Talks end on positive note, another round likely late night or Friday morning
KATHMANDU, July 22: Nepali Congress lawmaker Gagan Thapa on Thursday registered a motion of public importance at Parliament, calling for discussions on the demands raised by Dr Govinda KC.
Lawmakers Dhanraj Gurung of NC and Shyam Shrestha of CPN (Maoist Center) seconded the motion.
“Parliament is a body for discussing, monitoring and exercising surveillence over the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). We even discuss newspaper reports. Isn't it our responsibility to subject constitutional bodies to discussion and bring out the truth?” reads the motion.
Dr Govinda KC, a senior orthopedic surgeon at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), has been on a hunger strike since 12 days, pressing various demands including impeachment of CIAA chief Lokman Singh Karki.
Meanwhile, talks between a government team and representatives of Dr KC held on Thursday ended on a positive note. Dr KC's representatives informed that they discussed with the government representatives every single point raised by Dr KC.
"We have discussed every point raised by Dr KC. The talks were positive and we have agreed to hold another round," said Dr Jeeven Chhetri, who represents Dr KC and was at the talks. Dr Chhetri declined to disclose details about the talks saying they had to tell Dr KC first. He said the government team for its part had to meet the prime minister to seek his authorization before signing any deal.
A highly placed source said the talks team has not entered into the question of the impeachment of CIAA chief Lokman Singh Karki. The team has discussed the bill related to the Manmohan Memorial Institute of Health Sciences which is now in Parliament. The government's team said they needed the consent of PM Oli to decide its fate.
Dr Chhetri informed that another round of talks could be held late at night or on Friday morning.
Earlier on Thursday afternoon, the government team visited TUTH to take stock of Dr KC's health condition. The team initiated a meeting at the Health Ministry after hearing Dr KC's stance.
The government talks team includes Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office Kamalshali Ghimire and Education Secretary Bishwa Prakash Pandit and it is under the coordination of Secretary at the Health Ministry Shenendra Raj Uprety.
Similarly, the team representing Dr KC includes his aides Jiwan KC, Suman Acharya, Dr Anjani Kumar Jha, Dr Rijan Maharjan, Sneha Bandhu Regmi and Dr Ranjan Sapkota.
Gagan Thapa files motion at parliament to discuss Dr KC's deman...
