Kathmandu: Speaker of the House of Representatives Devraj Ghimire engaged in discussions with leaders from the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), as protests over a visit VISA scam continue to disrupt parliamentary proceedings.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the meeting included RSP Acting President DP Aryal, RPP Vice-President Buddhiman Tamang, and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Ajay Kumar Chaurasiya. During the session, Speaker Ghimire highlighted the impact of the ongoing protests, noting that the lack of communication between the parties and the government has hindered parliamentary business.
The Speaker pointed out that the prolonged standoff has delayed 121 bills that the government intended to introduce in the current fiscal year. He urged both the government and opposition parties to create a conducive environment for parliamentary activities, emphasizing his discomfort with the current deadlock.
Minister Chaurasiya reassured attendees that the government had established an investigation committee to address the visit VISA scam and was actively seeking dialogue with the RSP and RPP leaders. He called for flexibility from the opposition to reach a consensus.
In response, RSP’s Acting Chairperson Aryal acknowledged Speaker Ghimire’s efforts to mediate and highlighted the seriousness of the issues raised by the opposition. RPP Vice-Chairperson Tamang supported Aryal’s stance, stating that the opposition would not relent until a consensus was achieved, particularly emphasizing the need for transparency regarding the Bairagi Investigation Committee’s findings.