KATHMANDU, July 12: Lawmakers of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) walked out of the parliament on Sunday saying that there is no meaning of discussions on programs and policies presented by an "unconstitutional" government. [break]
They walked a few minutes after one of their senior leaders, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, concluded his address, questioning the legitimacy of the government.
"We reject the programs and policies in totality, so there is no meaning of discussing it clause-wise," Dr Bhattarai said. He also accused Finance Minister Surendra Pandey of wasting the hard-earned revenue that the ministry collected during Bhattarai´s tenure as finance minister.
The Maoist lawmakers walked after J P Gupta of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum finished his address of about seven minutes.
Discussions on programs and policies of the government presented by President Dr Ram Baran Yadav began in the parliament 30 minutes behind its schedule of 8 a.m.
The discussion, a precursor to presenting the annual budget that is due on Monday, could not take place on Saturday after a faction of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum led by its chairman Upendra Yadav threatened to disrupt the proceedings unless Forum´s parliamentary party office was returned to them. The faction claimed that the rival faction led by Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar had "captured" the PP office. A late Saturday agreement to hand over the PP office to Yadav-led faction paved the way for the discussions in the House.
However, this means there will just be a day of discussions on the programs and policies presented on Thursday before the budget which is due to be tabled on Monday.
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