KATHMANDU, Nepal — Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), the opposition in the Nepal Parliament erupted an uproar in the Parliament as the lawmakers of the party picketed well of the lower house, chanting slogans against the issuance of an ordinance to split a political party.
The party members in the Parliament shouted slogans against House Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota, who is blamed for bringing party splitting ordinance.
Chief whip of Unified Marxist-Leninist Bishal Bhattarai, speaking during the first meeting, also accused the speaker of being biased and criticized for letting expelled 14 members from the latter’s party attend a meeting of new house session.
“With the proroguing of an earlier session of Lower house, we had suspected an ordinance of splitting the political parties might be introduced,” said Bhattarai.
“Many of the honorable members of the house had suspected it and said it here, proving it right for which the session of the house was prorogued on Aug. 16.”
He said the rumor about the ordinance started the following day, which was ultimately issued by the President on the second day of the formal end of an earlier session of the lower house.
“A day before issuance of the ordinance, we had tabled a letter to House Speaker who had acknowledged disciplinary action taken against 14 lawmakers from our party,” Bhattarai said.
The ordinance brought by the Sher Bahadur Deuba government had paved the way for the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist and the Janata Samajwadi Party (JSP) to split.
The government had introduced the ordinance by ending the ninth session of the federal Parliament on Aug. 16.
As per the press statement issued by the President’s Office, the ordinance has been published as per Article 114 (1) on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers.
“If at any time, except when both Houses of the Federal Parliament is in session, circumstances exist which render it necessary to take immediate action, the President may, on the recommendation of the Council of Ministers, promulgate an Ordinance,” states the Article 114 (1) of The Constitution of Nepal.
15 ordinances, including the ordinance on Political Parties Act, 2002 (Second Amendment) brought by the Deuba government, were supposed to be tabled in today’s parliament meeting.
Lawmakers from the opposition party came to the well-shouting slogans as soon as speaker Sapkota tried to clarify the demands set forth by the Unified Marxist-Leninist lawmakers.
Answering the question raised amid the chaos, the speaker claimed that he retains no authority and the Parliament is not authorized to discuss issues that are currently under discussion in Supreme Court.
“I again would reiterate rules mentioned in House of Representatives- 2075, rule 21 sub-section C and D. I want you all to take note of sub-section C and D,” Sapkota said.
Unified Marxist-Leninist had dismissed 14 lawmakers, including former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Jhala Nath Khanal, alleging party discipline violation. House Speaker, who owns the right about taking action against the house members, decided to keep 14 lawmakers from the opposition in their post and canceled the recommendation to cancel their seat off Parliament.
After the ruckus on Sept. 8 by opposition lawmakers, the House of Representatives has been adjourned till Sept. 10.
Speaker Agni Sapkota had earlier adjourned the session twice due to obstruction by the Unified Marxist-Leninist lawmakers. The session could not be conducted as Unified Marxist-Leninist members shouted slogans against Speaker Sapkota for being bias.
Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist-Leninist Chairman and former Prime Minister K.P. Oli warned to obstruct parliament session provided defecting Unified Marxist-Leninist lawmakers (currently in Madhav Kumar Nepal’s Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Socialist party) attended the session.
Nepal’s opposition party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), after undergoing months of the intra-party rift, formally split as an opposition faction led by Madhav Nepal and Jhalanath Khanal, registered a new party with the name of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) Samajbadi.
(With inputs from ANI)
Edited by Saptak Datta and Ritaban Misra
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