Gupta recently told a group of media persons that the Madhes region may break its relation with the state within two to three months if the issues raised by Madhesi leaders are not addressed.[break]
"The prime minister should sack the minister for the remarks against national integrity and clarify the matter before the parliament," said Arjun Joshi of NC at a parliament meeting Monday.
Bijay Paudel of the CPN-UML described Gupta´s remark as a plot conspired against national integrity. "This is not an utterance of sudden anger nor a slip of the tongue," he said. "It has come as per instructions from some external elements that are working against our country´s integrity."
Also, Chitra Bahadur KC of Rastriya Janamorcha, Prakash Chandra Lohani of Rastriya Janashakti Party, CP Mainali of CPN-ML, Chandra Bahadur Gurung of Rastriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal, Navaraj Koirala of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Badri Neupane of Chure-Bhawar Rastriya Ekta Party and Eknath Dhakal of Nepal Family Party fiercely criticized Gupta for giving such remarks and demanded his resignation.
Most of those airing their views at the House meeting questioned the present government´s commitment to national interest. "Gupta´s statement is not an isolated case given that one after another minister in this cabinet are making similar remarks," said Mainali. "We shouldn´t expect much from this government because the prime minister himself recently made controversial statement."
The prime minister had to clarify about his statement before a parliament meeting last week after lawmakers fiercely criticized him for saying that Nepal may be economically submerged to one of the neighboring countries if it fails to gain double-digit economic growth in view of fast growing neighbors -- India and China.
Madhesi People´s Rights Forum leader Sharat Singh Bhandari, who was minister for defense in the present cabinet, had to step down after opposition parties obstructed parliament proceedings demanding his resignation for his remarks saying that 22 districts in the Tarai-Madhes region may revolt against the center and no constitution or law can stop them from breaking away from the country if their concerns are not properly addressed.
Madhesi lawmaker finds civil war beginning from parliament
After listening to fierce criticism against Minister Gupta at parliament meeting from opposition lawmakers, Chandrika Yadav, a leader from Gupta´s party Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Republican (MPRF-R), said it seemed that leaders from other parties have waged a civil war from parliament itself.
"Call it civil war or proxy war, it has been started at the parliament and it will take a nasty turn if it spreads outside the parliament," MPRF-R´s Chief Whip Yadav said at the meeting.
He criticized the lawmakers for ´spitting venom´ against the minister just because of his utterance of anger.
Also, Sarvadev Ojha of MPRF-Democratic accused other party leaders of being biased toward Madhesi leaders and communities. "Civil servants have blatantly violated the instruction of the home minister and political parties are not worried a bit," he said threatening to launch protests if the concerns of Madhesi communities were not heeded.
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