What you should know
The Congress is suspicious after the UML filed an amendment in the National Assembly to remove the two-year 'cooling off period' provision from the Civil Bill. The bill report was passed by the plenary committee with the provision of a two-year 'cooling off period' from the State Order and Good Governance Committee. In the land bill, there are amendments by half a dozen parliamentarians including two general ministers of the Congress. Maoists and Jaspa Nepal also have amendments. In this context, Kulchandra Neupane of Kantipur had a conversation with Congress General Minister Gagan Thapa:
What did you say to the representative of the government as the amender of the Land Bill ?
I am also one of the amenders of this bill. If the minister who presented this bill accepts all my amendments, it is natural that I will be satisfied as an amendment. Because, I made those amendments because the bill needs amendments. However, I am speaking here not only as a revisionist, but also as a responsible official of the power-sharing party . My suggestion to the government is to not insist unnecessarily. Urgently take this bill to the parliamentary committee. That way is also easy and practical in terms of time . By taking it to the committee, the government gets to clearly state its issues, get to communicate . So many public concerns and issues have been raised in this bill that the government should follow this path.
Congress's position is that it should be taken to the parliamentary committee for discussion.
The committee does not have any bills burdened at the moment . The committee is vacant . If the government wants, the bill can be passed by the committee while this house is in session. This is beneficial for the government, because by going to the committee, the government gets to clearly state its position . I have also told this to the minister, I have also told the Chief Whip of CPN-UML, and I have kept the same point when I met the Prime Minister. Even today, I have told the Prime Minister not to tell this matter . Our suggestion is procedurally and practically correct . Taking it to committee makes the process transparent and all parties can communicate .
The Supreme Court in the case of Giribandhu Tea Estate has issued an advisory in the name of the government that a sensitive issue like land cannot be the subject of the union only. How is the government trying to address this?
This is what is covered in our revision . If the bill goes to committee, the parliamentary committee can communicate with the state parliaments . We can determine the process . If the Bill is to be passed by the House through the fast track, it will violate the spirit of the Constitution and the mandate of the Supreme Court. Therefore, this point has been emphasized in our amendment. When taken to the committee, an in-depth discussion and resolution of these issues is possible .
How is there going to be agreement when the UML takes the stand that it should be passed through a short process? Our stand is clear that the
should be discussed in the committee. As a revisionist we want our revisions to be accepted . This is our natural expectation as MPs. However, on behalf of the Nepali Congress, in terms of the power partner party, our suggestion is that the government should take the path of the parliamentary committee . We have also put this matter formally . This is what we are saying in the discussion. Taking it to a parliamentary committee is a transparent, inclusive and dialogue-oriented process. In this way, the bill can be made more sophisticated and the spirit of the constitution and the Supreme Court's decision can be respected. However, the party led by the government is not trying to take it to the committee. Attempting to pass a bill related to public interest and concerns through the 'fast track' without going to the committee can create a misconception rather than fact. The government misses the opportunity to make its point clear . Therefore, our position so far is that it should be discussed in the committee.
![If the land bill is not taken to the committee and discussed, it will create a misconception: Mahamantri Thapa [interview]](https://assets-cdn-api.ekantipur.com/thumb.php?src=https://assets-cdn.ekantipur.com/uploads/source/news/kantipur/2025/miscellaneous/gagan-2722025020922-1000x0.jpg&w=1001&h=0)
