Scarf Protest in Parliament: Congress Calls It ‘Disrespectful'

The Nepali Congress, the ruling party, has called for action against lawmakers from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) after a heated moment in Parliament on Tuesday. 

Members of the RSP showed up wearing blue scarves as a form of protest. They were expressing their anger against Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who has been facing heavy criticism over the visit visa scandal that’s been making headlines.

During the meeting, Nepali Congress Chief Whip Shyam Ghimire stood up and raised his voice. He said that Parliament has its own rules about behavior and dress, and wearing blue scarves during a formal meeting didn’t fit with that. He even gave an example, saying, “What if someone wears shorts tomorrow? Would that be acceptable here?”

Ghimire wasn’t just talking about clothing. For him, it was about respect for the Parliament’s traditions and dignity. He asked the Speaker, Devraj Ghimire, to issue a warning to the RSP lawmakers and even suggested they should be expelled if they don’t follow the rules.

For the RSP lawmakers, though, the blue scarves were a symbol of frustration — a way to show that they weren’t going to stay silent about the growing scandal. The protest has now sparked a debate over how far lawmakers can go to make their voices heard.