues they raised - the expulsion of 14 lawmakers, the government's attempt to split the UML, the speaker's partisan approach vis-à-vis his party, and the court's reluctance to give a verdict in the case filed by his party challenging the speaker's refusal to confirm the expulsion of 14 lawmakers.
He said his party decided to end House obstruction as the country faced ser ious economic crisis which needed to be discussed in the House.
"All the indices of economy are in red zone and foreign currency reserve has been depleting," Gyawali said, adding that people were facing the brunt of rising prices.
CPN-Maoist Centre Chief Whip in the House of Representatives Dev Prasad Gurung told THT that his party took the UML's decision to end House obstruction positively.
He said the House would discuss urgent bills after passing the budget. "We have been saying that the issue of 14 lawmakers is sub judice and it should not be discussed in the House, but the UML did not agree to end their obstruction earlier,"
Gurung said.
Gurung added, "Obstructing the functioning of a vital organ of the state - legislature - is autocratic thinking."
Gurung hoped that the UML would not resort to House obstruction again. In democracy, one should follow rules and norms to express his/her dissent, he argued.
Minister of Finance Janardan Sharma presented the government's principles and priorities of budget, but not the revenue proposal.
Sharma told the House that the national economy, which was hit by the COVID pandemic, was slowly gaining pace and was expected to grow by more than five per cent.
He said the next fiscal budget would focus on strengthening federalism, preparing base for socialist oriented economy, and ensuring social justice. He said the government would invest in social sector and try to make the economy self-reliant.
Sharma said that import of goods had increased in recent years as Nepal's production base had shrunk.
According to the constitutional provision, the government will present national budget on May 29.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 18, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
