Speaking at an interaction programme on Saturday, they said that identifying them as other minorities had ruined their identity and decision to merge Muslim Commission into Inclusive Commission would weaken their rights in the future. “We have achieved least as compared to Dalit and Janajatis. Going through the developments so far, constitution is not in our favour,” said UML lawmaker Anarkali Minya at the programme organised by the Nepal Law Society.

She urged the Muslim community to approach top leaders before the drafting committee starts working on the deal to draft the new statute.

Arguing that the Muslims have been categorised as minorities in drafts of the constitutional committees, they asked to replace the word Muslim community and upgrade the Muslim commission as constitutional commission like National Human Rights Commission. They also demanded that proportional representation be increased with fixed seats for Muslims.

Presenting a paper on the progress so far, Muslim Rights Activist and member of the National Human Rights Commission, Mohanna Ansari asked the government to ensure citizenship cards through the mothers’ citizenship,  increase proportional representation for the Muslims, fixed quota in provincial assemblies and key positions, including at the  national council.