Kathmandu, June 20: A heated exchange erupted in Parliament during deliberations on the Appropriation Bill as independent lawmaker Dr. Amresh Kumar Singh confronted Speaker Devraj Ghimire over alleged bias and unequal budget distribution. The confrontation was sparked after Singh’s remarks drew sharp criticism from MPs of the ruling coalition, particularly from the CPN-UML.

MP Singh had accused the government of allocating funds disproportionately, favoring just five districts with ties to the Prime Minister, ministers, and select MPs—while ignoring the remaining 72 districts. He went further, suggesting that foreign nations like the US, China, and India should lease the neglected districts, prompting an uproar in the chamber. UML Chief Whip Mahesh Bartaula condemned Singh’s comments as “objectionable and anti-national,” joined by several other ruling party lawmakers.

The controversy escalated when Speaker Ghimire directed Parliament staff to expunge Singh’s remarks from the official record. Refusing to comply, Singh rebuked the Speaker, saying, “You are acting like a UML cadre, not a Speaker for all. Why didn’t you direct the government to ensure equitable budget distribution during the formulation process? We don’t follow instructions issued along party lines.”

Questioning the Speaker’s impartiality, Singh added, “Are we not elected by the people too? Just because we are independents, does that make us less worthy of speaking? This is not your benevolence—I am here by public mandate.”

Singh went on to accuse UML lawmakers of betrayal and blamed former ministers for impoverishing the country over the past two decades through massive corruption. As he continued to level accusations against the ruling party, Speaker Ghimire repeatedly warned him to stick to the agenda and speak within parliamentary decorum.

“The entire budget is cornered into a handful of districts, and now independent MPs are being silenced?” Singh protested. “If all MPs are equal, then rules should apply equally. Small parties like the RSP are ignored. Independent voices are suppressed. We are here to fight inequality—this is what the people expect of us.”

At that point, Speaker Ghimire ordered Singh to vacate the rostrum. However, Singh stood his ground, refusing to yield even after his allotted seven minutes expired. “I will not submit to injustice and oppression,” he declared, continuing to express his dissent on various issues despite repeated warnings.

People’s News Monitoring Service