Nishkal Rai Criticizes Government's Disrespect Toward Parliament

Kathmandu: Nepali Congress Member of Parliament (MP) Nishkal Rai has stated that the government has failed to remain accountable to the parliament. Speaking at a meeting of the House of Representatives, Rai said that they have been continuously trying to make the government responsible over the past few meetings. He accused the Speaker and the government of not taking the matter seriously, despite opposition MPs repeatedly demanding the Prime Minister's presence during the discussions on the government's policies and programs.

He said, "For the past few meetings, opposition parties have been trying to make the government accountable. As the main opposition party, myself and other honorable members have stood up repeatedly to demand the Prime Minister's presence to answer for the policies and programs, trying to make the government responsible to the house. In this effort, we did not get the support of the Honorable Speaker, and the government ignored us."

He also mentioned that another opposition party, the Shram Sanskriti Party, has been displaying placards in the house to demand government accountability. Objecting to the Speaker calling this behavior undisciplined, Rai reminded the house of the past actions of the current ruling party when they were in the opposition. He recalled how they wore blue scarfs around their necks, surrounded the well of the house, sat cross-legged in the well, and read books.

He said, "Speaker Sir, let me mention something we should not forget. The party in power today was in the opposition yesterday. Seeking government accountability, they tied blue scarfs around their necks and surrounded the well. The current ruling party also sat cross-legged in the well and read books. At that time, the Speaker's stance favored the opposition benches. My question is – how was their own action parliamentary and disciplined, but the current opposition party's placards are undisciplined? Honorable Speaker Sir, our conclusion is that those actions were wrong then, and the current actions are also wrong and undisciplined."

He commented that treating past activities as standard parliamentary practice while calling the current protest undisciplined is a double standard. He shared his conclusion that the past activities were wrong, and the current activities are also not disciplined.

He stated that maintaining the dignity of the house is the responsibility of both the Speaker and the government, and accused the Prime Minister and the government of ignoring the parliament. 

He said the government is trying to interfere with the legislature, executive, and judiciary in the name of "disruption." Rai warned that the house cannot remain orderly as long as the government continues to challenge parliamentary practices based on the arrogance of holding a two-thirds majority.