Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Gagan Thapa has expressed solidarity with the Nepal Bar Association's (NBA) agitation for removal of Chief Justice (CJ) Cholendra Shumsher Rana and cleaning up the judiciary and said a few lawmakers in the ruling party have already started discussion about CJ Rana.
"My support, solidarity for the Nepal Bar's agitation stating that CJ should be removed for constitutional supremacy, and demanding rule of law and purity of the judiciary. I am with the Nepal Bar," Thapa said speaking at an interaction program organized by the NBA at its premises on Monday. "I will try to make the party stand at the place where I stand."
He revealed that some NC lawmakers have started discussion about what to do regarding CJ Rana. "There is nothing as incompetent as saying I won't speak on the issue and those from inside the court should speak and find a conclusion when so many questions have been raised about CJ," he added. "This issue is ours. NBA is speaking but this is an issue we should speak about. A few lawmakers, therefore, are discussing together. We want to proceed forward taking everyone together. We will discuss further and soon come with an official position."
He opined that all the political parties, the NBA and lawmakers who hold parliamentary hearings should review where they erred to take the judiciary to the current sorry state and move forward. He stated that the NBA agitation should include overall reform of the judiciary and be connected to the people.
CPN (Maoist Center) lawmaker Gajendra Mahat also expressed support for the NBA agitation and opined that the political parties should lead the reform of judiciary.
Speaking in the interaction program senior advocate Shambhu Thapa urged the lawmakers to clarify whether they are for CJ Rana or for cleaning up the judiciary.
