As soon as the main opposition Nepali Congress lawmakers picketed the rostrum, demanding immediate withdrawal of government action against the army chief, Maoist lawmakers started shouting slogans against Nepali Congress move and army Chief Rookmangud Katawal.
After about ten minutes of sloganeering for and against the government action, Speaker Subas Nembang adjourned the meeting till Wednesday afternoon.
Speaking at the meeting, NepalI Congress lawmaker Prakash Man Singh said 17 parties including the ruling ones arrived at a conclusion to continue obstructing the House after realizing that government action against Katawal was part of the Maoists attack on democracy.
“It is not an outcome of a normal incident of taking action against Katawal but serious attack on democracy and the ongoing peace process,” said Singh. “We have already agreed in the peace agreements that we will pay special attention while taking decisions on the issue that are directly related to peace process.”
He claimed that the clarification sought from the army chief has a clear intention of capturing entire state organs and was full of Maoists’ partisan interest. The issues in the questioning either have already been settled by the court or are under court’s purview, he said. He also accused the Maoists of searching for their loyal judges in the Supreme Court.
“In the name of establishing civilian supremacy over army, the Maoists are trying to destroy the last frontier of national sovereignty and integrity,” said Singh.
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