report in The Himalayan Times, July 7, 2023
KATHMANDU, JULY 6The ruling parties threw their weight behind Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal who had become the target of opposition parties, especially the CPN- UML, over the PM’s alleged remarks that Indian national Pritam Singh had gone to New Delhi several times seeking to make him the prime minister at least once.
Top leaders of the ruling alliance held a meeting and decided that the PM would face the Parliament rather than resign from his post.The UML has demanded the PM’s resignation saying that hiss remarks had undermined the prestige and independence of the country.
CPN (Unified Socialist) leader Rajendra Pandey said the ruling alliance stood behind the PM and if the opposition parties had any grudge against the PM, they were free to seek a response from him in the Parliament.UML lawmakers had obstructed House proceedings yesterday over the PM’s remarks.
Pandey said opposition parties should be blamed for aiding loan sharks as their protest in the House had deprived the House of Representatives the chance to pass the anti-usury bill that was supposed to replace the anti-usury ordinance. As the bill could not be passed, the anti-usury ordinance ipso facto became invalid.Pandey said the UML, which lost its share in the government, was looking for a pretext to bash the PM.
Meanwhile, the PM’s Press Adviser Govinda Acharya issued a press note saying the opposition parties were blowing the PM’s remarks out of proportion.
He stated that the PM was trying to express the emotional bond he shared with Pritam Singh, which had developed after the PM joined the political mainstream.
Acharya said it was unfortunate that the opposition was blowing the PM’s remarks out of proportion to suit their political interests.He said the PM’s elder daughter Gyanu Dahal had stayed at Singh’s House in New Delhi when she underwent treatment for cancer.
Meanwhile, the PM’s party – the CPN-MC – also issued press releases condemning the UML’s protest and accusing it of propagating rumour.
The party said the PM and Singh shared emotional bonds and the PM’s remarks were aimed at highlighting the sincere feelings of Singh who wanted to see him become the PM, but the UML was trying to blow the issue out of proportion to fulfil its political interests.
In an oblique reference to UML Chair and former prime minister KP Sharma Oli, the CPN-MC stated in its release that people knew well the repeated dissolution of the House of Representatives after a midnight (Oli’s) meeting with Indian RAW chief, scuttling of the government’s attempt to make laws in favour of the people, and irresponsible attitude of the main opposition party against the government’s investigation into old corruption cases were attacks on the new political gains.
“Our party strongly condemns the tendency of fishing in muddy water and looking for a chance to bash others,” CPN- MC Spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara stated referring to the UML. https://thehimalayantimes.com/nepal/ruling-parties-spring-to-pms-defence
