NC demands Mahara be probed as a common citizen

Published On: October 2, 2019 07:32 AM NPT By: Republica  | @RepublicaNepal


KATHMANDU, Oct 2: The main opposition party, Nepali Congress (NC), has demanded the government to probe into the incident of alleged sexual harassment involving Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara as a case committed by a civilian. 

NC Spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma made the demand amid speculations that the case may be settled in negotiation without making Mahara undergo any police investigation and court trials. 

There are also apprehensions that Mahara may misuse his political power to influence police investigation and thwart the case. 

Addressing a press conference organized at the party headquarters in Sanepa on Tuesday afternoon, NC Spokesperson Sharma also said that it was not clear whether Speaker Mahara had actually resigned from the post. 

“It is not clear whether Mahara resigned or gave acting responsibility [to deputy speaker],” he said, while terming the resignation letter “incomplete”. 

In his resignation letter, Speaker Mahara has said that he had decided to resign from the post until the investigation over the incident is completed, that has raised serious questions over the resignation. Mahara said that he decided to step down for the time being in order to help conduct impartial and independent probe into the alleged case of sexual harassment and rape. 

NC leaders have indicated that they will be mounting pressure on Mahara to step down “completely” as evidences in the field and narration of the victim clearly suggest that Mahara was actually involved in the sexual harassment and rape case.

However, senior leaders of ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) have said that Mahara was asked to step down in view of such a serious allegation against him. 

“Do not go for the content of his statement. The Speaker has already resigned from the post,” a senior NCP leader said, asking not to be named.

The resignation of Speaker Mahara comes amid demand of NC to give the position of either speaker or the deputy speaker to the opposition party as per the constitutional provision. Currently, both the positions are held by the ruling NCP leaders. 

Although there is a legal provision to have speaker and deputy speaker from two different parties, the NCP has been justifying the appointments as Speaker Mahara belonged to the then CPN (Maoist Center) and Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe belonged to then CPN-UML before the merger of the two parties. 

NC leaders said they will now exert pressure on giving them one of the two positions as the parliament will elect new Speaker following Mahara’s resignation. “It is natural for us to demand one of the two positions in parliament. In fact, we have been raising this issue for a long time,” said an NC leader, preferring not to be named.


Leave A Comment