Lawmaker Sharma demands security

KATHMANDU, Aug 8: The controversy over issuance of threat against parliamentarian Ram Kumar Sharma allegedly by an Indian embassy officer has deepened after Sharma filed a complaint against the officer at the Parliament Secretariat on Sunday.

Immediately after the secretariat received his complaint, the parliamentary committee on foreign relations and human rights summoned Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Minister for Foreign Affairs Sujata Koirala for clarification on the matter for Tuesday. [break]

In a letter to Speaker Subas Nembang on Sunday, Sharma demanded that the government make security arrangement for his safety. He said Subrata Das, consular officer at the embassy, had threatened to abduct him and finish off his political career.

"Through you, I request the government to make security arrangement for me and take action against the irresponsible and undisciplined consular officer of the Indian embassy," he said in his letter submitted to the speaker. "This is not only a threat against an elected parliamentarian but an attack on sovereign Nepal´s nationality."

According to Sharma, Consular Das, using abusive language, also accused Sharma of pressing other lawmakers from Madhes-based parties to cast their votes for UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, a prime ministerial candidate. The UCPN (Maoist) on Saturday demanded official view of the Indian embassy over the matter.

After receiving his letter, Nembang telephoned Home Minister Bhim Rawal and took stock of the security arrangement for Sharma.

"The Parliament Secretariat also wrote to the Prime Minister´s Office (PMO) and to the parliamentary committee on international relations and human rights," said a source at the Parliament Secretariat. "The PMO will immediately forward the case to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the source said.

Padam Lal Bishwarkarma, chairman of the parliamentary committee, said he called an urgent meeting of the committee due to the seriousness of the matter.

"We have summoned the prime minister and the minister for foreign affairs at the committee meeting for Tuesday as parliamentarian Sharma and Speaker Subas Nembang drew our attention to a serious matter," he told myrepublica.com.

Sharma is officially a lawmaker from Tarai-Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) although he joined the UCPN (Maoist) August last year. So far, neither the TMDP has demanded scrapping of Sharma position as lawmaker, nor has Sharma resigned.

Interestingly, TMDP that remained silent for a year sought clarification from Sharma on the same day when Das threatened him. TMDP´s three-day ultimatum given to Sharma expired Sunday.

Sharma, who joined UCPN (Maoist) as a central member said he would take his decision after consulting Maoist Chairman Dahal. TMDP has said it could sack Sharma as party member and lawmaker if he failed to furnish convincing clarification to the party.

Parliament Secretariat can sack him as lawmaker if TMDP demands. Earlier, the parliament annulled membership of two Maoist lawmakers -- Matrika Yadav and Jagat Yadav -- upon the request of the UCPN (Maoist).

As Sharma is a parliamentarian elected under the first-past-the-post electoral system from Mahottarai-4, once he is sacked from the post there shall be a by-election to elect new member from the constituency within six months after the post turns vacant.

"TMDP sought clarification from me on the same day [August 6], when the fourth round of voting to elect new prime minister was held and Das threatened me saying that I will be sacked as lawmaker," Sharma said. He argued that circumstantial evidences have made it clear why TMDP sought clarification 13 months after he quit that party.

Indian prime minister´s special envoy, Shyam Saran, was on two-day Nepal visit during the same time.

According to him, on the same day, Indian ambassador Rakesh Sood had telephoned him and discussed current political scenario. Sharma said when he complained to the ambassador against Das, the ambassador said, "Okay I will study the matter."

"I was prepared to resign immediately after I quit the party last year. I delayed it upon the suggestion of party chairman (Dahal). I am always ready to resign as I am confident that I can win the election any time from my constituency," he claimed.

He was an active Maoist leader in the Tarai before joining TMDP. Sharma, who led the Madhes movement as one of the key commanders during the 2007 agitation, is believed to have strong hold in his home district.