KATHMANDU: Top leaders of three political parties met at Baluwatar on Wednesday to address two pressing issues: the recent order from the Supreme Court regarding the Lalita Niwas case and the ongoing deadlock in the Federal Parliament due to UML’s obstruction.
Chairman of Maoist Center Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, and CPN-UML Chairnan KP Oli held discussion to end the obstruction initiated by UML party demanding the formation of a high-level investigation committee on the one quintal gold smuggling case.
On Tuesday, the main opposition party, CPN-UML, obstructed the meeting of the House of Representatives. However, as the deadlock persisted, the leaders reconvened for further discussions.
The obstruction of Parliament by the UML centers around their demand for the establishment of a high-level inquiry committee to investigate the case involving the discovery of 100 kg of gold.
However, during Tuesday’s parliamentary session, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayankaji Shrestha responded that an immediate formation of such a committee would be problematic.
He argued that as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CIB) was already engaged in an investigation, creating an additional committee could lead to complications.
Following the dissatisfaction of the CPN-UML with the Home Minister’s response, the party disrupted the parliamentary session the previous Wednesday, leading the Speaker to postpone it until Wednesday.
After today’s meeting, PM Dahal held a separate discussion with UML Chairman Oli at Baluwatar.
However, the specifics of their conversation have not been disclosed publicly by either side.
Recent developments involve the Central Bureau of Investigation probing allegations of land grabbing by government officials in the Lalita Niwas case.
The CIB has detained 19 individuals so far.
Meanwhile, following the Supreme Court’s directive to proceed with an investigation against those responsible for policy decisions in the Lalita Niwas case, arrest warrants have been issued for four former ministers.
In accordance with the Supreme Court’s order, former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai could also be implicated.
Unified Socialist Chair, Nepal, who is part of a seven-party alliance with Nepali Congress and Maoists, is also a member of the Samajwadi Morcha led by the Maoist Center.
After the Supreme Court’s ruling on Sunday, Chairman Nepal embarked on a European tour and expressed his willingness to cooperate with the investigation, asserting his innocence.
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