Shankar Pokharel Questions Speaker’s Role in Defending Government

CPN-UML General Secretary Shankar Pokharel has objected to the Speaker’s role in the House of Representatives, saying it is not appropriate for the Speaker to defend the government over questions raised in Parliament. Sharing his views on Facebook, Pokharel urged the Speaker to remain neutral and reminded that lawmakers are the real players of the parliamentary game. He made the comment after expressing concern that the Speaker had increasingly started responding to criticism of the government and defending it during House meetings.

Pokharel expressed dissatisfaction that the Speaker was not only defending the government but also directly engaging in debate with opposition lawmakers. According to him, parliamentary dignity requires the Speaker to play a neutral role. He wrote that it is not appropriate for the Speaker to personally defend questions raised against the government or debate with the opposition. Pokharel also indicated that questioning and debating in Parliament is the responsibility of elected representatives. He suggested that the Speaker, who should act like a referee, should not become a player on the field.