KATHMANDU, Sept 15: The main opposition party Nepali Congress obstructed house proceedings in the House of Representatives on Sunday protesting an attack on its party members including Banke President Kiran Koirala last week.
Immediately after the House session began, NC Chief Whip Bal Krishna Khad accused the government agencies of instigating the violent attack on NC cadres during the public awareness campaign held in Banke.
"The attack by the NCP cadres was aimed at disturbing the public awareness campaign launched by our party," he said.
Other lawmakers of the NC protested against the government by rising from their seats at the House. Addressing the meeting, Home Minister Thapa said that the government has taken the incident very seriously. He also vowed to take stringent action against those involved in the incident.
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"Police have already arrested Nirmal Khatri, Roshan Singh Thakuri and Lok Bahadur Shahi on the same day for their involvement in the incident. Banke Police has already been instructed to launch a manhunt to arrest others involved in the incident," he said.
Home Minister Thapa said that the local administration was not aware of the public awareness campaign launched by the NC in advance. "Had the local administration been informed in advance, certainly it would have worked to prevent such incidents," he said.
Even after the assurance from the home minister to launch a probe into the incident, the NC lawmakers continued to protest against the government. The NC lawmakers demanded that guilty be booked.
Amid hullaballoo, Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara adjourned the House.
Meanwhile, the NC lawmakers also obstructed the National Assembly in protest of the same incident. The Upper House adjourned following the protest.
Earlier, NCP, Banke, however, refuted the allegation and claimed that its cadres were not involved in the incident.
On Thursday, NCP cadres thrashed Nepali Congress (NC) members entering a venue of the NC's awareness campaign at Sitapur of Khajura Rural Municipality in Banke.
During the attack, several people including NC's Banke President Kiran Koirala sustained serious injuries. Koirala's left hand had fractured.
