Kathmandu : Speaker Devraj Ghimire has instructed Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to focus on the issue while answering the queries raised by Members of Parliament (MPs) in the meeting of the House of Representatives (HoR).

When Prime Minister Oli, during the question-answer session, said that the questions raised in the HoR meeting should not be baseless, fake and prejudiced, CPN (Maoist Center) Deputy General Secretary Barshaman Pun objected to the Prime Minister’s statements and called for a ruling from the Speaker.

“MPs should uphold the dignity of the HoR while raising questions,” said the Prime Minister, “the baseless statements such as the prime minister passed off brass as gold should be discouraged.”

Responding to verbal exchanges between the Prime Minister and MP Pun, Speaker Ghimire asked Pun to take his seat and ordered the Prime Minister to deliver his speech to the point. “Focus on the topic while delivering your speech,” the Speaker instructed the Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister responded defensively claiming that he is to the point. “Dear Speaker, I am to the point, absolutely,” Prime Minister Oli said, adding, “My only request is that the dignity of the parliament should be upheld during an answer-question session.”

In the beginning of the answer-question session, Nepali Congress Vice President, Dhanraj Gurug asked when the work of making Butwal-Pokhara Highway two-lane under the Gandaki Economic Triangular Plan will start. Gurung had asked a total of three questions.

While answering the questions, Prime Minister spoke of the disputes on the dedicated trunk line subsisting between the Nepal Electricity Authority and the industrialists, claimimg that he had never told the industrialists not to pay the electricity bill.

In the zero hour of the HoR, Maoist Center MP Lekhnath Dahal accused Prime Minster of telling a lie on the dedicated trunk lines.

Reacting to MP Dahal’s comment, Oli objected saying that MPs should not raise questions out of impulse and level allegations against anyone in an unfounded manner.