Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba Wednesday presented a bill in the House of Representatives to reduce land ceiling amid protests of two opposition parties.

Members of the Rashtriya Parjatantra Party and the Nepal Sadbavana Party shouted slogans against the prime minister and demanded a ceiling on property instead of land. Communists in parliament have demanded further reduction on land ceiling protesting the Deuba government’s plan.

Speaker Taranath Ranabhatt adjourned house proceedings until Thursday amid opposition protests. House proceedings were stalled for almost a fortnight amid protests of the RPP and the NSP on the issue.

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments on the legality of Deuba government’s action. A section of the ruling Nepali Congress party has also criticized Deuba’s move. Deuba has hinted he might seek an amendment in the constitution to change stiff citizenship rules before distributing land to terai dwellers particularly.

Deuba said land will not be distributed until citizenship rules are amended to accommodate terai dwellers who have not acquired citizenship.

The central committee of the ruling Nepali Congress Party has supported Deuba’s move; but the prime minister is in a strange position as all opposition parties protest his move for different reasons.