During a session of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, opposition MPs protested against a decision made by Speaker Devraj Ghimire. The incident occurred when Speaker Ghimire interrupted MP Hari Dhakal during an emergency session, preventing him from speaking. MPs from the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) also joined the protest.
MP Dhakal, who was addressing issues related to air and road transport in the country, was cut off by Speaker Ghimire when he attempted to discuss the arrears of the Electricity Authority and concerns over electricity tariffs. Ghimire interrupted Dhakal, stating that the time allocated was only for discussing transport issues. This led to Dhakal’s microphone being turned off, prompting RSP and RPP MPs to rise in protest, claiming their rights were being restricted.
Rabi Lamichhane and other parliamentarians stood in solidarity with Dhakal, expressing their displeasure with the Speaker’s decision. Speaker Ghimire, in response, advised the parliamentarians to stay focused on the specific topic at hand, reiterating that it would be inappropriate to deviate from the agreed-upon subject.
Subsequently, MP Lamichhane took the floor to object to the Speaker’s actions, arguing that cutting off Dhakal’s microphone was improper, especially during an emergency session. He emphasized that it was acceptable to ask someone to conclude their remarks, but it was wrong to abruptly silence them.
RPP Chairman Rajendra Lingden also expressed his discontent, criticizing the move as damaging to parliamentary traditions. He argued that while it is necessary to prevent discussions that violate the constitution or parliamentary rules, controlling MPs’ privileges was not acceptable.
Despite the Speaker’s explanation that the rules for the emergency session had been followed, MPs from both parties continued their protest, refusing to back down even after being reminded of the two-hour time allocation for discussions.
