Opposition Disrupts House over PM’s Border Remarks, Meeting Adjourned Until Tuesday

Opposition lawmakers disrupted Monday’s meeting of the House of Representatives, demanding clarification over Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s recent remarks on the Nepal-India border issue and seeking removal of those remarks from the parliamentary record. The protest delayed the House meeting by nearly two hours. Soon after the meeting began, lawmakers stood in protest, after which Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal suspended the meeting for 15 minutes. Lawmaker Padma Kumari Aryal said the Prime Minister’s statement contradicted the national consensus reached in 2077 BS, when Nepal incorporated Lipulekh, Limpiyadhura and Kalapani into its official map.

The controversy is linked to Prime Minister Shah’s May 31 response to lawmakers, in which he said some land currently used by Nepal could fall on the Indian side, while land used by India could lie within Nepal. Lawmakers from the main opposition Nepali Congress and other parties also raised concerns about alleged irregularities in vehicle imports from China, citing media reports about possible manipulation of customs procedures and tax rates. MPs including Santosh Subba, Harka Raj Sampang Rai, Barshaman Pun and Gyanendra Bahadur Shahi demanded a thorough investigation and action against those found responsible. The suspended meeting could not resume as scheduled due to special circumstances, and Speaker Aryal later adjourned the House until 1:00 pm on Tuesday, June 9.