Valley
Madhesi leaders threaten to disown amendment bill
Senior leaders of Sanghiya Gathabandan, an alliance of Madhesi and Janajati parties, have threatened to disown the constitution amendment bill if it fails to address all the demands of the agitating parties in its entirety, including the one related to revision of the federal boundaries.Senior leaders of Sanghiya Gathabandan, an alliance of Madhesi and Janajati parties, have threatened to disown the constitution amendment bill if it fails to address all the demands of the agitating parties in its entirety, including the one related to revision of the federal boundaries.
The Gathabandan leaders’ remarks came shortly after senior leaders of the governing coalition announced that the draft proposal would not incorporate some of the demands raised by the agitating parties, including the one pertaining to the state demarcation, citizenship and national language.
Senior leaders of Nepali Congress and CPN (Maoist Centre) have also dismissed possibilities of redrawing maps of the so-called five disputed districts.
“If the government is really serious about finding permanent solutions to the crisis, it should revise the boundaries as per the recommendation of the erstwhile state restructuring commission that proposes two provinces in the Tarai,” said Sanghiya Samajbadi Forum Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav.
Nepali Congress leadership, including Sher Bahadur Deuba, has ruled out the possibility of changes in the boundaries of Kailali and Kanchanpur, two districts in the Far West which Madhesi parties insist should be included in the Madhes province.
“There won’t be any changes in the boundaries of Kailali and Kanchanpur. Far West will remain intact even after the revision,” Deuba told reporters on Sunday. Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bimalendra
Nidhi have also ruled out what he called rumours of allowing the naturalised citizens to hold constitutional positions and giving Hindi the status of national language.
Sadbhawana Party Co Chair Laxman Lal Karna said that Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, an alliance of seven Tarai-centric parties, would support or oppose the amendment after seeing the final draft.
“We have been hearing a lot of things regarding the draft amendment proposal. Nothing can be said until we have gone through the final content,” said Karna.