Deputy Speaker wrote the letter out of ignorance: Jha

KATHMANDU: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Manish Jhas has said that Deputy Speaker Indira Rana Magar made a mistake out of ignorance.

Speaking at the meeting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, Jha accused larger parties of trying to take advantage of the situation even after Deputy Speaker Rana Magar had acknowledged her mistake.

Deputy Speaker Rana Magar had written a letter to the US Embassy in Nepal requesting them to expedite visa interviews for five individuals to attend the 67th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. However, the five individuals were not granted permission to travel to the US. The letter, written in February 2023, was made public some months ago.

The ruling coalition of CPN-UML and Nepali Congress (NC) is preparing to oust Rana Magar, arguing that she failed to maintain the dignity of her position.

Jha also objected to the NC’s statement that the Deputy Speaker’s actions had caused Nepalis to hang their heads in shame. “She signed the letter out of ignorance. They are making it a bargaining point 19 months later,” Jha said. “Why didn’t the fake refugees cause Nepalis to hang their heads in shame?”