House urges public to stay calm

The legislative session of the Constituent Assembly today unanimously passed a resolution of urgent public importance, calling upon the people to maintain communal harmony in the society in the backdrop of the nationwide protests that ensued after Vice President Paramananda Jha took oath of office and secrecy in Hindi language ... ...Wednesday.The resolution appeals to the people to maintain communal harmony and urges all to be sensitive to ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural diversity and national unity.“Attention of the House has been drawn towards unruly activities, which are detrimental to communal harmony, in some parts of the country, including the capital, for past few days over the use of language by the Vice President during his swearing in ceremony.consideration in the Supreme Court. All should be sensitive to the ethnic, linguistic, religious and cultural diversity of the country and national unity while airing views on such issues,” the resolution stated.The House also instructed the government to take effective measures to maintain law and order, public security and communal harmony in society.The government must be cautious to foil such activities carried out by undesirable elements, which want to take advantage of the country’s transitional period, it said.The resolution was proposed by Maoist CA member CP Gajurel and seconded by NC’s Laxman Prasad Ghimire, UML’s Pradip Gyawali and MJF’s Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar.Addressing the House, Gajurel said Nepal is a country of diversity in culture, religion, language and ethnicity and the diversity should be taken as a national asset. NC leader Ghimire said since the issue was sub-judice there was no need to resort to street protests. UML leader Gyawali said the House should pass specific guidelines on use of language/s for official and administrative purposes.MJF leader Gachhadar urged all to give top priority to nation and national interests. He added that the parties should discourage any act that could jeopardise national unity and communal harmony.He said he and other CA members had a miraculous escape in the face of attacks by some elements in the capital this morning. “Had we been attacked, the nation would have plunged into communal riots resulting in heavy loss of lives and property nationwide,” Gachhadar said.Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula apologised on behalf of the government for the incidents on the streets.He said the government would leave no stone unturned to control unruly acts that affect public life and threatened law and order and communal harmony.Earlier, Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang read out a letter from the Presidential Office regarding Prime Minister GP Koirala’s resignation.The House also formed a seven-member panel to draft a procedure guiding the process for the President’s address to the House and the process for the election of a new Prime Minister.

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