MP Singh Expresses Strong Objection to Finance Minister's Absence During Budget Debate

Kathmandu. Ruling party Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) MP Dr. Amresh Kumar Singh has expressed serious objection to the absence of Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle during the discussion on the principles and priorities of the allocated bill. Participating in the ongoing discussion on the bill in the House of Representatives meeting on Tuesday, he clarified that he was compelled to speak in the parliament because the government was doing things that should not be done in the name of breaking traditions. 

MP Singh emphasized that in a parliamentary system, it is an established tradition for the Finance Minister to be present during budget discussions in the parliament, and the government must firmly adhere to it. He accused the government of trying to end the very relevance of the parliament by not doing so. He stated that the government does not have the right to break all the values and norms of the country in the name of creating something new.

Expressing his anger, MP Singh said, 'Actually, all traditions were broken in the name of breaking tradition. It was the system that the Finance Minister was always present during budget allocation priorities. The Foreign Minister does not prepare the budget. The budget of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs goes there. If we, even as MPs for five terms, keep breaking all traditions, the relevance of this parliament will end. The parliamentary system will end. Our country has adopted a parliamentary system, our constitution. Where all parliamentary equals are. Questions are asked to the government. And, MPs also raise the issues of the people with the government.' 

He said, 'In my 20 years of tenure, this is the first time I am seeing that the discussion on this budget allocation bill is proceeding without the Finance Minister. What kind of tradition is starting? In the name of new, not everything should be broken. Let's break Singha Durbar too, let's break the post of Prime Minister. Let's break the post of minister too. Let's change everything. Because no matter how busy one is, it must be justified. I was forced to speak when it became too much. That's why I spoke.'

MP Singh shared his long experience of being elected to parliament repeatedly and expressed anger, saying that this was the first time in his life he had seen the Finance Minister absent during an important discussion related to the budget in parliament. He urged the government not to take the parliament and the budget-making process lightly, no matter how busy it might be, and drew the government's serious attention to the fact that such wrong traditions weaken the democratic system itself.