The Sunsari violence took centre stage in the House of Representatives on Thursday, with lawmakers from different political parties calling for accountability, an impartial investigation and urgent efforts to prevent communal tensions from escalating.

The discussion focused on the Sunday violence in Dewanganj, Sunsari, in which one person was killed, and several others were injured. While members across party lines described the incident as tragic, they differed over its causes and the government's response. Opposition lawmakers accused the government and Prime Minister Balendra Shah of failing to take responsibility, while ruling party lawmakers called for restraint and warned against attempts to exploit religious divisions for political gain.

Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) lawmaker Samina Miya alleged that political actors were trying to pit two religious communities that had long lived together peacefully against each other for political advantage. She did not name any individual or party.

"A conflict erupted between communities in Kaptanganj of Dewanganj. I want to urge all political parties and the people of this country to stop using communities of two religions that have long coexisted peacefully as a means to serve political interests," Miya said.

"I strongly object to attempts to divide ordinary people who have lived together in harmony and use that conflict to advance political ambitions," she added.

Miya said the Dewanganj incident had saddened the entire country and all communities.

"One of our brothers lost his life. I pay my heartfelt tribute to him and wish a speedy recovery to those injured," she said, adding that the state must fulfil its responsibility toward the victims.

Nepali Communist Party (NCP) coordinator and former prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has called on the government to take responsibility for addressing the tensions following the deadly Sunsari violence, saying such sensitive issues require direct leadership from the prime minister.

Dahal said the government must act seriously to resolve the situation in Sunsari and other parts of the country where tensions have emerged. He said political leaders should work together to protect Nepal’s tradition of social harmony and prevent attempts to exploit communal tensions.

Dahal criticised the absence of Prime Minister Shah and Home Minister Sudan Gurung from the all-party meeting called after the Sunsari incident, saying the government’s top leadership should have taken the initiative.

He also questioned the use of force during the violence in Dewanganj, Sunsari, asking whether security personnel had to open fire and whether other options were explored before the situation escalated.

He added that the government’s actions since the March 5 parliamentary election had failed to meet public expectations, warning that the country’s political situation was becoming increasingly difficult.

Nepali Congress chief whip Basana Thapa criticised the government's handling of the incident and questioned the response of Prime Minister Shah.

Speaking during the special hour in Parliament, Thapa expressed sorrow over the death of a local youth who was fatally shot during the clash and said the government must take full responsibility for the incident. She called for an impartial and fair investigation.

Questioning the prime minister's sensitivity to the incident, she said: "The prime minister and home minister who once condemned such incidents and shed tears in this House are now silent when a citizen has lost his life. Why did the situation deteriorate to the point where live ammunition was used? The government must answer these questions before Parliament."

CPN-UML deputy parliamentary party leader and former minister Padma Aryal accused the government of failing to maintain law and order and protect the lives and property of citizens.

Expressing sorrow over the violence in Sunsari, Aryal said riots could not be controlled through force alone, and that dialogue and public trust were essential.

"Those who once demanded accountability from the prime minister and home minister when police opened fire in Kathmandu are now silent after a citizen was killed in Sunsari," Aryal said. "The office of the prime minister is not meant merely to occupy Singha Durbar. When the country faces unrest, and people are suffering, the nation's leader must go among the people and engage in dialogue."

She also criticised the government's response to recent floods and landslides and reiterated concerns over remarks previously made by the prime minister in Parliament that she said had undermined national sovereignty.

NCP lawmaker Gopal Sharma objected to Prime Minister Shah's absence from Parliament, saying he should have appeared before the House to brief lawmakers on the Sunsari violence and the overall security situation.

"The Sunsari incident has shaken the entire country. Even in such a sensitive situation, the prime minister has not come to Parliament to explain what happened," Sharma said.

"Where is the state? Shouldn't the government act as the guardian of its citizens?" he asked.

Sharma also questioned who should take responsibility for the death of Om Prakash Mehta in Kaptanganj, asking whether accountability rested solely with the local police or extended to the Home Minister.

He repeated his demand that the prime minister address Parliament and present the facts surrounding the incident.

Shram Sanskriti Party chief whip Aren Rai also criticised the government's handling of the country's security situation.

Rai accused the government of failing to ensure public safety and of showing little regard for Parliament.

He also expressed dissatisfaction that remarks made by the prime minister in Parliament two months ago regarding Nepal and India's border had neither been corrected nor removed from the parliamentary record.

"People are being shot in broad daylight and insecurity is growing, yet the government continues to insist that everything is fine," Rai said. "The government should stop hiding behind closed doors and come out to reassure the public. Force alone cannot resolve these problems. If the government is incapable of governing the country, it should admit it. But it cannot leave the country without leadership and its people without protection."

Rastriya Prajatantra Party chief whip Khusbu Oli accused the government of failing to address what she described as growing religious intolerance and communal tensions.

She called for the formation of a high-level commission to conduct an impartial and objective investigation into the Sunsari violence.

Oli alleged that while ruling and opposition parties had described the incident as tragic and sensitive, they had remained silent about its underlying causes and circumstances.

RSP lawmaker Buddhi Prasad Pant criticised the government's performance, saying it had failed to deliver on the promise of change that brought it to power following the Gen Z movement of last September.

Pant said he himself had not experienced the change the government had promised.

"If I, as a ruling party lawmaker, have not felt that change, how can ordinary citizens?" he said, urging the government to improve its performance in line with public expectations.

Pant also raised concerns over the assault on doctors at Narayani Hospital and the nationwide protests by healthcare workers that disrupted non-emergency services. He called for a thorough investigation, legal action against those responsible and the immediate release of anyone wrongly arrested.

RSP lawmaker Rima Bishwokarma, meanwhile, defended the government's handling of the landless settlers' issue, saying it had taken a historic step by distributing land ownership certificates.

She said 82 landless families in Bardiya had received ownership certificates under a government programme and rejected claims that the government was displacing informal settlers. Instead, she said, it was pursuing a long-term solution.

Bishwokarma urged the government to verify the 1,247,479 applications filed nationwide, distinguish genuine landless people from fraudulent claimants and ensure that no eligible citizen was denied land rights.

NCP lawmaker Ramesh Malla highlighted a range of livelihood issues, saying farmers had not received chemical fertilisers on time while cooking gas shortages, frequent power cuts and poor telecommunications services continued to affect daily life.

He also said Salyan Hospital had been without doctors for months and criticised the federal government for failing to make progress on housing reconstruction in earthquake-affected Darma Rural Municipality in Salyan. According to Malla, delays in approving the Detailed Damage Assessment report and deploying technical staff have left many earthquake survivors without permanent shelter.