KATHMANDU: As Prime Minister Balendra Shah ‘Balen’ continues to court controversy, discussions on the government’s policy and program as well as the budget for the upcoming fiscal year have been pushed into the background.
The government’s policy and program for the next fiscal year has already been endorsed by Parliament with little substantive discussion. Likewise, the budget presented by Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle is also likely to be passed without in-depth deliberation.
Policy and budget debates fail to gain momentum
President Ram Chandra Paudel presented the government’s policy and program for the upcoming fiscal year before a joint session of the Federal Parliament on May 11. However, Prime Minister Balen left the House midway through the President’s address.
In Nepal’s parliamentary history, it has not been customary for a prime minister to walk out while the government’s policy and program is being presented.
Following the incident, opposition parties focused their criticism on the Prime Minister’s conduct and his obligation to remain present in Parliament. The issue soon became the center of political protests and parliamentary obstruction.
As a result, opposition parties registered only a single formal note of dissent on the policy and program, while most lawmakers from the ruling coalition did not actively participate in discussions on the government’s agenda.
Similarly, the budget unveiled by the government on May 29 is also expected to pass without comprehensive debate.
A day after Finance Minister Wagle tabled the budget, Prime Minister Balen appeared at the parliamentary rostrum, announcing an interaction session with lawmakers despite having remained largely silent in Parliament for an extended period.
During the interaction, while responding to Labor Culture Party lawmaker Aren Rai, the Prime Minister made a controversial remark claiming that “not only India, but Nepal has also encroached on Indian territory.”
The statement triggered fresh political controversy, diverting Parliament’s attention away from budget deliberations.
Opposition demands apology
A joint meeting of opposition parties on Monday described the Prime Minister’s remarks as anti-national and demanded a public apology.
The opposition has also insisted that the statement be expunged from the parliamentary record. In line with that position, opposition lawmakers obstructed House proceedings on both Monday and Tuesday.
Following continuous disruptions, Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal adjourned the House of Representatives until June 8, preventing both opposition and ruling party lawmakers from participating in budget discussions.
‘Issue bigger than the budget’
Addressing opposition lawmakers on Tuesday, Speaker Aryal acknowledged the seriousness of the controversy.
“The issue raised by the opposition has drawn my attention, and I believe it has also drawn the government’s attention,” Aryal said, urging lawmakers to allow parliamentary business to proceed while continuing dialogue on the matter.
He clarified that he was not suggesting the issue was less important than the budget but called for the House to move forward with its scheduled agenda.
However, opposition parties remained unconvinced and continued their protests, leading to the adjournment of the House until June 8.
The Prime Minister, who had earlier walked out during the presentation of the government’s policy and program, has yet to offer any explanation for that incident.
Likewise, there appears little possibility that he will apologize for his recent remarks on the Nepal-India border issue to create a conducive environment for parliamentary debate on the budget.
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