Opposition parties continue to obstruct Parliament, demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak over the visit visa scandal.
Speaker Devraj Ghimire held discussions with the chief whips of the parties to resolve the deadlock in the House of Representatives. During the talks, the chief whips of the opposition parties reiterated that the parliamentary obstruction would not be lifted until the Home Minister tenders his resignation.
The chief whip of the main opposition party, CPN (Maoist Center), Hit Raj Pandey, stated that they had only lifted the obstruction temporarily to allow the budget presentation but would continue the protest in the upcoming sessions.
"Considering the anti-national, anti-people, and anti-constitutional activities, we had temporarily lifted the obstruction yesterday. Our stance remains firm. This issue is related to human trafficking and corruption," he said. "We have clearly stated that we will not back down from our position unless corrections are made."
Similarly, Santosh Pariyar, the chief whip of the opposition Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), said that since the Home Minister is linked to a human trafficking case, the House proceedings would not be allowed unless he resigns.
"They are trying to proceed through regular procedures, claiming they have done nothing wrong. We have put forth our demands," he said. "Yesterday, we acted responsibly and lifted the obstruction briefly. All opposition parties, including RSP, are united in this protest. Until our demands are addressed, we cannot allow the House to function."
Pariyar further said that the opposition's demands include the resignation of the Home Minister, a response from the Prime Minister, and the formation of a high-level investigation committee.
Meanwhile, Home Minister Lekhak has responded by stating that the issue has been politically motivated and biased.
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