KATHMANDU: The House of Representatives witnessed heated clashes between the ruling Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and opposition parties on Tuesday, as lawmakers vociferously cornered the government over deteriorating governance, rising inflation and alleged high-handed tactics.

Opposition MPs, including Ganesh Thagunna from CPN (UML) and Ramesh Kumar Malla from Nepali Communist Party, fiercely condemned recent suspicious incidents where vehicles blocked major roads, disrupted public spaces and barricaded the entrance of leading media houses.

They accused the government—specifically targeting the RSP leadership—of protecting these elements, stating that such intimidating actions mirror the state terror of the Panchayat era.

The opposition demanded immediate investigations, vehicle seizures, massive fines and a formal apology from Prime Minister Balendra Shah, while also slamming the administration for leaving slum dwellers vulnerable to monsoon flooding during unmanaged evictions.

In response to the accusations, RSP lawmakers strongly pushed back against the narrative of state-sponsored disruption.

RSP Chief Whip Prakash Chandra Pariyar vehemently condemned the media blockades, calling any attempt to terrorize media houses a direct assault on the constitutionally guaranteed freedom of the press.

Invoking the history of Nepali journalism, Pariyar noted that if the media did not bow down to royal military censorship under King Gyanendra, it would certainly not be intimidated by a few strategically parked vehicles today.

While demanding that the home administration guarantee a secure, fear-free environment for journalists, he also cited Mahatma Gandhi to remind the house that an unregulated press can cause destruction, urging the media to practice responsible journalism.

The session also saw sharp rebukes regarding parliamentary decorum, government accountability, and a growing wave of public despair.

CPN (UML) MP Ain Mahar raised a formal point of order demanding a ruling from the Speaker, accusing Prime Minister Balendra Shah and RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane of violating Rule 20 of the parliamentary regulations by walking directly between the Speaker’s chair and Rastriya Prajatantra Party MP Khushbu Oli while she was delivering a speech.

Meanwhile, expressing frustration over the government’s first 100 days, Nepali Communist Party MP Yubaraj Dulal stated that parliament is a place for the legislature to question the executive, not a venue for ministers to intimidate lawmakers.

He pointed out that official data shows inflation has doubled compared to last year, hammering the working class.

Highlighting the tragic human cost of this economic stagnation, RSP MP Amresh Singh delivered an emotional address regarding the recent self-immolation of three youths—including Bibek Mandal from his own constituency—warning that absolute despair is gripping the nation’s youth and businesses, and urging all political factions to unite to solve the national crisis.