Kathmandu, June 17: Opposition parties continue to raise concerns over Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal, accusing him of failing to issue a ruling regarding the correction of Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s remarks on a border dispute.
Lawmakers from opposition parties pressed the Speaker again during Wednesday’s meeting, insisting that he should have issued a formal ruling on the matter.
The controversy stems from statements made by Shah during a House session on Jestha 17, where he said that India had encroached on Nepali territory, but also suggested that Nepal had similarly encroached on Indian land in several areas. Opposition parties have been demanding clarification and correction of these remarks.
As soon as the House convened on Wednesday, opposition lawmakers stood from their seats, creating a tense start to the proceedings. Speaker Aryal allowed Shrama Sanskriti Party chair Harka Sampang to speak.
Sampang reiterated that the Prime Minister should correct his statement and argued that the Speaker must issue a ruling on the issue.
Lawmaker Gopal Sharma of the Nepal Communist Party also demanded a ruling from the Chair.
Nepali Congress MP Chandramohan Yadav went further, accusing the Speaker of failing to distance himself from his previous political affiliation with the Rastriya Swatantra Party. He questioned whether the Speaker had fully severed ties with his former party, saying the Chair had not yet “cut the umbilical cord” with it.
Opposition leaders also argued that a ruling from the Speaker is necessary to uphold the dignity of Parliament and address the controversy surrounding the Prime Minister’s remarks.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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