Nepal’s Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda has come under fire after he claimed that an Indian businessman settled in his country made a “one-off attempt” to make him the prime minister. His remarks triggered a political storm in the Himalayan nation with the opposition demanding his resignation.
Prachanda said, Nepal’s leading trucking entrepreneur Sardar Pritam Singh played a special and historic role in enhancing Nepal-India relations.
He made the controversial remarks while addressing the release function of the book ‘Roads to the Valley: The Legacy of Sardar Pritam Singh in Nepal’.
After all, what did the PM of Nepal say?
He said, “He (Singh) once tried to make me the prime minister. He traveled to Delhi several times and held several rounds of talks with political leaders in Kathmandu to make me the prime minister,” the prime minister said. He also said that Singh has played a special and historic role in enhancing Nepal-India relations.
Opposition opened front against PM
The main opposition Communist Party of Nepal-(Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) disrupted a meeting of the National Assembly on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of the Prime Minister.
The meeting has been adjourned till 1 pm on Thursday.
Speaking to media persons on Wednesday, CPN-UML President KP Sharma Oli said that they want resignation from the Prime Minister, not an explanation.
Demanding the Prime Minister’s resignation, former Prime Minister Oli said, “His remarks have dealt a blow to national independence, dignity, the Constitution and the Parliament itself.”
Similarly, the meeting of the House of Representatives has been adjourned till 3 pm on Friday following disruptions by opposition parties- UML, Rashtriya Swatantra Party and Rashtriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) over Prachanda’s comments.
Members of the main opposition communist CPN-UML and RPP raised slogans that “the Prime Minister appointed by New Delhi has no right to continue in office”.
Speaking in the lower house, UML MLA Raghuji Pant said, “The prime minister should resign on moral grounds. We don’t need a prime minister appointed by Delhi.”
Not only the opposition, but also the ruling parties have expressed their dissatisfaction over Prachanda’s statement.
“The Prime Minister’s remarks deserve criticism. His remarks are wrong,” said Vishwa Prakash Sharma while talking to reporters after the House meeting on Wednesday.
This is not the first time that Nepal’s top leaders have courted controversy for their indiscriminate comments on sensitive issues like geopolitics, bilateral relations and other national issues.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister on Sunday clarified his controversial remarks about Sardar Pritam Singh at the launch of a book, saying it was “misinterpreted to create a stir”.
Addressing a training program organized by the All Nepal National Independent Students Union in the capital on Wednesday, Prime Minister Prachanda said what he had said about Pritam Singh at the launch of the book ‘Roads to the Valley’. The book written by Kirandeep Sandhu (The Legacy of Sardar Pritam Singh in Nepal) has quoted what Pritam Singh had said, but people are trying to create a ruckus over it.
“I wanted to show that Pritam Singh was not only interested in social service and transport business but also in politics and had lobbied with parties in Delhi as well as in Nepal to make himself the Prime Minister.”
Ganesh Shah of the CPN-Maoist Center said, “In my opinion, the Prime Minister may not have intended to imply India’s interference in Nepal’s internal politics. But he should be careful in using political and diplomatic terms while speaking on such a sensitive issue.” should have been used.” Secretary giving his comment on the controversial remarks of the Prime Minister.
He pointed out that the Parliament was considering serious and important issues, but unfortunately, his remarks led to its adjournment, wasting valuable time, which could otherwise have been used for a meaningful discussion.
(with PTI inputs)