RSP demands Home Minister’s resignation; NC questions Rabi’s morality

Kathmandu: Parliament sought a clash over ethics and resignation on Sunday. The opposition party Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) demanded a resignation, while the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) spoke of ethics. Despite the uproar and well-encircled, the House of Representatives meeting continued. RSP lawmakers surrounded the parliamentary well, demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and the formation of a parliamentary inquiry committee in connection with the visit visa scandal.

The session was scheduled to discuss the upcoming fiscal year’s budget. From the outset, RSP lawmakers protested from their seats. Yet, Speaker Dev Raj Ghimire allocated time under the “special time” segment for Nepali Congress Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire to speak. This move prompted louder protests from RSP lawmakers. They not only encircled the well but also chanted slogans demanding the Home Minister’s resignation. Amid the noise, Chief Whip Ghimire used his time to criticize the RSP itself.

RSP was demanding the resignation of the Home Minister on moral grounds due to an investigation initiated by the anti-corruption body against a joint secretary. Chief Whip Ghimire said the party should first examine its moral standing. ‘The party that demands resignation on ethical grounds is led by someone facing court cases related to cooperative fraud, money laundering, and organized crime, and who has even been ordered to remain in custody for further investigation by the Supreme Court,’ Ghimire said.

Stating that the Election Commission records still list Rabi Lamichhane as RSP chairperson, questioning the party’s moral authority, Ghimire said, ‘Those who question others on morality should first demonstrate it themselves.’ He also pointed out that RSP had not replaced Lamichhane as parliamentary party leader even after he was suspended as a lawmaker, questioning how such a party could lecture others on ethics. While Ghimire raised these issues, RSP lawmakers continued their protest and chants demanding Lekhak’s resignation.

Nepali Congress MP Nagina Yadav also took a dig at the RSP after Speaker Ghimire gave her time during the special segment. She said the opposition’s obstruction prevented MPs from addressing people’s concerns. Criticizing RSP, she accused party president Lamichhane of being involved not only in the cooperative case but also in passport-related issues. ‘Instead of questioning others, they should reflect on the kind of party they represent,’ she remarked.

There’s a twist of irony in the current dynamics. When Lamichhane was Home Minister, Nepali Congress had led the charge, under the leadership of then Chief Whip Ramesh Lekhak, demanding his resignation and a parliamentary inquiry over the cooperative scandal. Today, Lekhak himself is Home Minister, facing questions over the visit visa scandal, while RSP now demands his resignation. Congress, however, defends him, arguing that a party with no moral standing has no right to seek resignations on ethical grounds.

Nepali version of the news