Anti-Dahal slogans enter parliament records

KATHMANDU, May 10: Some slogans chanted against UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal have been recorded at the parliamentary meeting on Monday.



Standing Committee member of UCPN (Maoist) Amik Sherchan repeated the slogans chanted by the peace assembly organized by the business community Friday, to explain to the meeting what kind of indecent language was used.[break]



While claiming that the peace assembly was not entirely intended for peace, rather it was planned against the Maoist leadership, Sherchan said people at the assembly used offensive language while sloganeering against the Maoist party chairman.



He repeated the three slogans used: Down with Prachanda [Dahal], Hang Prachanda, Prachanda thief quit the country.



He argued that the peace assembly was a conspiracy hatched by the ruling parties against the Maoist-called general strike.



Using of even a single indecent word against any leader, individual or institution is taken seriously in a parliamentary system. Usually, when a parliamentarian uses any insulting language against any other leader, the other members immediately object and the speaker rules that the House correct such wording.



But on Monday the speaker did not take any action as no one objected to Sherchan´s words. Many Maoist lawmakers, however, felt embarrassed. Many of them left the meeting while Sherchan continued with his speech for around an hour. "I couldn´t stay there any longer as it was so awkward," said a Maoist lawmaker outside the parliament hall.



"His speech has created a very awkward record in parliament against his own party chairman" UML lawmaker Agni Kharel told Republica.



But Speaker Subas Nembang could not stop himself from ruling against Sherchan when the latter accused him of failing to expedite the constitution-writing process. He accused Nembang, who is also chairman of the Constituent Assembly (CA), of failing to rise above being a UML leader. "It has been a long time since the CA meeting took place. Why don´t you take initiative to call the CA meeting. You shouldn´t present yourself as a UML leader in the CA," Sherchan said. Nembang then had to rule that he "leave that context right there."



After his address, Sherchan announced a boycott of the meeting to protest the government´s "brutally suppressing the Maoists" during the recent general strike called by the party.

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