Kathmandu- Opposition parties have obstructed a session of the House of Representatives after Prime Minister Balen Shah failed to attend Parliament. Lawmakers protested with slogans after the Prime Minister did not appear to respond to questions raised during the discussion on the government’s annual policy and program presented on Monday.
Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle was scheduled to respond on behalf of the Prime Minister, which prompted opposition parties to block the day’s parliamentary proceedings. Opposition lawmakers said that bypassing the agreed agenda under the cover of majority is unacceptable.
Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal repeatedly urged the House to proceed according to parliamentary rules, but as the obstruction continued, he gave time to Leader of the Opposition Arjun Narsingh K.C. to speak. K.C. warned that the opposition would boycott Parliament if the Prime Minister did not appear, adding that the Prime Minister himself should respond to questions raised during the policy and program debate.
Meanwhile, Rastriya Prajatantra Party parliamentary leader Gyanendra Bahadur Shahi said that the Prime Minister must be present in Parliament to hear the voice of the people. He stressed that the policy and program is a commitment made to the public and should be answered in Parliament, urging the Speaker to issue a ruling for the Prime Minister’s immediate presence in the House.
