KATHMANDU: Opposition parties on Wednesday ended their obstruction of the House of Representatives after Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal clarified Prime Minister Balen Shah’s controversial remarks on the Nepal-India border issue.
The opposition had been protesting since Prime Minister Shah, during a question-and-answer session in the House on May 31 (Jestha 17), stated that Nepal had also encroached on a significant amount of Indian territory. The remarks triggered criticism from opposition lawmakers, who demanded that the prime minister apologize and that the statement be removed from the parliamentary record.
The dispute had disrupted parliamentary proceedings for several days, with opposition parties repeatedly raising the issue in the House and obstructing business.
Efforts to resolve the deadlock intensified after Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane returned from an official visit to India and convened an all-party meeting on Monday. During the meeting, Lamichhane informed leaders about his visit and said the government would provide clarification on the controversy in Parliament.
Although opposition parties had insisted that Prime Minister Shah personally address the issue, they agreed to hear the government’s position through Foreign Minister Khanal.
Addressing the House on Wednesday, Khanal said the prime minister’s remarks were related to “cross-border occupation,” seeking to clarify the context of the statement.
Following the minister’s explanation, major opposition parties, including the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and CPN (Unified Socialist), did not renew their demand for a direct statement from the prime minister, allowing parliamentary proceedings to move forward.
Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal then sought to resume regular House business. While lawmakers from the Shram Sanskriti Party led by Harka Sampang continued to protest until the final stages of the session, the House ultimately moved towards normal operation after the Speaker allowed Sampang to speak.
The development is expected to pave the way for smoother parliamentary proceedings after days of disruption over the prime minister’s remarks.
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