KATHMANDU, March 24: Lawmakers of the ruling Nepali Congress have sought action against the party’s Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire for his controversial appeal for legalizing prostitution in Nepal during a meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) held on March 16.
The meeting of the office-bearers and former office-bearers of the party held at the residence of party president Sher Bahadur Deuba on Sunday saw a heated debate on the topic as some of the party’s top brass denounced Ghimire’s remarks while a few leaders supported him.
According to the lawmakers of the NC, some leaders of the party have started lobbying for ousting Ghimire from his post of chief whip for his irresponsible remark and misunderstanding of the role of the chief whip. In particular, women lawmakers of the NC are still dissatisfied over the party’s lenient treatment towards Ghimire.
Remark and Regret
During a special session of the HoR, Ghimire had urged for commercializing the sex industry, claiming that doing so will increase the number of tourists in Nepal. Stating that religious tourists spend miserly as compared to tourists seeking recreation, he had said that prostitution and marijuana need to be legalized in Nepal.
Following widespread criticism from opposition lawmakers as well as leaders of the NC in the following day’s HoR meeting, NC Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka had instructed Ghimire to withdraw the statement after a scuffle broke out over the issue. President Deuba had appointed Ghimire as the chief whip on Khadka’s recommendation.
In accordance with that directive, Ghimire apologized at the beginning of the HoR meeting on March 19, clarifying that his opinion on prostitution was a personal opinion, not the official line of the NC. He stated that he regretted making such a remark while representing the party in the parliament.
He said, “The opinion I expressed is a personal opinion expressed in a special context as a parliamentarian. This opinion is not the official opinion of the NC or the parliamentary party. If this opinion has had any negative impact on the esteemed members of parliament and other public, I respectfully apologize to them.”
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The debate over the controversial remark has not subsided even after the apology.
Misunderstood role or immature Chief Whip?
Most NC lawmakers have opined that Ghimire misunderstood the chief whip’s responsibility.
NC’s General Secretary Bishwa Prakash Sharma told Republica that Ghimire made an error by forgetting his responsibility as the chief whip.
“As the chief whip, Ghimire is responsible for only putting forth the party’s official line at the parliament,” lawmaker Sharma said, “Expressing his personal opinion while acting as the chief whip was a mistake that he has apologized for.”
Spokesperson for the NC’s central working committee, lawmaker Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat pointed out Ghimire’s blunder in not consulting with the party before making such a public statement in the HoR meeting.
“It is clear: Chief Whip Ghimire committed a blunder by neither consulting with the party nor conducting enough research before making such a statement,” Dr Mahat told Republica, “He failed to conduct himself as a mature lawmaker.”
Lawmaker Ishwari Devi Neupane echoed Mahat's opinion and slammed Ghimire’s remarks as a display of his immaturity.
“He showed his immature nature by speaking without thinking about the meaning of his words,” she told this scribe, “He has ridiculed the Hindu religion by comparing religious tourism to prostitution-oriented tourism and attacked the women in Nepal by calling for the legalization of prostitution.”
Lawmakers demand stringent action
While the NC’s official line, as stated by General Secretary Sharma and Spokesperson Mahat, is that Chief Whip Ghimire has already rectified his mistake by apologizing at the HoR meeting, some elements within the party have started demanding stringent party action against him.
In particular, women leaders of the NC have urged the party president Deuba for stringent action against Ghimire. Lawmakers Sarita Prasai and Ishwari Neupane told Republica that they would not let Ghimire get away with a simple apology.
“The women lawmakers in the party have strong objection to Ghimire’s remark,” lawmaker Prasai said, “It would tarnish the party’s reputation if lawmakers evade action even after committing such a blunder.”
NC leader Dr. Minendra Rijal said at a program organized in the capital on Friday that irresponsible statements should not be made while holding a responsible position in the party. Raising questions about Ghimire’s role, Dr. Rijal said that he should step down from the post of chief whip to express personal opinions in the Parliament.
“The chief whip took time from the house in the name of the party and then claimed that the remark was his personal opinion. When he speaks on the rostrum tomorrow, wouldn’t I be compelled to ask whether it is his personal opinion or the party’s? What will be the credibility of the party then?” Dr Rijal said.
Call for removing Ghimire from post
Several NC lawmakers have called for the removal of Ghimire from his post of chief whip of the party.
“It is not just the women leaders who have urged party president Deuba to remove Ghimire from his post, other leaders with enough political clout, hopeful of replacing Ghimire have also raised the issue to demand his ousting,” a senior NC leader told Republica.
While General Secretary Sharma admitted the possibility of such a demand from the party’s lawmakers, he stated that no such action has been proposed officially.
“Some lawmakers may have demanded further action, but only informally,” he said, “Formally, it seems the party has already taken action by directing Ghimire to apologize.”