In a meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today, main opposition party lawmaker Bhanubhakta Dhakal has urged lawmakers representing the ruling parties not to be defensive in regard with issues raised by oppositions in the House.

As he said, the House culture requires the respective minister(s) to respond to issues raised by the opposition in the parliament and urged the ruling party lawmakers not to take up such role.

Taking part in deliberations on budget expenditures relating to the Urban Development Ministry, Ministry of Health and Population, the Secretariat of National Planning Commission, and the Offices of the President and Vice-President, he said the House norms required the ministers concerned to respond to issues raised during the deliberations and it was not necessary for ruling party lawmakers to give their replies.

The former Minister for Health and Population objected to the remark by the incumbent Minister for Health and Population who accused him of irregularities in the handling of COVID-19 vaccines and demanded a reply towards that end.

Likewise, Aman Lal Modi accused sitting ministers of becoming a success for more budget allocations in their districts and constituencies and not following the model of proportional development. He took time to complain over ‘non-allocation’ of budget to systematise and beautify Biratnagar, the major city in the east.

Lawmakers complained that they did not see programmes demanded from them in the budget and no attention had been given to ensuring programmes capable of yielding positive effects on a long run.