Kathmandu, June 15: Parliamentarians of opposition parties in today’s meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) urged the government to take national sovereignty and border-related issues more seriously.
They also demanded clear explanations on several recent developments. As soon as the meeting commenced, they stood up from their seat in protest.
Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal thereafter allotted time to Padma Aryal, Deputy Leader of Parliamentary Party of the CPN (UML) to put forth her views.
Speaking in the meeting, Aryal sought clarification regarding remarks made by Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal during his recent visit to India.
She also expressed dissatisfaction with statements made by Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle while responding to parliamentary queries.
Likewise, Harkaraj Rai, Chairperson of the Shram Sanskriti Party, pressed for the need to remove Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s statement on issues delivered in the HoR meeting on May 31 from the parliamentary record.
He also criticized a series of incidents across the country, including the destruction of SEE students’ mobile phones by submerging them in water, the pushing of a three-wheeler vehicle off a cliff and alleged police vandalism involving pelting of stone at a private residence dubbing these acts as ‘wrongdoing’.
It may be noted that Prime Minister Balendra Shah on May 31 had remarked about land usage along the Nepal-India border, saying, ‘in some places, land currently used and occupied by Nepal may fall on the Indian side while land currently under India’s use and occupation may lie on the Nepal’s side’ in parliament while responding to queries of the lawmakers.
Similarly, Yubaraj Dulal, Chief Whip of the Nepal Communist Party, demanded a government response regarding reports that an Indian Army helicopter had entered Nepal’s territory in Darchula district.
He also drew the government’s attention to concerns that a renowned tea industry in Ilam district is on the verge of closure.
Also, voicing concerns, Nepali Congress’s Renuka Kaucha called for making public the report prepared by a probe committee regarding the assets of Minister for Home Affairs Sudhan Gurung.
Bharat Giri, representing the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), hailed the valour of and courage demonstrated by the citizens of Nepali in Susta, Nawalparashi, who confronted personnel from India’s border force- Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB)-personnel after they allegedly entered Nepal’s terrorist with weapons.
He also urged that the government be more sensitive to the concerns and security of Nepalis living in border areas.
