KATHMANDU: Voices have been raised to ban the anti-federalism remarks as anti-federalism remarks have started coming in the parliament at a time when the entire nation is moving forward strengthening the federalism.

During a special hour in Friday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, lawmaker Pramod Sah said no one has freedom to make statements to weaken federalism achieved from people’s sacrifice. He opined, “It will be only a day dream if anyone is thinking to weaken the federalism brought from oppressed people’s sacrifice.”

Lawmaker Sah shared, “Lawmakers of some parties have made anti-federalism remarks in the parliament. I condemn it. It should be banned if the issue to weaken the federalism is raised in the parliament.” He demanded ruling through the Speaker to suppress such voices, adding oppressed people would not leave any stone unturned to safeguard the federalism.

Asking to end anomalies seen in Tribhuvan University, Lal Babu Pandit expressed his surprise over frequent padlocking by the student organizations close to the ruling party.

Pandit demanded to bring the Federal Civil Service Act, mentioning that problem has surfaced in service delivery as civil servant adjustment task was yet to complete even though country has already adopted federal system.

Umashankar Argariya accused the government of being apathetic to the fate of farmers who have been clamoring for timely supplies of fertilizers, seeds and for irrigation facility. “Farmers across the country are struggling to sustain their occupation, their issues are being politicized and their plight continues.”

Suresh Kumar Rai demanded the timely completion of a road project connecting Ghurmi of Udayapur and Chatara of Sunsari district and Prakash Snehi Rasaili demanded an investigation into the gun firing happened following the termination of contract employees from the Gurans rural municipality in Dailekh.

Dr Shibamaya Tumbahamphe expressed her concern over the participations of government high-ranking people in a religious event at Pashupathinath organized Krishna Giri, who is accused of raping his woman follower. “The UML condemns the participations of government ministers and a key people in judiciary at the religious ceremony facilitated by the rape accused. This has been painful for the survivor.”

Rajendra Kumar KC said the capital expenditure in the last fiscal year was only 57 percent of the total budget and insisted on finding out where the shortcoming lies so that there is less spending. He said although it is a matter of happiness that a tunnel way is being constructed at Nagdhunga, the trails used by the locals to go from one settlement to another have been displaced while constructing the approach road to the tunnel way.

He called for restoring these traditional trails as the locals are facing problem traveling from one settlement to the next in lack of these trails.

Chandtara Kumari said that the government and the leaders of the big parties should be serious as the US representative has come to Nepal to ‘untangle’ the knot of SPP.

Mohan Baniya said the parliament should be cautious as there are talks that the State Partnership Program (SPP) is being passed by the government. He also cautioned the government of the future consequences of passage of the Citizenship Bill by ignoring 34 to 35 amendments registered in parliament against it and ignoring the protests.

Dev Prasad Timilsina slammed the government for failing to supply fertilizers to farmers in time. He demanded that the government should declare certain areas in the Tarai as ‘dry zone’ as rice planting has not been possible in these areas due to drought and provide relief to the farmers.