Kathmandu, December 1
The main opposition CPN-UML obstructed the Parliament meeting on Thursday in protest of the government-sponsored Constitution Amendment Bill.
Right after the start of the meeting, CPN-UML Vice-Chair Bamdev Gautam took special time and opposed the Bill. He accused the government of violating the Constitution by registering in the Parliament a Bill seeking redrawing of provincial boundaries.
Talking of the design to carve out a Tarai-only province by removing Hill districts from Province 5, Gautam said this move has strengthened voices seeking to divide the Hills and the Tarai. He said this will help ruin the country and make the Tarai a different state.
After Gautam, other lawmakers from the UML, Rastriya Janamorcha and CPN-ML stood in protest against the Bill. Speaker Onsari Gharti asked the lawmakers to take their seats, pointing that Constitution amendment is not the agenda of Thursday’s House meeting. However, lawmakers continued with their protest, leading to postponement of the House meeting till Friday.
While Gautam was speaking, Nepali Congress Chief Whip Chin Kaju Shrestha objected, pointing that Parliament Regulations do not allow lawmakers to level charges against Speaker.
UML lawmakers objected against Shrestha’s remarks. House proceedings resumed after Speaker Gharti asked Shrestha to take his seat and Gautam to continue with his speech.
