Kathmandu: Nepal's Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, faced backlash from the united opposition following his visit to India, with allegations that he compromised national interests through what they perceive as a complete 'sell-out' to India.
The united opposition, consisting of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, Rashtriya Prajatantra Party, Rashtriya Swatantra Party, and the Nepal Mazdoor Kisan Party demanded the Speaker to halt the scheduled proceedings and summon the Prime Minister to address their grievances.
Unwilling to back down, the opposition members persisted, leading to Speaker Devraj Ghimire adjourning the House and scheduling the next meeting for Monday.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, a single bench of the Supreme Court presided over by Justice Manoj Kumar Sharma, issued an interim stay on the implementation of the Citizenship Bill. This bill had received approval from President Ram Chandra Poudel merely hours before Prime Minister Dahal was set to embark on his official visit to Delhi.
Padam Giri, the chief whip of the Communist Party of Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist, expressed his concerns to the media, alleging that Prime Minister Dahal had overstepped his mandate and ignored national interests.
Giri highlighted Dahal's failure to raise the border dispute issue with India during his discussions and raised objections over a mural on the new Indian Parliament building allegedly depicting Lumbini and Kapilvastu as part of a unified India, known as Akhand Bharat.
The approval of the Citizenship Bill is believed to have addressed a request made by the Indian government nearly five years ago, regarding granting citizenship to individuals in Tarai, an area adjacent to India.
Legal experts are divided on the status of the Citizenship Bill, with some arguing that it had lapsed with the dissolution of the previous parliament, where it originated. Furthermore, they assert that President Ram Chandra Poudel exceeded his authority by granting approval, particularly after his predecessor had initially declined assent and subsequently delayed action when Parliament resubmitted the bill.
As the political situation in Nepal intensifies, the rift between the ruling party and the opposition threatens to escalate further. The Prime Minister will be compelled to address the mounting concerns raised by opposition parties, while legal and constitutional experts continue to analyze the legitimacy of the approved Citizenship Bill. The nation eagerly awaits further developments in this ongoing political saga.