National
Constitution amendment: Doubts linger within NC over House nod
A section of Nepali Congress leaders have expressed doubts that the proposal to amend the constitution would be approved in Parliament.A section of Nepali Congress leaders have expressed doubts that the proposal to amend the constitution would be approved in Parliament.
The government’s proposal to split the Hill districts of Province 5 to incorporate them into Province 4—to form a Madhes state that stretches from Bardiya to half of Nawalparasi—has enraged locals of the disjointed Hill districts.
NC leader Chandra Bhandari warns that the Parliament would never pass the draft proposal.
“The whole region is protesting the move. They were fine with the earlier delineation of the state,” the lawmaker elected from Gulmi said, asking, “When the citizens are against the proposal, who can go against them?”
He claimed that this amendment proposal does not solve the demands raised by the Tharus and Madhesis.
NC leader Ram Sharan Mahat noted that the government’s plans were against the sentiments of locals of Province 5. “We cannot impose our decision on the people. This is against our democratic values. In democracy, people are sovereign and they have every right or say in their future,” said Mahat.
Professing the intense relations between the people of the Madhes and Hill districts of Province 5, Mahat recalled how it was never NC’s agenda to divide the country along ethnic lines.
However, former NC general secretary Prakash Man Singh toed the line of the government and urged the protesters to stop the demonstrations.
“Amendment to the constitution is a must to respect previous pacts signed with the disgruntled forces, hold three layers of elections and to implement the statute,” said Singh.
Singh claimed that time was running out to hold elections as stipulated by the constitution. “Since the constitution itself was promulgated with our leadership, its implementation is also being led by the NC.”