February 21: The US-funded project – Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) – has been tabled in parliament after a prolonged dispute. Minister for Communication and Information Technology Gyanendra Bahadur Karki presented the MCC agenda in parliament meeting on Sunday (February 20) amid protest in the streets as well as the parliament itself.

Minister Karki himself had signed the MCC grant agreement with the US representatives on September 14, 2017 in the capacity of the then finance minister of Nepal. The MCC grant agreement was registered in parliament on July 15, 2019 by former Finance Minister Yuba Raj Khatiwada during the tenure of KP Sharma Oli-led government.

As soon as the MCC agenda was tabled in parliament on Sunday, CPN UML lawmakers picketed the rostrum and started obstructing the house proceedings. Speaker of the House of Representatives then allowed CPN Maoist Centre lawmaker Dev Gurung to express his views followed by UML leader Bhim  Rawal, Nepal Workers and Peasant Party MP Prem Suwal and Jastriya Janamorcha’s Durga Poudel.

All of them were unanimous in saying that the MCC should not have been tabled in parliament. On the other hand, Speaker Agni Prasad Sapkota argued that the MCC grant was of national interest and therefore it should be discussed in parliament.

While the MCC agreement was being presented in parliament, New Baneshwar area turned tense due to protest called by the leaders and activists of the ruling parties. Police had to fire dozens of tear-gas shells and water canyon to quell the protest. Police also resorted to firing rubber bullets after the protest went out of control.

Some leaders of the ruling coalition accused the government of tabling the MCC agreement without reaching an understanding among the ruling parties.

Chairman of the ruling CPN Unified Socialist Madhav Kumar Nepal said that his party is not in favour of endorsing the MCC agreement in its current form. Likewise, chairman of another coalition partner CPN Maoist Centre’s Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed concern that the government tabled the MCC agenda amid protest.

“The government has tabled the MCC in parliament despite protests. Our party has already made its stance clear that we will stand against it,” Dahal said.

With the tabling of MCC agreement in parliament, it is now in the process of endorsement. The parliament must pass the MCC with majority votes in order to implement the agreement. MPs will hold discussions regarding the MCC in the upcoming house meeting. The lawmakers can demand amendment to some provisions in the agreement. The speaker can send the MCC agreement to parliamentary committee for clause-wise discussion. But if it is presented directly in the House meeting, the process will become shorter. The government is likely to press for the short-cut as the deadline for endorsing the agreement is approaching near.