Home Minister Thapa vows government committed to protecting democracy and people’s life

Kathmandu, July 9: Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa has vowed that the government is committed to protecting democracy and people’s life.  Minister Thapa also said, district in-charge of Netra Bikram Chand Group in Sarlahi, Kumar Poudel was killed on June 20 in police encounter.

Taking a special time in a meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR) today, the Home Minister said the encounter took place in course of maintaining peace and security as he was involved in constituting people’s council, jeopardizing peace and security and anti-constitutional activities.

He clarified the Biplap-led Group’s district in-charge opened fire at police on the very first sight and a retaliatory fire was misfired ending in his death.

Similarly, Saroj Narayan Singh of Ishwarpur municipality-13 had died in a clash with the police in course of attempts to re-operate the East-West Highway which had been closed by the locals following the death of Anup Ray while swimming. The government has constituted a committee to probe the both incidents. He added further legal actions will be pursued once the committee submits the report.

Meanwhile, Main opposition Nepali Congress lawmakers and Rastriya Janata Party’s lawmakers put cross-questions to the Speaker, citing that they are not convinced by the Home Minister’s statements. In response, the Minister said the government has no objection to form a committee to investigate the Sarlahi incident if the House felt need of it.

As the dispute continued the house meeting was halted and Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara held discussions with chief whips of the major ruling Nepal Communist Party and the main opposition Nepali Congress in a bid to find a consensus to continue the session.

However, the house meeting could not resume as they failed to forge a consensus. Therefore, the Lower House session was adjourned till 1:00 pm Wednesday.