KATHMANDU: A heated debate unfolded in the House of Representatives today over the use of the term ‘violence’ by CPN (UML) lawmaker Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai.
During a special session, Bhattarai criticized the CPN (Maoist Centre) for its decade-long “violence,” which he claimed had stalled national progress and led to unethical practices targeting hydropower developers.
Maoist Centre lawmakers took issue with the term ‘violence,’ demanding its removal from the parliamentary record.
Madhav Sapkota of the Maoist Centre accused Bhattarai of using “unparliamentary” language, while Devendra Paudel, another Maoist Centre member, requested that the term be withdrawn, arguing that it undermines the peace process as outlined in the Constitution.
Chief Whip Hitraj Pandey also supported the call for removal.
In response, Speaker Devraj Ghimire acknowledged the objection but urged the House to continue with its regular proceedings.
Despite the Speaker’s call, Maoist Centre members persisted in their demand for the term’s removal.
Defending his remarks, Bhattarai and fellow UML lawmaker Raghuji Pant argued that the term ‘violence’ was justified.
Bhattarai clarified that he was not blaming the Maoists for the country’s lack of progress but was referring to how Maoist-era violence hindered potential investment in the hydropower sector, contributing to ongoing load-shedding issues.
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