Kathmandu: A heated confrontation broke out in the Legislative Management Committee under the National Assembly today, as Nepali Congress leader and MP Krishna Prasad Sitaula lashed out at a ministry official over a statement made during the discussion of the Water Resources Bill, 2081.

The incident occurred when Shishir Koirala, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, suggested that the government must seek permission from the Water and Energy Commission before utilizing river water. He also proposed that regulatory authority over water resources should remain with the commission.

Sitaula strongly objected to the statement, accusing the bureaucrat of overstepping his authority. "Are we trying to decorate here, buy saris? You are trying to control the Council of Ministers. Who are you to control the Council of Ministers?" Sitaula thundered, adding that bureaucratic dominance over elected government bodies was unacceptable. He also urged Minister Deepak Khadka to discipline his staff and instruct them on appropriate communication with lawmakers.

Echoing similar sentiments, CPN (Unified Socialist) MP Beduram Bhusal criticized the Joint Secretary’s remarks, questioning the very premise of requiring permission. “Are our country's water resources like the salary he earns? This is the property of the Government of Nepal. The government can use it as it wishes,” Bhusal asserted, pointing out that the commission is a subordinate government body and does not hold overriding powers.

In response to the criticism, Minister Khadka came to the defense of his official, noting that decentralized governance is a key tenet of federalism. He acknowledged that the language used may have caused confusion and suggested that the phrase “taking suggestions” would be more appropriate than “taking consent.”

This incident highlights a growing trend of friction between lawmakers and bureaucrats in parliamentary committees. Critics observe that such tensions are often fueled by bureaucratic overreach on one hand and superficial understanding of complex policy issues by some MPs on the other.