Kathmandu: Nepali Congress (NC) Chief Whip Shyam Kumar Ghimire has strongly criticized the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) for what he called a double standard on morality, questioning whether a party led by a suspended lawmaker facing multiple legal cases can claim moral superiority in parliament.

Speaking during an emergency session of the House of Representatives, Ghimire took aim at RSP’s continued recognition of Rabi Lamichhane as both party president and parliamentary party leader, despite his suspension from parliament and ongoing imprisonment in connection with multiple cooperative fraud cases.

“Even now, the Election Commission’s records list Rabi Lamichhane, who is in jail, as the president of the RSP,” Ghimire pointed out. “How can a party that keeps a suspended leader at its helm preach morality to others? I call on my friends in the RSP to practice the morality they demand from others.”

He further stated that the Parliament Secretariat continues to recognize Lamichhane as the leader of the RSP parliamentary party, raising concerns over the legitimacy and ethical standing of the party’s leadership structure. “It is not justified for a party led by someone suspended from Parliament to act as the moral guardian in the House,” he added.

The RSP has been obstructing parliamentary proceedings since Jestha 13, demanding the resignation of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and the formation of a high-level investigation committee into the recent visit visa scandal.

In today’s House session, RSP lawmakers continued their protest by raising slogans, but Speaker Devraj Ghimire proceeded with the meeting regardless of their obstruction.

Ghimire’s remarks add to the deepening political standoff in the legislature, where questions of legal accountability and political ethics have become increasingly contentious.