Speaker orders investigation into lawmaker Bhattarai’s remarks

KATHMANDU: Speaker Devraj Ghimire has directed the Federal Parliament Secretariat to investigate remarks made by CPN-UML lawmaker Yogesh Bhattarai during the meeting of the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

CPN (Maoist Center) lawmakers voiced their objection after Bhattarai referred to the 10-year armed struggle as “political violence”. They protested vehemently, demanding that the term “violence” be removed from the parliamentary record. They also resorted to sloganeering.

Responding to their protest, Speaker Ghimire allowed Maoist Center Chief Whip Hitraj Pandey to speak. Pandey requested Bhattarai to retract his words andd maintain parliamentary decorum.

Following this, Speaker Ghimire instructed the Federal Parliament Secretariat to review Bhattarai’s remarks and take appropriate action.

The Speaker’s directive angered UML lawmakers.

“No one can question our political commitment. This is our stance,” Bhattarai responded. “Who is conducting the investigation? Firing, killing, extortion and looting all are incidents of violence ,” he added.