Government should act as common guardian of all citizens: Niskal Rai

Kathmandu. Expressing serious concern over the remark made by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in the House of Representatives, Nepali Congress lawmaker Niskal Rai demanded withdrawal of the remark made by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.

Speaking at the meeting of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, lawmaker Rai said the remarks made by the Prime Minister from the rostrum of the parliament during the Jeth session have caused serious injury to Nepal’s national self-respect, sovereignty and self-respect of all Nepali citizens.

“We had expressed serious objection to this statement in the past and we want to repeat it today as well,” he added. It is not an ordinary political comment for the Prime Minister of a sovereign country to say that Nepal has encroached on India’s land. Therefore, the Prime Minister should withdraw the statement, apologize to the Nepali people and remove it from the record of Parliament. ’

Lawmaker Rai thanked the president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party for convening the all-party meeting to resolve the tension created after the Sunsari incident. He said prioritizing national responsibilities rather than political competition in such a sensitive situation was a positive step.

He also praised the role played by the Prime Minister, Home Minister, local government, security agencies, political parties, religious leaders and civil society in preventing religious tension from escalating into a larger Hindu-Muslim conflict.

Timely intervention, dialogue and patience have helped avert a possible major accident, he said, adding that the situation would have been easier had such efforts been made sooner.

Lawmaker Rai said history has taught that the conflicts that began in the name of religion have ultimately defeated humanity by not making any religion victorious. Paying tribute to those who lost their lives in the Sunsari incident, he extended condolences to the bereaved family members and wished for the speedy recovery of the injured.

He said peace does not mean lifting curfew or opening roads, but also removing fear from the minds of citizens, rebuilding faith in justice and rebuilding trust among communities.

In this context, the 13-point agreement reached between the government and the agitating sides has raised some serious questions, he said. Stating that no side’s demands would be rejected on the basis of prejudice, he said issues like social harmony, citizenship, religious faith and formation of commission should not be resolved through consensus with only one side.

Stressing that the government should present itself as the common guardian of all citizens, he said that one side should not feel neglected, insecure or suspicious while holding talks with the other side.