Deepak Manange enters Gandaki Province in an Indian number plate vehicle

POKHARA, Jan 29: Newly appointed provincial parliamentarian Rajiv Gurung, alias, Deepak Manange entered Gandaki's provincial assembly in a vehicle with Indian number plate, BR 06 PD 7529.

Manange also brought a group along with him as he entered the provincial assembly. Manange was sworn in as a parliamentarian after 14 months yesterday.

Seeing Manange inside the vehicle, the security personnel deployed at the gates didn't question Manange's vehicle. However, when journalists questioned why he had come in an Indian vehicle, he said that it was his brother's vehicle. "Security personnel can tell whether it had to be parked outside or not," he added.  

He added that rather than questioning the vehicle's entry inside the provincial assembly, security personnel needed to check if the vehicle had paid Rs. 450 as road tax. "When India is giving ambulances, why can't we use the vehicle? We can't fly -- we can drive," he retorted and brought the action of province 2's ministers and chief ministers in defense.

"When province 2's chief minister and ministers are using Indian number plate vehicles uninterrupted, this shouldn't be a big deal."

Hari Bahadur Chuman, the provincial minister for Internal Affairs and Law said that he'd review the law.

Sub-inspector Chandra Bahadur Khatri said, "We couldn't stop the parliamentarian's vehicle. Those deployed at the gate didn't inform me. However, I have reported the incident at the district," he said adding that they wouldn't permit Indian number plate vehicles inside the provincial assembly from tomorrow onwards.  

However, after the vehicle caught attention, it has now been parked outside of the provincial assembly. Manange won under the independent category and has sat on the government's row inside the parliament. He said that he'd support the government's efforts. Likewise, another parliamentarian, Ram Bahadur Gurung entered the provincial assembly in a vehicle with a green number plate.