Wednesday’s session of the House of Representatives (HoR) formed two separate committees to probe into Nagarkot and Belbari massacres, and murder of MP Hem Narayan Yadav of Siraha district.

The proposal on the Nagarkot and Belbari incident was tabled by Nepali Congress (NC) member of parliament (MP) Mahesh Acharya and was supported by MPs Lal Babu Pandit and Bhakta Bahadur Balayar.

The seven-member committee formed to probe into the Nagarkot and Belbari incidents is headed by MP Pari Thapa. MPs NP Saud, Gokarna Bista, Ram Narayan Adhikari, Bijay Subba, Tirtha Gautam and Kamala Pant are members of the committee.

Gautam and Panta were added in the committee after women parliamentarians expressed their objection to inclusion of only male members in the committee formed to probe the crime committed against a woman in Belbari.

An “enraged” army man had massacred 13 civilians, who were celebrating a festival in Nuwakot on December 4. Likewise, army men on April 26 had killed at least six civilians in Belbari, who were protesting the incident that the army men gang raped and murdered Sapana Gurung, a mother of two children, on April 25.

Acharya also urged the government to immediately provide treatment and relief to the wounded and family members of the deceased [in the Belbari incident].

Lal Babu Pandit of CPN-UML said both the incidents were indicative of the feudal mentality prevailing among army personnel.

NC(D) member Bhakta Bahadur Balayar said killing of innocent villagers in villages even after transfer of state power to the people has produced more suspicion about the army’s future loyalty to the representative government.

The House also formed a separate committee to probe into the suspicious murder of MP Hem Narayan Yadav two years ago.

The proposal was tabled by CPN-UML MP Jaganath Khatiwada. While Ananda Kumar Dhungana is the coordinator of the panel, MPs Anand Kumar Pokhrel, Ramesh Lekhak, Lekhnath Acharya, Yog Narayan Yadav, Sushila Nepal and Kashi Poudel are members of the panel.

Chairing the House session, Deputy Speaker Chitra Lekha Yadav informed the House that NC(D) and Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi) have been recognized as separate parties.

Earlier, speaking in the House, lawmakers reiterated their demand for action against those allegedly involved in suppressing the popular people’s movement. Most NC members also demanded that Deputy Speaker Chitralekha Yadav be installed as the Speaker.

Pashupati Shumsher Rana of Rastriya Prajatantra Party urged the government to work toward resolving the 16-year old Bhutanese refugee problem through coordination with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Wednesday’s meeting had begun two hours behind the schedule, amid uncertainty over the agenda of the meeting since the seven-party alliance had not reached into consensus on “how to go about on Wednesday.”

The next meeting of the House has been scheduled for 2:00 pm. Thursday.