The main opposition Nepali Congress (NC) has accused Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara of operating the House of Representatives (HoR) in an autocratic manner after he denied the lawmakers a chance to ask questions to Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli after the latter’s address Sunday afternoon despite prior agreement to allow so.
The HoR meeting has been adjourned after the NC lawmakers chanted slogans and picketed the well of the House protesting against Speaker Mahara’s refusal to allow the lawmakers to ask questions of PM Oli.
Speaking to the media after the adjournment of House NC lawmaker Gagan Thapa claimed that there was prior agreement to allow questions and termed the working style of Speaker Mahara autocratic for allowing the PM to read statement and denying permission to the opposition to ask questions.
“Is the speaker who allows the government to keep its position but denies the opposition a chance to ask questions a speaker or a party member?” Thapa asked. “We cannot even enter the House without the speaker’s permission if we interpret the House regulations like him.”
He argued that PM Oli should have given his address from Singha Durbar and not the House if he did not want to face questions of the lawmakers. “The government has presented twisted facts. Speaker tried to cover up when we tried to ask questions,” he said. “There was prior agreement to ask questions. We had submitted five names. But speaker later connived with the ruling party and tried to operate the House in an autocratic manner.”
Thapa also took a swipe at PM Oli. “The PM who invited the opposition to come together in building the nation cannot even face and answer the questions of the opposition in the House,” he stated. “There would be thunderous applauses during PM’s earlier addresses and we were scared hearing that. But just a few lawmakers clapped on a few jokes and half of even those few applauded unwillingly,” he claimed.
He stated that the opposition will obstruct the House if the lawmakers are not allowed a question-answer session with the PM.
