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Oppn MPs say govt ‘undermined Parliament’
Lawmakers from the opposition parties on Sunday came down heavily on the government, saying that it undermined Parliament’s supremacy by discussing the issue of constitution amendment with the Indian authorities.Binod Ghimire
Lawmakers from the opposition parties on Sunday came down heavily on the government, saying that it undermined Parliament’s supremacy by discussing the issue of constitution amendment with the Indian authorities.
Speaking at Sunday’s meeting of the Legislature-Parliament, lawmakers from the CPN-UML and Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party (NMKP) said that the government’s act to assure the Indian establishment that it is preparing for constitution amendment “is a matter of national shame”.
They were referring to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bimalendra Nidhi’s talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other Indian ministers in New Delhi where he had informed the Indian government of Nepal government’s plans to amend the constitution to address the concerns raised by the Madhesi and Janajati groups.
Nidhi is in New Delhi as a special envoy of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
“The government is trying to prove that nothing can proceed ahead without India’s role. This is an issue of national shame,” said UML lawmaker Yagya Raj Sunuwar.
Though Sunuwar came down heavily on the incumbent government, Kamal Thapa, who was DPM and foreign minister in the erstwhile UML-led government, had also gone to New Delhi with a similar proposal.
Speaking at Sunday’s House meeting, NMKP lawmaker Prem Suwal blamed the government for working under foreign influence.
“Nidhi’s act to seek Indian consent for constitution amendment is an attack on nationalism,” he said.
House adjourned for a week
KATHMANDU: While more than 100 new Acts have to be formulated to implement the new constitution, the Legislature-Parliament has been without business for last three weeks.
Parliament on Sunday was once against deferred for a week for the lack of business. As many as 138 new Acts have to be formulated while over 300 existing Acts and laws have to be amended for the implementation of the constitution. The new government under Pushpa Kamal Dahal is yet to decide whether to proceed ahead with the bills tabled by the erstwhile government. “The House has nothing to do in the lack of business,” said Bharat Raj Gautam, spokesperson for the Parliament Secretariat. The next House meeting has been scheduled for August 28. (PR)