Violence or people's war? UML-Maoist tussle

MP Bhattarai had said that the study showed that progress in the power sector was not possible due to Maoist violence. "If there was no Maoist violence in this country for 10 years, there would have been a bigger revolution in Nepal's electricity, the country would have been load-shedding-free by the year 2065," he said, "how many transmission lines did the Maoists destroy?" How many sub-stations? Donations were collected from businessmen who went to the river to generate electricity. Investment could not be made due to insecurity.'

As soon as Bhattarai's statement was heard, Maoist MP Madhav Sapkota protested that the word 'violence' was unparliamentary. Other Maoist MPs also stood up and protested. But Bhattarai did not stop calling the Maoist armed conflict 'violence'. Bhattarai's statement was supported by UML MPs by pounding the table. The Maoist parliamentarians are drawing the attention of the speaker by calling the rules illegal.

Even when the Maoist MPs were protesting, Bhattarai was holding the mic and saying, "The period of 10 years is violence, nothing but violence." This is our definition. There is nothing that others do not agree with. This is our political commitment. Democracy should be allowed to speak. Not being allowed to speak is also violence.''

Maoist MP Devendra Poudel mentioned that the constitution does not call any movement a violent conflict and said that no one can use the word that will undermine the peace process of Nepal and that the constitution is unfavorable. He asked the Speaker to remove Bhattarai's statement from the record. Then Speaker Devraj Ghimire instructed the secretariat to investigate.

UML MP Raghuji Pant supported Bhattarai's statement saying that the word 'violence' is not unparliamentary. Maoist chief whip Hitraj Pandey demanded that the Parliament should be run according to the rules saying that the instructions of the Speaker will be final. After that, at the request of Speaker Ghimire, the chaos inside the parliament was stopped.

UML MP Bhattarai mentioned the term '10 years of violence' while expressing the view that the Parliament and the Commission on Abuse of Authority should seek an explanation from Maoist Chairman and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal on the dedicated feeder and trunk line tariff dispute. Bhattarai raised a question saying that the Dahal-led government has decided to waive Rs 16 billion in tariffs.

'Yesterday, the leader of the opposition party said that he would ask Prime Minister KP Oliji for an explanation. I would like to say to the then Prime Minister - using which right did you decide to give discount on electricity dues?'' was his question. Bhattarai said that they are not in favor of giving a single rupee discount on the tariff of dedicated feeders and trunk lines used by industrialists.