KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress (NC) has officially criticized Prime Minister Balendra Shah for exiting the joint session of Federal Parliament while President Ram Chandra Paudel was still presenting the government’s policies and programs.

In a statement issued Monday, NC spokesperson Devraj Chalise labeled the Prime Minister’s early departure as a breach of parliamentary decorum, constitutional tradition, and institutional dignity, noting that such behavior from the head of government during a high-level national event sends an “unpleasant message.”

Beyond his departure, the party also addressed the Prime Minister’s choice of attire and general conduct, describing it as an “unnatural style” that undermines established democratic norms.

While acknowledging that national dress may not be legally mandatory, the NC emphasized that respecting cultural identity and symbolic state dignity is a standard practice for constitutional occasions.

The statement concluded that Parliament is more than a numbers game for forming governments; it is the supreme forum for demonstrating institutional discipline and national civilization.