Harka Sampang Pressures Balen Shah in Parliament

A rare protest unfolded inside Nepal’s House of Representatives on Monday after lawmakers from the Shram Sanskriti Party, led by Harka Sampang, staged a demonstration from within the parliamentary chamber itself.

The protest began moments after the meeting started, with party lawmakers standing in front of the Speaker’s seat carrying placards demanding greater accountability from Prime Minister Balen Shah. Messages displayed across their chests and placards accused the government of avoiding parliamentary scrutiny and sidelining democratic practice.

Among the slogans raised inside the chamber were calls insisting that the Prime Minister must remain answerable to Parliament, that questions from lawmakers cannot be ignored, and that public mandate must be respected. Another placard criticised the government for introducing ordinances while bypassing parliamentary discussion.

The unusual form of protest quickly disrupted the atmosphere inside the House, prompting the Speaker to intervene and urge lawmakers to maintain parliamentary decorum.

The Shram Sanskriti Party’s protest centred on the Prime Minister’s absence during discussions on the government’s policy and programme. Opposition parties had demanded that the Prime Minister personally respond to questions raised during deliberations, arguing that executive accountability cannot be delegated during critical parliamentary debate.

Instead, the government’s response was delivered by the Finance Minister on behalf of the administration, further intensifying criticism from opposition benches.

Growing frustration over shrinking parliamentary accountability

The protest also reflected broader frustration over the weakening of direct parliamentary engagement with the Prime Minister.

Although the House has maintained a practice of scheduling regular question-and-answer sessions with the Prime Minister every month, no such session has been included in the parliamentary calendar for the months of Jestha and Ashadh. Opposition lawmakers argue that removing those sessions limits Parliament’s ability to directly question the head of government at a time of growing political tension.

For the Shram Sanskriti Party, Monday’s protest was intended not only as a symbolic challenge to the government, but also as a warning against what it sees as the gradual erosion of parliamentary accountability and democratic responsibility inside Nepal’s legislature.