Lawmakers urge ruling party to address PM’s border remark controversy

Kathmandu – Lawmakers Harkaraj Rai from the Labour Culture Party and Khushbu Oli from Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) have offered differing suggestions to the ruling party to address the Prime Minister’s controversial statement.

Opposition parties have been obstructing Parliament, demanding an apology from Prime Minister Balendra Shah for his remarks claiming that Nepal has encroached on India’s border. They insist that the statement, which they see as against national integrity, should either be removed from the parliamentary record or an apology should be issued. If these demands are not met, Rai and Oli have urged the ruling party to consider alternative proposals.

Rai introduced a satirical resolution in the House, calling for a commitment from the Prime Minister, ministers, and lawmakers to refrain from making any anti-national and baseless statements. He stated, “In the future, no one, including the Prime Minister, ministers, or members of the House of Representatives, should make or be allowed to make such anti-national and baseless statements. On matters of national sovereignty and integrity, regardless of being in the ruling or opposition parties, everyone should rise above party or class interests and unite for the country. I wish to present this resolution.”

Similarly, Oli challenged the ruling party to endorse the Prime Minister’s statement if no apology is forthcoming. “The House should declare with signatures that Nepal has encroached on India’s territory,” she said in Parliament. “The ruling party members here agree with the Prime Minister’s statement. If that is the case, let’s start signing from the ruling party, affirming that Nepal has encroached on India’s border as the Prime Minister stated. We in the opposition are ready to endorse this to end the parliamentary obstruction. If not, the Prime Minister must clarify his statement.”

Opposition parties have been obstructing proceedings in both houses of the federal Parliament in protest of the controversial statement made by Prime Minister Shah on Jestha 17. The obstruction continued on Tuesday, preventing both houses from functioning.