Opposition demands Home Minister's resignation to end parliamentary obstruction

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Devraj Ghimire, held a discussion with the Chief Whip and Whips of major parties to resolve the ongoing obstruction in Parliament.

According to his secretariat, the main aim of the meeting was to find a way to remove the obstruction and set a schedule for budget discussions.

The main opposition parties, including the Maoist Centre, have been demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak over the visit visa scandal. They are also calling for a formal investigation.

The opposition parties had allowed the joint session on Jestha 15 (May 29) to proceed without disruption, keeping in mind the constitutional requirement to present the annual budget on that date. However, they have warned that they will not allow Parliament to function if their demands are not fulfilled.

After the meeting, Maoist Centre Chief Whip Hit Raj Pandey confirmed that they would continue obstructing Parliament until their demands are met.

Santosh Pariyar, Chief Whip of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, also expressed the same view, insisting on the Home Minister’s resignation and formation of a probe committee.

On the other hand, Nepali Congress Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire said there was no formal discussion about the obstruction during the meeting.

The next meeting of the House of Representatives is scheduled for Jestha 20 (June 3).