Opposition accuses speaker of working at govt's behest

Published On: July 11, 2019 03:30 AM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

Photo by: Dipesh Shrestha

KATHMANDU, July 11: Opposition parties have accused Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara of working at the behest of the government after the speaker pressed ahead with parliamentary proceedings on Wednesday ignoring protests and sloganeering by the opposition parties.

Reiterating their demand for a parliamentary probe into last month's killings by police of two individuals in separate incidents in Sarlahi district, Nepali Congress (NC) and Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN) obstructed the House meeting on Wednesday as well.

As talks between the leaders of the ruling Nepal Communist Party and opposition NC and RJPN failed to end the standoff in parliament, Speaker Mahara decided to table a notice from the upper house on Wednesday amid protest in the well and sloganeering by the opposition lawmakers. The speaker asked House of Representatives Secretary Gopal Nath Yogi to table the message from National Assembly about endorsement of budget-related bills from the upper house.

The House meeting had been deferred on Tuesday after opposition lawmakers resorted to obstruction demanding formation of a parliamentary probe panel to investigate the killings by police last month of Saroj Narayan Singh and Sarlahi district in-charge of Netra Bikram Chand-led party Kumar Paudel. Opposition parties have alleged that both the killings were extra-judicial and demanded an independent investigation.

On Tuesday Mahara had said that he was positive about the demands of the opposition parties but said consultations were needed with political parties prior to taking any decision. “The home minister told the House that he agrees to launching a parliamentary investigation and the speaker himself was positive about forming in probe panel on Monday. But on Wednesday, the speaker pressed ahead with the House proceedings ignoring our obstruction after the law minister refused to form a probe panel,” NC lawmaker Gagan Thapa said while emerging from the House meeting on Wednesday. The House meeting has been deferred until Monday after a brief sitting amid protest from the opposition parties.