KATHMANDU, May 17: Parliamentary Party leader of main opposition Nepali Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba said the government policy and programs for the upcoming fiscal year 2020/21 lacks proper assessment on the damages to be caused by COVID-19.

In his remarks delivered in today’s House of Representative meeting on the government policy and programs, Deuba accused the government of not being sincere to the sufferings of the citizens.

“The government has no plan to assure the people for future in the time of this crisis. Policy and programs for a year is derailed from its objective and seems like a mere imagination for the multi-year plan,” Deuba said.

On the occasion, Deuba recalled the contribution of frontline health workers, security personnel, media persons and cleaners working during the time of this pandemic.

“I have remembered the patients of other diseases who are facing hardships in getting treatment; small and large industrialists whose industries and trade have been closed; laborers facing difficulties to manage their meals; poor; physically challenged people and single women,” Deuba said in his speech. The former Prime Minister also said that he has remembered the woman from Sindhupalchowk, who died of coronavirus on Thursday, her infant and her family.

Time demands the government to prove itself as a guardian of all, there was an expectation that the government through its policy and programs would address all the above-mentioned issues, but the government failed to meet the expectation, according to Deuba.

Accusing the government of being failed to make enough preparations for the prevention and control of the pandemic, the main opposition leader expressed his concern over what he said the lack of guarantee of personal protection equipment (PPE) for health workers, lack of reliable testing kits, the short supply of medical equipment to hospital, a limited facility of ventilators, no plan of rescuing those Nepalis left stranded along the border areas and bringing them homes safely.

” I want to question the government that what preparations did it make during lockdown?”

He demanded the government make sure the availability of sufficient quantity of medical stuffs, extend the PCR testing coverage and reach it to the community level, come up with relief packages targeting several sectors, make arrangements for bringing those Nepalis in difficulty in abroad to home safely and putting them in quarantine before sending them homes.

The former Prime Minister furthered that some policies and programs were repeated in the new ones which as he claimed reduced the gravity of fresh policy and programs. ”The figure of minimum capital expenditure is mocking at the government, which continues to claim that pace of development is outstanding.”

He said the COVID-19 crisis had its adverse impact on all sectors in the country and it was sure to leave short and long-term consequences, but the policy and programs were not intended towards finding solutions to such problems. ”The government lacks willpower, efficiency, honesty and far-sighted visions to deal with the multidimensional outcomes of the COVID-19 crisis.”

He accused the government of being failed to predict the preliminary losses caused by coronavirus in industries and remittance. The leader claimed the policy and programs were unsuccessful in encouraging those industries deserving relief assistance. As he said, the government has no reliable and new plans to promote export.

He added the tourism industry was one of the sectors badly hit by coronavirus crisis. But, the government presented no policy in regard with the revitalization and promotion of tourism industry. Construction and maintenance of airports was never sufficient for durable and quality development of tourism sector.

Underlining the need of sitting for meaningful and productive talks with neighboring countries to find a solution to the border dispute issues, he urged the government to proceed towards the presentation of the MCC in the parliament. RSS

KATHMANDU, May 8: Main opposition party Nepal Congress President Sher Bahaur Deuba said the government led by Nepal Communist Party has lost the moral grounds to rule the country.

Speaking at the first meeting of the budget session at the federal parliament building on Friday, Deuba expressed his dissatisfaction with the “embarrassing” activities of the government at the time of coronavirus crisis and called the government a “failure”.

“It is sad and embarrassing that the COVID-19 combat materials and other equipment are in short supply. Failure to manage the essential materials in time, lack of transparency in the procurement of medical equipment and purchasing the medical materials at a higher price than the usual market price is condemnable. Questions have been raised about the procured materials. I request the government to relive the culprits from duties and punish them,” said Deuba.

“The government showed its undemocratic side by introducing the two ordinances going against the spirit of the constitution.”

“At a time when the oppositions and the entire citizens are fighting against the virus, the move to push the party splitting ordinance and conspiring to finish the pride of the Constitutional Council clearly describe the prime minister’s ill intention,” he added.

“The kidnapping of a lawmaker is the government’s other unfortunate activity. I condemn the incident and demand action against those involved in the crime.”

“Also, the government has failed to work wisely and responsibly to prevent and control the pandemic, neither the government has been successful to make the people realize that they have their government in the time of crisis. The government does not have any plans to rescue the Nepali citizens stranded across the globe,” Deuba furthered.

“The Nepali Congress takes such issues seriously and concludes that the government has lost its moral and political ground to govern the country”.

KATHMANDU, April 24: Prime Minister K P Sharma and main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has met in Baluwatar on Friday.

During the meeting Deuba thanked Oli for correcting the mistake by deciding to withdraw the controversial ordinances related to Political Parties and Constitutional Council, said NC in a press note.

Deuba also asked the prime minister to take action against those involved in bringing Samajbadi Party (now Janata Samajbadi following the merger with Rastriya Janata Party Nepal) lawmaker Dr Surendra Yadav to Kathmandu in abduction style, the note reads.

The NC president also asked the prime minister to announce another relief package to working-class people, students and business owners.

He also urged the government to rescue Nepali migrant workers stranded in various countries due to COVID-19 pandemic crisis.

KATHMANDU, April 17: Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba has urged the government to make necessary arrangements for the safe return of people stranded in Kathmandu Valley.

The shutdown of the economy due to nationwide lockdown has forced thousands of people especially workers who depend on daily wages for their living to travel hundreds of kilometers on foot to reach their villages.

“But the government has turned out to be a mere spectator instead of looking after these poor people,” said Deuba on Friday.

“I request the government to immediately arrange food to these migrating people and facilitate their travel so that they could return to their villages safely,” he added.

He has asked the party representatives at local governments to arrange food and accommodation to the traveling people.

लकडाउनको कारण काठमाडौं लगायत विभिन्न क्षेत्रबाट खाना र बस्ने व्यवस्था नभएर पैदल हिडेर घर गइरहेका नागरिकहरुलाई नेपाली #कांग्रेसका स्थानीय तह र पार्टीको भातृ तथा सुवेच्छुक संस्थाका साथिहरुले सामाजिक दुरी कायम गरी आआफ्नो क्षेत्रमा #खाना र राती भए #वासको प्रवन्ध मिलाउन आग्रह गर्दछु।

— Sher Bahadur Deuba (@DeubaSherbdr) April 17, 2020

1/2 काठमाडौंमा श्रम गरिरहेका नागरिकहरु खाना र बस्ने व्यवस्था नुहदा सयौं किलोमीटर पैदल हिंडेर घर गइरहेका छन्।सरकारको भरथेग सबैभन्दा बढि तिनै निमुखा जनतामाथि हुनुपर्ने हो।तर सरकारमा बसेकाहरु ति निमुखाहरुको त्यो यात्राको दर्शक मात्रै भएका छन।

— Sher Bahadur Deuba (@DeubaSherbdr) April 17, 2020

2/2 राजधानीबाट घर जाने ति जनताहरुलाई तत्काल गासवासको प्रवन्ध गरी सुरक्षित ढंगले गाउँ पुर्याउने व्यवस्था मिलाउन म सरकारसँग आग्रह गर्दछु।

— Sher Bahadur Deuba (@DeubaSherbdr) April 17, 2020

The party has also expressed serious concern over the suffering of workers and daily wage earners due to lockdown.

“The government should provide immediately relief to these people who are most affected by the lockdown,” said party Spokesperson Bishwo Prakash Sharma.

“Don’t people traveling on foot on highways have a government?” he wrote on his Facebook page.

KATHMANDU, Jan 30:The Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba on Thursday has formed a three-member central ad hoc committee of its student wing Nepal Student Union, and named Rajiv Dhungana as the president and Manoj Baidya and Maheshwari Kunwar as the general secretaries, according to the party.

Issuing a press release today, the party stated that the ad hoc committee has been tasked to hold the 12th convention of the NSU within six months, which will elect a new executive committee.

“The members of the ad hoc committee can not register their candidacy in the convention,” the release reads.

Likewise, the students not exceeding 32 years at the time of dissolution of the NSU central committee (on February 12, 2019) will be eligible to participate in the convention, the party stated.

The NSU has failed to hold a convention since 2007.

KATHMANDU, Jan 15: Main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has told the Nepal Communist Party (NCP) to find a candidate for Speaker or leave the position to them, as the ruling party struggles with indecision to pick a name.

“If the NCP cannot pick a candidate, then Nepali Congress is ready to field its candidate,” Deuba told reporters in Biratnagar on Wednesday.

“The ruling party should stop holding the house hostage because they cannot decide a name,” he added. 

The NCP, who commands the majority in the parliament, has failed to finalize a candidate for the post due to which the meeting of the House of Representatives has been put off repeatedly in the past month.

And, President Bidya Devi Bhandari-favored Deputy Speaker Shiva Maya Tumbahamphe, as suggested by reports, has not made it easy for the ruling party frequently denying to step down and pave way for them to elect their speaker of choice despite formal request. Instead she has been demanding the position to herself.

Moreover, the row over the Speaker has given space to speculations that Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli and leaders close to him are planning not to let the position of lower house leadership to former Maoist faction.

KATHMANDU, Jan 8: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba is ready to make a change to the events calendar expect the date of the 14th general convention, according to leader Prakash Saran Mahat.

A meeting of the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the party on December 28 has scheduled the general convention for February 19-22 next year amid a boycott from the rival faction led by Ram Chandra Paudel.

The meeting has also fixed ward level conventions on November 24, rural municipalities and municipalities conventions on November 26, provincial assembly regional conventions on November 30, House of Representatives regional convention on December 2, district-level conventions on December 10 and provincial conventions on December 31.

But the rival faction called the announcements “unilateral” and decided not to attend any CWC meeting unless the establishment faction withdrew the decisions—creating a further rift within the main opposition party.

The rival faction has been holding a gathering which is being participated by 46 district presidents questioning Dueba’s leadership and pressuring Deuba to revoke the “unilateral” decisions, which also include stretching of the current working committee’s tenure by one year and increment in the number of party’s central departments from existing 28 to 47.

According to party sources, Deuba, after holding consultations with the leaders close to him, is considering some flexibility as he does not want the further conflict to affect the general convention.

The rift has also blown cold air to Deuba’s hopes of being reelected as the party president.

The sources added that he is likely to withdraw the decision to add new departments at the party.

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‘Why don’t they find Deuba’s replacement through general convention?’

KATHMANDU: Former Prime Minister and President of the main opposition party Nepali Congress (NC) Sher Bahadur Deuba stated that the “security measures taken by the police administration during the time of the by-elections were not satisfactory and they were not able to play an impartial role”.

The former PM alleged that there was widespread fraud in the elections.

Speaking at the 7th memorial for late Bhim Bahadur Tamang, he said that the ” NC will investigate into this matter”.

He said, “there was a big conspiracy in the Kaski by-poll where a bomb was set off, the police were removed, and irrespective of the partiality we still managed to win in Bhaktapur, Dharan, and Chitwan”.

“We will study each place and investigate where the election process was fraudulent,” he said.

(Photo: Mukunda Kalikote for Reporters Nepal)

KATHMANDU, Oct 5: President of the largest party in the opposition Nepali Congress and former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said that “communists have been a disgrace to this country”.

Speaking at a program marking the festival of Bijaya Dashami organized by the Youth Club, the former Prime Minister had made his opinion while expressing his wishes to the people on the occasion of festival.

Former PM Deuba stated, ” the communists have been embroiled in numerous controversies one after the other, and this has disgraced our nation”. The former PM who is also the leader of the opposition said that the “current controversy regarding the rape allegation against the Speaker of the House of Representatives and senior leader of the ruling Nepal Communist Party Krishna Bahadur Mahara has made the nation bow its head in shame, and this 2/3rd majority government is destroying the Nation.

The former PM also said, “the victim, in this case, has been threatened, abused, and under duress made to change her statements, and instead of giving her justice she is made to be the culprit”.

(Photo Courtesy: Mukunda Kalikote)