KATHMANDU, Jan 7: The main opposition party, Nepali Congress (NC), obstructed parliament meeting on Sunday questioning the role of Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara in parliament. 

The meeting of the House of Representatives has been put off till Wednesday after NC lawmakers picketed the rostrum when Speaker Mahara barred lawmakers from asking questions to Prime Minister KP Oli on issues of public importance. 

Although the meeting was initially adjourned for 15 minutes after NC’s protest, Speaker Mahara later decided to put off the meeting till Wednesday after NC continued protest.

During Sunday’s meeting, Prime Minister Oli in his address to parliament had tried to defend the government on various controversial issues. As the request of NC lawmakers to allow them question the prime minister was snubbed by Speaker Mahara, the NC lawmakers obstructed the meeting.

Rule 219 of parliamentary regulations allows lawmakers to ask questions to prime minister on issues of public importance, with due consent from the House speaker. NC has accused Speaker Mahara, who was elected as lawmaker from the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP), of playing controversial role apparently to protect the government from critical questions.

Although the speaker initially refused to allow NC lawmakers from asking questions to the prime minister, he had later agreed to give one minute per lawmaker for questioning. But the NC lawmakers vehemently protested the idea and the speaker put off the meeting.

NC lawmaker Gagan Thapa said they will continue obstructing the parliament until they are allowed to ask questions to the prime minister. He said that they were forced to protest in parliament after Speaker Mahara acted in a partisan manner forgetting his role as speaker.

Thapa also said NC would not tolerate if the parliament is run in an ‘autocratic manner’. 

“Mahara behaved like a party activist even when seated in the speaker’s chair. If the government was not willing to entertain our questions, the prime minister could have spoken from Singha Durbar. Why did he come to parliament,” he asked. 

Earlier, addressing the parliament, Prime Minister Oli said that he was not interested in arguments and counter arguments, but was rather focused on national development. He had, in his speech, elaborated on various activities carried out by the current government, highlighting mainly the good works of the government.
While defending the government decision not to grant voluntary retirement to civil servants, Oli said their decision had saved the sate coffers around Rs 60 billion. He argued that civil servants adjustment ordinance had in no way obstructed career prospects of civil servants. Earlier, the NC had demanded withdrawal of the ordinance. 

Prime Minister Oli had spent much of his speech responding to the criticisms about government performance. Responding to the criticism that the government has failed to live up to its tall promises, Oli said, “Be patient. Railroad will also come. We will also operate ships. We will also have railway stations and ticket counters. Rest assured.”

 
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