Bhishma Raj Angdembe Meets Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal, Discusses Disaster Management and PM's UN Visit

Kathmandu. Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader Bhishma Raj Angdembe met Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal and drew his attention to contemporary issues and disaster management. He said that the format of the question-and-answer program with the Prime Minister should be changed due to the new situation arising after the disaster on August 27. He said, 'The situation has changed after the disaster. Because of this, the format of the question-answer should be changed.' He informed that he urged the Speaker to start the question-answer program soon as it is an integral part of the parliament and the Speaker is positive about it. Angdembe emphasized the need to form a parliamentary high-level committee for relief, management, and rehabilitation after the disaster. He said that such a committee is necessary to look after the condition of women, children, and the newborn and to resettle new settlements safely. 'We want the relief and assistance to be utilized properly and the work to proceed transparently,' Angdembe said, 'This committee is not being formed to oppose the government.' He clarified that the committee would help make the government more responsible and coordinate in places that cannot be reached. He said that such a committee should be formed immediately to make people feel that the state exists during times of disaster. The meeting also discussed the Prime Minister's visit to the United Nations General Assembly. Angdembe said that it would be difficult to include all the sentiments of the country in the short time available to speak at the General Assembly. 'In the five-six minutes available to speak there, many things cannot be said,' he said, 'Therefore, attention should be paid to side talks.' He suggested that before leaving the country, the Prime Minister should call a meeting of the all-party mechanism under his own leadership and discuss. He claimed that this would make the Prime Minister's visit more effective and credible. Angdembe also informed the Speaker about the schedule of the Nepali Congress's 15th General Convention. He said that the ward convention would be held on the 3rd and 4th, the provincial and regional conventions on the 10th, and the central convention from the 16th to the 19th. Similarly, in response to a journalist's question about the demand for a parliamentary committee, he replied that the Speaker was positive. 'This is a proposal put forward by the chairman of the ruling party itself,' he said, 'All opposition parties are unanimous on this.' He clarified that all parties are standing with the government without any distinction between the ruling and opposition parties during the time of disaster. He argued that the parliamentary committee is an official body of the parliament, so the government should not see it as an opposition.