KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress lawmaker Purnabahadur Tamang, also known as Kanchha Ram, launched a scathing attack against two Deputy Prime Ministers—Prakash Man Singh and Bishnu Paudel—during Sunday’s House of Representatives meeting.
Tamang, who is also the Congress president for Ramechhap district, accused Singh and Paudel of allocating billions in the national budget unfairly to their own constituencies—Kathmandu and Rupandehi—while neglecting others.
Speaking during deliberations on the budget for various ministries, Tamang sarcastically ‘thanked’ Singh for allocating 207 projects worth Rs 3 crore each in Kathmandu while ignoring districts like Ramechhap.
“Honourable Singh, being the son of our revered leader Ganeshman Singh, has generously distributed 207 budget packages in Kathmandu. On behalf of Ramechhap, I extend my ‘heartfelt thanks’,” said Tamang in a critical tone.
He further accused Finance Minister Poudel of a similar act, stating that Rupandehi—Poudel’s home district—received 79 packages of Rs 3 crore each. Tamang likened the budget sharing to a symbolic gift exchange between close friends, questioning the rationale behind such unequal distribution.
“Is this how you run the state? Should only the two of you win elections, only the two of you be ministers, only the two of you be fed?” he asked.
Although expressing anger, Tamang—who follows Buddhism—refrained from tearing up the budget document, stating, “I don’t believe in tearing books. I’m a follower of Gautam Buddha.”
In a dramatic close to his speech, he invoked Lord Pashupatinath and Gautam Buddha, wishing both Singh and Poudel to lose the next general elections in 2084.
“I pray that we do not have to see either of you in this parliament after 2084,” he declared, also hinting that Singh would be dealt with in the Congress’s 15th General Convention.
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