Nepal: Opposition obstructs house meeting, demands resignation of Home Minister

The main opposition in Nepal, the Nepali Congress after being kicked off the coalition on Friday continued to obstruct house meetings demanding the resignation of Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane.

The main opposition in Nepal, the Nepali Congress after being kicked off the coalition on Friday continued to obstruct house meetings demanding the resignation of Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane. Nepali Congress lawmakers stood up from their seats and gathered to picket the well of the House of Representatives as the House Speaker announced the resumption of the second session of the day's meeting.

In continuation of their protest, Nepali Congress lawmakers disrupted the first session of the House, prompting the House Speaker to adjourn the proceedings for 15 minutes. Following this, the second session commenced on Friday. As soon as the announcement from House Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire inviting Lamichhane to table a bill proposal for discussion, the opposition picketed the well.

Opposition Nepali Congress has been protesting the appointment of Lamichhane as the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister despite being accused of misappropriating millions of rupees of the general public deposited at cooperatives. Congress has been demanding Minister Lamichhane to resign immediately and Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal address the issue.

"In 31 thousand co-operatives (saving and credits organization) there are 4.3 million members who had deposited their savings, now those savers have been demanding that they should be paid back their savings even by selling the properties of the owners and those in managerial posts. In the meantime, a person who is under investigation by authorities (for wrongdoing in those cooperatives) has been appointed in a ministerial post, how will the demands of those victims be fulfilled?" Paudel questioned. Home Minister Lamichhane has been accused of fraud in a cooperative duping millions of rupees of savers cons-pirating with others. Lamichhane has been denying the allegation stating he was unaware of it but evidence of his involvement in the fraud has come forward with the investigation continuing over.

Lamichhane had earlier worked with GB Rai, one of the conspirators in the fraud of millions of rupees before he entered politics in the last election, who as of now has gone underground with police widening search for him. Investigation over the case is still underway in Pokhara where hundreds of applications naming Lamichhane as one of those involved in fraud have been filed. Opposition Nepali Congress on Friday suggested Lamichhane resign from the post based on moral grounds and set a precedent.

"I hereby request the Home Minister to resign from the post on high moral grounds and set a precedent," Paudel said. Furthermore, Paudel criticised the decision of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda to appoint an individual with lingering questions as the Home Minister. He questioned the rationale behind appointing a person who is entangled in a cooperative fraud case to a position responsible for ensuring justice for cooperative victims.

Soon after the continued disruption by the opposition house speaker adjourned the meeting until Sunday. Speaker Ghimire announced the adjournment of the meeting until 11 a.m. on Sunday, March 17. (ANI)

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