What resumed the ‘Obstructed Parliament’!

KATHMANDU, Jan 8: The government has tabled the constitution amendment bill in the parliament amid resistance from the nine opposition parties including chief opposition CPN-UML.

Senior Vice-Chairman of CPN-UML Bam Dev Gautam has slammed the government for the tabling of bill regardless of protest by major opposition parties and termed it as against the parliamentary practice.

Interacting with the media person at the parliament building in Baneshwor, he said, “It’s shameful! I don’t know such practice in any part of globe in the whole world politics.”

When asked if the bill had been tabled after agreement with his party, he fumed, “It’s neither true, nor have we agreed on such matters. The government did it despite our resistance.” He said, however CPN-UML did not intend to make conflict on bill.

The top leaders’ meeting had been arranged under initiation of Speaker of the House following frequent obstruction of house by the opposition party coalition. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal had appealed the chairman of CPN-UML, KP Sharma Oli to help in tabling the amendment bill. In response, Oli had asked to forward the impeachment motion against suspended CIAA chief Lok Man Singh Karki and election bill.

It has been learned that the government has submitted the bill on his request in today’s parliament meeting.

According to CPN-UML chief whip Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal, the party had urged the government to expedite the impeachment motion and election bill. The obstruction in parliament ended after the government agreed main opposition party’s request to table impeachment motion and local bodies’ election bill.

It has been revealed that all three bills were forwarded after green signal from CPN-UML, the party’s senior leader Jhal Nath Khanal hinted. The major parties have agreed to go united despite disagreements.

According to highly placed source, the protest was just a face saving move by CPN-UML. Meanwhile, Minister for Law Ajay Shankar Nayak claimed that tabling the bill was national need.

Nayak further said that CPN-UML would also play role of national party. “Similar was the situation while the constitution was promulgated.”

The parliment meeting will resume at 1:00 on Monday.