The major opposition party, CPN (UML), continued to obstruct the proceedings of the National Assembly (NA) today, too, demanding an investigation into the recent smuggling of approximately 100 kilos of gold into the country through Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

The party insists on the formation of a high-level committee to look into the matter. Once the session of upper house convened, UML lawmaker Dil Kumari Rawal Thapa (Parbati) said the party would not allow the NA undertake its business until the demand to form the high-level committee was addressed.

Accusing the involvement of the government in the gold scam, she insisted on the need of constituting a high-level body to ensure an ‘impartial’ handling of the case. “The committee is required to investigate the matter meticulously,” she said and questioned how a manual worker like Dilip Bhujel could register a company in his name.

She expressed doubts over the government’s ability to deal with the case impartially. The party has been disrupting the House proceedings since the gold was confiscated from the Sinamangal area by the Department of Revenue Investigation on July 18.

NA Chairperson Ganesh Prasad Timilsina urged the protesting members to revise their style of protests and allow the session to proceed, but the lawmakers refused to take their seats, leading to the postponement of the meeting until 1:01 pm on August 9.