Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli has assured the guthi bill will be seriously discussed in the Cabinet.
PM Oli has given the assurance after listening to the elected people's representatives from CPN in the Kathmandu Valley at his official residence in Baluwatar Monday afternoon. "I have listened to your concerns. I will reach appropriate decision after discussing the issue in the Cabinet," he stated.
The majority of the representatives told PM Oli during the three-hour meeting that the bill should be withdrawn as it is against culture, traditions and arts. CPN lawmaker from Lalitpur 2 Krishna Lal Maharjan urged PM Oli to announce withdrawal of the bill tonight or by Tuesday morning stating that the ongoing protests will intensify until it is withdrawn.
Lawmaker from Bhaktapur Mahesh Basnet said the bill should be amended instead of being taken back as it is already late.
Lawmakers Pampha Bhusal, Krishna Gopal Shrestha and Jivan Ram Shrestha also put their views during the meeting.
The majority of representatives from local bodies also demanded withdrawal of the bill.
Lawmaker Maharjan said only PM Oli among the top leaders present during the meeting spoke. Senior leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, General Secretary Bishnu Paudel, secretariat member and Defense Minister Ishwore Pokharel, Minister for Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation Padma Aryal were also present during the meeting.
CPN lawmakers from the Kathmandu Valley had earlier met senior leader Nepal before meeting Oli.
The lawmakers during the meeting held at the parliamentary party office in Singha Durbar Monday afternoon apprised Nepal, who is also a lawmaker from Kathmandu, that there is no alternative to taking back the bill and added that they should put the same views in front of PM Oli.
Nepal said he will also support the stance if all the lawmakers are unanimous on that.
Minister Aryal briefed PM Oli, who had expressed commitment to amend the bill if it were wrong while talking to media persons at the airport upon his arrival from Europe, about the bill and the disputed provisions earlier Monday.
Minister Aryal had also held discussion with the operators of guthis and elected representatives from the Kathmandu Valley while Oli was in Europe.
