The House of Representatives meeting on Thursday was adjourned soon after it began as lawmakers from the main opposition Nepali Congress and the ruling CPN-UML were involved in a scuffle.
Speaker Devraj Ghimire had allowed Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane to address the meeting.
NC lawmakers surrounded the well of the House as soon as the meeting began at around 5:45 PM. They chanted slogans demanding formation of a parliamentary probe committee to investigate Home Minister Lamichhane’s alleged involvement in cooperative fraud.
Speaker Ghimire read out two letters received from the President’s Office amid protest by NC and other opposition parties.
He then announced that Home Minister Lamichhane had been given time to address the House, after which Home Minister Lamichhane rose from his seat. CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli and other lawmakers also stood up.
Oli and NC Vice-president Dhanraj Gurung were then involved in an argument, which soon led to a scuffle between NC and UML lawmakers.
As the House appeared headed toward a clash, Speaker Ghimire asked Home Minister Lamichhane to take his seat.
Speaker Ghimire has called the next meeting for 11 AM Friday.
