MP Guru Baral: Opposition Won't Attend Business Committee Meeting Until PM Balen Corrects Statement

Kathmandu. CPN-UML lawmaker Guru Baral has stated that there is no point in the opposition participating in the Business Advisory Committee meeting unless Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah corrects his statement that 'Nepal has encroached upon India's land' and removes the statement from the parliamentary record.

Speaker DP Aryal had complained that the opposition parties 'did not cooperate' by not attending the Business Advisory Committee meeting called on Monday to discuss removing the obstruction in the parliament.

When asked by Ratopati why they did not attend the Business Advisory Committee meeting called by the Speaker to remove the obstruction in the house, lawmaker Baral said, 'As long as Prime Minister Balen does not come to parliament and admit his mistake or present details of the encroachment, there is no subject for discussion in the business.'

On Monday, Speaker Aryal stated in the House of Representatives meeting that he had called the parties to discuss the obstruction by the lawmakers, but the opposition parties did not attend the discussion. The opposition has indicated that they will continue the obstruction in Tuesday's House of Representatives meeting as well.

Congress lawmaker Urmila Thapaliya said that the opposition boycotted Monday's Business Advisory Committee meeting. The old Business Advisory Committee has automatically become inactive after the House of Representatives approved the new regulations on Sunday.