Obstructs second successive House meeting

KATHMANDU, Dec 3: Opposition parties have obstructed the second successive meeting of the parliament on Friday, demanding withdrawal of the constitution amendment bill registered by the government in the parliament.

Lawmakers from CPN-UML, CPN (ML), Rastriya Janamorcha and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP) opposed the amendment bill by standing from their seats subsequently after the commencement of the House meeting.

Stating that government's amendment bill has flouted the constitution and sparked divisions among the people, opposition parties stuck to their demand of withdrawal of the amendment bill.

“The amendment bill has only invited dispute and divisions among the people. The government should rescue the country from division by withdrawing the amendment proposal,” CPN (ML) General Secretary C P Mainali said while addressing the House meeting after speaker Onsari Gharti allowed the opposition to put forth their demands.

In their protest against the constitution amendment bill that proposes shifting some districts from Province 5 to Province 4 and making changes to the provisions relating to citizenship, language of official business and representation in the National Assembly, opposition parties have resorted to House obstruction.

“The proposed revision in provincial boundary is beyond the constitutional jurisdiction of this parliament and the wishes as well as demands of the people,” said Mainali. “The motive of the amendment proposal is a part of conspiracy to establish two nationalities within the nation,” he added.

The opposition parties have reiterating that the present parliament cannot revise the provincial boundaries as this is the transitional parliament having the mandate to hold the elections of local, provincial and federal parliament.

“Let's form a high level political mechanism and settle the constitutional demarcation dispute,” said Mainali.

House witnesses hullabaloo as MP says PM bitten by rabid dog

House meeting on Friday witnessed a brief hullabaloo between the ruling and opposition lawmakers after CPN (ML) General Secretary C P Mainali accused the Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal of bringing the amendment proposal against the will of people after being bitten by a mad dog. 

“I wonder whether our prime minister has been bitten by a mad dog,” said Mainali. No sooner than he made such remarks, ruling Nepali Congress (NC) lawmaker Ramhari Khatiwada expressed objection over the statement.  “This statement is against parliamentary rules as well as ethics. I strongly demand removal of the word from the record of the parliament,” said Khatiwada intervening Mainali's speech. 

Later, Mainali defended saying that his motive was not against any individual. “I'm not pointing to any individual. If a rabid dog bites anyone he/she goes mad including me,” he said. 

Ruling NC and CPN (Maoist Center) lawmakers hooted against Mainali expressing objection to his statement. The lawmakers cooled down only after Speaker Onsari Gharti instructed the parliament secretariat to remove the controversial statement from the House record.

 
• withdrawal of the constitution amendment bill
 
• oppn