Kathmandu – Key leaders of two major political parties have said that they have come under tremendous pressure from domestic as well as international forces to make a compromise on some of the crucial provisions in the new constitution but they would not bow down to such pressure.
They said that the leaders were still under pressure to include some inappropriate provisions even as the Constituent Assembly (CA) made a progressive, liberal and inclusive constitution in the most participatory and transparent manner.
CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli said pressure is being exerted to include a provision allowing even naturalized citizens to hold the country’s key positions such as president, prime minister and chief minister.
Although the new constitution has included very liberal provisions with regard to naturalized citizens, the leaders are still under pressure to give more rights to such citizens, Oli said.
“I can’t understand why those who acquire naturalized citizenship after coming to Nepal from a foreign country must become the country’s president, prime minister or chief minister,” Oli said at a gathering organized in memory of the late CPN-UML leader Sahana Pradhan in Kathmandu on Wednesday. “Is it just because they came from a big country?”
He said he can’t understand why such naturalized citizens aren’t happy with parliamentary membership and other important positions in the country.
Stating that Nepal’s provision regarding presidency is just like that of the United States of America, he said anyone aspiring to be president must be a citizen by descent. He said no foreign country can dictate a sovereign nation on the contents of the constitution.
“We have made a constitution for Nepal so our friends needn’t bother about its contents,” said Oli. “We are a small nation lagging in terms of development and we are in a difficult situation, but this doesn’t mean anyone can dictate us as they please.”
Former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal of the same party urged the disgruntled political parties to pressure the major political forces to address their demands and not invite external elements.
“Some international forces, who don’t give rights to the citizens in their own country, are provoking various groups in Nepal and want to run an experiment here,” said Nepal. “I urge one and all not to be influenced by such elements.”
Nepali Congress (NC) Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel said ordinary people in Tarai-Madhes districts have been misled by some that they have been deprived of their equal rights in the new constitution.
He also claimed that leaders from Madhes-based parties were misleading Madheshi people by saying that previous political agreements signed with various past governments have not been implemented.
He also accused leaders from Madhes-based parties of lying to the people by saying that the eight-point agreement and the 22-point political deal were flouted while making the new constitution. “This is a total lie because I was the one to sign on the 22-point agreement on behalf of the government,” Paudel, who was deputy prime minister at the time of signing the agreement, told the gathering. “Formation of autonomous Madhes province and adoption of inclusive representative system were the key issues that were committed and these have been included in the new constitution.”
Source : MyRepublica
