Kathmandu — Opposition parties in Nepal on Thursday stormed the well of the lower house and disrupted the first parliamentary meeting, demanding Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah step down for failing to be accountable to Parliament.
Lawmakers from the Nepali Congress, the Communist Party of Nepal–Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) and the Shram Sanskriti Party, among others, gathered in the chamber, waved placards and chanted slogans to press their demand that the prime minister either attend Parliament to answer questions or resign.
The protests were led most vocally by the Shram Sanskriti Party, headed by Hark Raj Rai (Harka Sampang). Rai questioned whether the prime minister is performing his duties as a member of Parliament and urged that, if he cannot fulfil constitutional responsibilities, he should make way for someone who can. He said his party had repeatedly raised issues since May 11 — including alleged encroachment on Nepalese territory by India, the vacant Home Ministry portfolio and the management of squatters — but received no response.
Rai had submitted a written request asking that the prime minister resign for failing to be present during debates on the government’s policies and programmes. His party also staged a novel form of protest inside the federal Parliament, distributing pamphlets and holding up placards, which lawmakers continued on Thursday.
Opposition lawmaker Niskal Rai of the Nepali Congress said the moves were intended to force greater government accountability. He and other opposition members said they had not received adequate backing from Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal, and accused the government of ignoring their demands.
Tensions rose when Speaker Aryal limited speaking time to one minute for some opposition members, prompting further objections. The opposition has also accused Prime Minister Shah of repeatedly avoiding parliamentary proceedings — including not attending sessions to present or defend bills and leaving during the President’s address — which they described as abdication of constitutional accountability.
Speaker Aryal warned that parliamentary rules had been breached and signalled possible disciplinary action, but the Shram Sanskriti Party continued its demonstrations.
Following the disruption, Aryal went to meet Prime Minister Shah at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar and asked him to appear in Parliament. Shah reportedly told the speaker he could not attend immediately and would come at an “appropriate time” after further consideration. The speaker returned to the House reportedly disappointed and resumed the session amid ongoing unrest.
Opposition members say the protest will continue until the prime minister either answers lawmakers’ questions in Parliament or resigns. Government sources have not announced any immediate change to Shah’s schedule.
(This report is based on syndicated coverage and the original feed from ANI.)
