Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul Prasad Banskota has asserted that the National Medical Education Bill would be passed next day, as there was no chance of getting it backtracked.
Also the Spokesperson of the government, Minister Banskota added that the Medical Bill was forwarded to the parliament after adequate discussions in the related committee. But the opposition party objected to it without reading all provisions in the Bill, he complained, adding that House of Representatives meeting would be held on Friday.
The government came up with clear stand on the Medical Education Bill at a time when Dr Govinda KC has been staging the 16th hunger strike and the opposition Nepali Congress obstructing the parliament meeting.
“The Bill is now the parliament’s property and under parliament’s jurisdiction after it was forwarded by the related parliamentary committee on the basis of voting,” Banskota said at a weekly press conference on Thursday.
Rather, he commented that he was wondering why the Bill was termed a ‘mafia-oriented’, while there were various pro-people provisions such as no new medical colleges in the Kathmandu Valley for ten years, non-profiting medical college, students’ quota, special scholarship and subsidized loan to the students from poor families.
“Is it hospital or parliament or any other place that frames law? What’s agreement and disagreement for? Can’t it be a separate paper Dr KC is handed over keeping him confusion?” Minister Banskota put forth the questions before media, arguing that ill efforts were made to obfuscate people on positive provisions in the Bill.
Moreover, the Spokesperson said heated debate could be held during the discussion, but voting or the process is the parliamentary procedure. “Please, don’t take it as government’s arrogance,” he viewed.
According to him, obstructing Speaker and elbowing Minister in the parliament is not a democratic manner. The ruling party was always ready to discuss in the parliament. He also warned that staging hunger strike by Dr KC was against the Bill and against himself.
He wondered whether there were other targets than the medical education while protesting the Bill.
On a different note, he said none could backtrack from the management of peace process and transitional justice. The government is aware of the role leaders as Girija Prasad Koirala and Manamohan Adhikari played for the country, and the hospitals named after Koiralas would be managed based on the need and relevance.
Responding to a query relating to the hierarchy of the office bearers of the constitutional commissions, the Minister said, “People are on the top of the hierarchy, and the hierarchy is determined by the people.” (RSS)
