HoR session: MPs raise concerns on protests, budget, and Meta registration

KATHMANDU: In today’s session of the House of Representatives, lawmakers drew the government’s attention to various ongoing protests in the capital, the upcoming fiscal year’s policy and program, budget preparation, and legal issues surrounding the registration of social media.

During the zero hour of the meeting, MPs called for the government to address the protests by teachers, doctors, microfinance workers, and cooperatives. They also suggested special provisions in the upcoming budget to resolve the water scarcity issue in hilly areas, and the removal of legal barriers in the social media registration process.

MP Arjun Narsingh KC emphasized the need to implement agreements made with teachers and urged the government to seriously address the issues of protesting teachers, residential doctors, local employees, and microfinance victims. MP Ammar Bahadur Thapa also drew the government’s attention to engage in immediate talks with teachers to address their demands.

MP Kantika Sejuwal urged the government to implement agreements made with teachers and ensure the right to free and quality education for students. She also requested that 20% of the total budget be allocated to the education sector in the coming fiscal year.

MP Ganga Karki urged the government to fulfill the demands of protesting teachers, doctors, and microfinance victims, while MP Ashma Kumari Chaudhary suggested that the government introduce policies and programs that address public sentiment. Dr. Amresh Kumar Singh proposed that gifts received by the head of state, prime minister, and ministers during foreign visits be preserved in museums.

MP Asim Sah emphasized that social media platforms should be registered and operated according to Nepal’s laws and suggested removing legal complications in the process. MP Ishwar Bahadur Rijal expressed that the monarchy, defeated by the people’s struggle, should never be allowed to return and stated that regressive thinking and actions were unacceptable.

MP Ishwari Gharti raised concerns about the water scarcity faced by citizens in hilly regions, suggesting the establishment of ‘recharge’ ponds in every ward in the upcoming budget. MP Urmila Majhi called for resolving the difficulties faced by 55 families from the Majhi community in Sindhupalchowk’s Chautara Sangachokgadhi Municipality, who had fallen into the black list of banks and were facing property auctions due to the Gorkha earthquake.

MP Eknath Dhakal requested that lawmakers be briefed on the preparations for the Sagarmatha Dialogue, scheduled to be held in Kathmandu in the first week of May. MP Kaluram Rai stressed the need for public awareness campaigns to reduce fire hazards and environmental pollution caused by winter fires and forest fires.

MP Anita Devi condemned the terrorist attack on tourists, including a Nepali, in Pahalgam, Jammu Kashmir, India, and emphasized that the global community must unite to eradicate terrorist activities. MP Kiran Kumar Sah condemned the attack on tourists in Pahalgam based on religion and questioned the government’s strategy to control such activities, which can occur anywhere.

MP Jwala Kumari Sah condemned the terrorist activities in Pahalgam, Jammu Kashmir, and Kathmandu’s Tinkune, stating that such actions are unacceptable. MP Ganesh Parajuli urged the government to fully operate Pokhara International Airport. MP Chiring Dedup Lama requested that the parliament be informed about the decision-making process regarding the appointment of the Insurance Authority’s chairperson.