KATHMANDU, July 9: The opposition, led by the main opposition Nepali Congress (NC), continued its protest in the House of Representatives (HoR) on Thursday, intensifying pressure on the government to clarify Prime Minister Balendra Shah's controversial remarks on the Nepal-India border dispute.
The protest began as soon as the House convened, with opposition lawmakers rising from their seats. Acknowledging that the issue had been repeatedly raised, Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal allowed one lawmaker to present the opposition's position before giving time to representatives of other opposition parties.
HoR meeting: Oppn’ MPs seek clarification on PM Shah's border r...
Speaking on behalf of the opposition, NC lawmaker Harina Devi Kami objected to the prime minister's May 31 statement in the House that "Nepal has also encroached on Indian territory." She demanded that the prime minister explain the remark and that it be expunged from the parliamentary record.
As lawmakers from other opposition parties sought to speak, Speaker Aryal allowed each party to air its views.
CPN-UML lawmaker Yashoda Kumari Baral accused the government of ignoring the opposition's repeated calls for clarification, while her party colleague Bhim Kumar Budhamagar urged the prime minister to retract the statement, arguing that it undermined national sovereignty at a time when Nepalis remain committed to safeguarding the country's territory.
Shram Sanskriti Party lawmaker Purna Prasad Limbu also questioned the prime minister's remarks, while Rastriya Prajatantra Party lawmaker Khusbu Oli called on the ruling coalition to publicly clarify its position on the issue.
