Crisis in Nepal: PM wants House to debate Prez move

conLawmakers of the Unified CPN-Maoist on Monday continued disrupting the regular business of the parliament, raising voices against the President’s move to revoke the government decision to sack the army chief.

Constituent Assembly chairman Subas Nembang today called a meeting of chief whips of the six major political parties in a bid to find a way out to the House impasse. But the meeting could not make any breakthrough, as the Maoist leaders insisted that the House discuss the President’s move.

Earlier, caretaker Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, after concluding the parliamentary party meeting of the UCPN-M, told mediapersons that they were doing groundwork to resume the House proceedings at the earliest. “But other parties should be ready for discussion, debate and voting against the President’s decision on the army chief issue,” he added. Dahal said the House business might resume if the parties agreed on a procedure on debating and voting on the President’s move.

Following the disruption of the House proceedings, Nepali Congress vice-president Ram Chandra Poudel said the parliament had the right to discuss any issue that is sub-judice.
A UML CA member quoted Nembang as advising the Maoist leaders to raise the issue of President’s decision even after the House business became regular.
Meanwhile, the Maoists didn’t move sankalpa prastab (parliamentary stricture) against the President’s decision, despite discussing it. (Source : The Himalayan times )

Our Perspective:
It would be a good thing to see the parties discussing the presidents actions in The House. This would remind the president he is not above the constitution. But as for the maoists disrupting the parliamentary process, they should stop doing so and pave the way for new government to be formed. But one has to keep in mind that CPN-Maoists are new to the parliamentary process and may require a steep learning curve to settle down in terms of House-Politics. After all in the past few months we have seen those self-proclaimed "saviours of democracy" disturbing the parliament as a symbol of protest.
One thing for sure is that maoists are going to learn the same way of staging protests as conducted by the other mainstream political parties. Now we have seen the road blockades in various parts of the countries by minorities groups as a symbol of protest. Maoists initiated the ethinicity based protest, and now it has been a headache for them anyone else concerned about the social harmony.
The moot point here is for the political parties to realize the verdict they have been given by the people and work according to it.