Speaker Subas Nembang prorogued the session reading out the letter sent to parliament by President Ram Baran Yadav.
Of the 18 bills presented by the government, theoretical debates on two bills are over, four of them have been processed ahead, while the two others have only been tabled. [break]Similarly 39 other bills passed to the session from the previous ones have also been left unendorsed.
Government sorry for neglecting Democracy Day
Bowing to mounting pressure from the opposition parties -- Nepali Congress (NC) and UML -- the government apologized in parliament for not observing the Democracy Day, which falls on Falgun 7, and pledged to continue to celebrate the day as a national festival from next year.
The government was compelled to apologize after NC and UML threatened to disrupt parliamentary proceedings.
“We realize our mistake,” said Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar.
But Gachchhadar informed that it was the decision of the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led government to celebrate Jestha 15 as a national day as the country has three such important days: Falgun 7 Democracy Day, Baisakh 11 Loktantra Diwas and Republic Day on Jestha 15.
Similarly, Gachchhadar also pledged that the government will form a judicial panel to probe the murder of UML cadre Ram Swaroop Paswan of Siraha. The party had disrupted the last House meeting demanding a judicial panel to probe the murder.
Gachchhadar told the House that the decision to form a judicial panel was taken due to pressure from the UML. “I told UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal that there is no need to form a judicial panel as it is a criminal case. But I could not convince him,” he said.
Prior to the House meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai had held talks with the opposition leaders over House disruption by the UML over the Paswan murder and NC´s threat to disrupt House if the government didn´t pledge to celebrate the 7th of Falgun as the Democracy Day.
Speaking at the House meeting, NC lawmaker Ram Sharan Mahat had earlier threatened to disrupt the House if the government did not celebrate Falgun 7 as a national day. He argued that the 1951 revolution had brought down the Rana Oligarchy and was instrumental in ensuring socio-political inclusion.
“Today we have the president who is a member of the Madhesi community and the army chief who is a member of the janajati community. This has to do with the revolution of the 1951,” he said.
Similarly, Rabindra Sharma had demanded judicial probe into the murder of the UML cadre Paswan.
Meanwhile, women lawmakers have demanded strong action against those involved in the murder of Dhegani Mahato in Baghaudha village-2 of Chitwan district last Friday. Her relatives burnt Mahato to death for allegedly practicing witchcraft.
Lawmakers including Lila Neche, Ishwari Neupane and Santa Adhikari blamed the male-dominated society for the murder of Dhegani Mahato, 40, by her relatives. “I regret that the deputy prime minister has not pronounced a word on the issue,” said Adhikari, who is a lawmaker from the UML.
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