Kathmandu, April 5: Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Paudel has stressed the need for maintaining an atmosphere of understanding between all the political parties for national welfare and safeguarding democracy.
Speaking at the House of Representatives today after taking time from the Speaker, the Deputy Prime Minister said that as the country belongs to everyone, it is the common responsibility of everyone to safeguard national sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the fundamental rights and freedom of the people.
In the present context of the serious problems of law and order, corruption and good governance facing the country, Mr Paudel said the present government is committed maintaining law and order, eradicating corruption and establishing good governance in the country.
A few elements are engaged in violent activities in the name of the sovereignty, freedom and fundamental rights attained by the Nepalese people, Mr Paudel said, adding that an understanding between all the political parties remaining within the framework of the constitution is needed to resolve this problem.
Expressing the view that no issue should be politicised and the ruling and opposition parties should create a positive atmosphere for impartial investigation of any incident, Mr Paudel said the government is serious over impartial investigation into the Rautahat incident.
Informing the House that a few persons had been arrested in connection with the setting ablaze of the house of Minister of State for Forest and Soil Conservation Mohammad Aftab Alam and innocent persons had already been released after necessary investigation, the Deputy Prime Minister said that as the minister of state Alam has already denied involvement in the kidnapping of Rautahat DDC member Jayaprakash Kaushal, the government is conducting an impartial investigation into the incident.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the committee constituted under his convenorship to maintain coordination with the opposition parties on issues of national concern has been holding talks with the opposition to resolve problems of national interests.
Meanwhile, as soon as the meeting of the House of Representatives began here today, the main opposition MPs reiterated their three demands regarding the incident of Rautahat and made a firm stand that they will not allow the regular proceedings of the parliament.
Rajendra Prasad Pandey of the CPN-UML while reiterating the demand for the release of his party workers, taking action against the kidnappers and the sacking of the Minister of State Mohammad Aftaf Alam, demanded the release of the 158 students including the ANNFSU president Hikmat Karki who were arrested by the police this morning while they were staging a peaceful sit in at the Singha Durbar.
Chief whip of the ruling party Tek Bahadur Chokhal said the proceedings of the parliament should be resumed as the kidnappers of DDC member had been arrested, and all the innocent persons except those involved in the setting fire to the house of the Minister of State had been released.
Subhas Nemwang of the CPN-UML said his party is being held responsible for the Hautahat incident which has been owned by the Maoists, adding that the CPN-UML which is an alternate power will always counter the government lapses by pin pointing them.
Vidya Bhandari of the same party expressed regret over the lobbing of teargas and resorting to lathicharge on the students by violating their fundamental rights to stage a peaceful sit in and demanded their release.
When N. P Saud of the Nepali Congress said both the ruling and the opposition parties should have the patience to listen to each other’s views, K. P Oli of the CPN-UML raised a point of order and said his party is ready to listen to all if the government responds to the three demands put forward by the CPN-UML.
Speaker Taranath Ranabhat requested the MPs to resolve the problems by behaving seriously in the Parliament at a time when there are complex problems facing the nation.
At a time when the ruling party was demanding their right to speak raising point of order and the main opposition demanding reply on the Rautahat incident from the government, the Speaker gave Pashupati Shamsher J. B. Rana of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party time to speak.
MP Rana said it is a serious issue on the part of the Minister of State to take the law into his hand and accused the Nepali Congress of framing innocent workers of his party in a number of incidents.
Narayanman Bijukchhe of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party expressed the view that there should be a rule of law in the country and the government should not take the laws onto its hand adding that the responsibility goes to the Prime Minister if such actions continue.
Chitra Bahadur K.C. of the Rastriya Janamorcha said the NC has also implicated his party workers in false cases and called for serious thought on the part of the ruling party towards the demands of the opposition.
Lilamani Pokhrel of the Samyukta Janamorcha asked as to who will punish the government if it violates the laws as it is obvious that the government will punish the citizens if they violate the law. He accused the police of harassing innocent people.
Pradip Nepal of the CPN-UML said the ruling party has adopted the policy of suppressing the opposition and accused the ruling party of trying to call off the Parliament at a time when the opposition has been raising serious issues. He reiterated his stand that the parliamentary proceedings will not be allowed unless the Minister of State resigns.
Meanwhile, the Speaker repeatedly requested the main opposition MPs to cooperate by moving ahead the proceedings of the House but they began to chant slogans by standing up from their seats and near the well.
Amid such uproar, the Speaker announced that the agenda of today’s programmes had been cancelled and read out the communication received from the Royal Palace proroguing of the 17th session of the Parliament.
The Speaker thanked all the ruling and opposition MPs and all the employees for making the 17th session of the parliament successful.