Madhesi leaders lift House obstruction after PM’s assurance
KATHMANDU, May 18: The meeting of the Legislature-Parliament resumed on Friday after Prime Minster Baburam Bhattarai address the meeting assuring Madhes-based leaders that 11-province federal model was just a primary model.
Addressing the House, the PM also pledged Madhes-based leaders to let the Legislature Parliament run smoothly so that it would pave way for promulgating the new constitution on time by amending Article 70 of the interim constitution.
“We’ll not be able to amend Article 70 of interim constitution if parliament is obstructed,” the prime minister said in the House meeting that began around four and half hours after the scheduled time.
PM Bhattarai assured the Madhesi leaders that 11-province federal model was just a primary model and made it clear that a consensus among the parties can reconsider it.
Meanwhile, a bill to amend interim constitution has been tabled in today´s meeting.
Earlier, Madhes-based leaders agreed to let the Legislature-Parliament run after the PM assured them to address their concerns through a parliament address.
Madhesi leaders held a meeting with top leaders of the big three parties—UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress and CPN UML—including PM Bhattarai and reiterated their objection over 11-province federal model.
Speaking with reporters, United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) leader Upendra Yadav said they would wait for PM’s address in parliament and make future decision accordingly. “The PM has assured us that he would address our concern through the parliament address,” Yadav said.
Madhes-based political parties and UCPN (Maoist) lawmakers obstructed parliamentary proceedings meant to shorten the constitution drafting process on Thursday.
MJF Democratic cadres scuffle with leaders
(RSS)
The cadres and the leaders of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Democratic) had a scuffle at the parliamentary party office, Singha Durbar on Friday.
A people from the Republican National Nishad Association Nepal tried to submit a memorandum to the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar while DPM Gachchhadar was coming out of the parliamentary party office. But the interference of the Constituent Assembly members of the party made them irate and chant slogans against leaders.
The Association people blamed that the leaders elected with their votes ignored their demands.
Moreover, they entered the parliamentary party office and began vandalizing and followed a scuffle with the CA members.
As a result, police had to intervene with the situation to disperse the rowdy cadres.
Association Chairman Meghraj Sahani (Nishad) said the cadres became irate after DPM Gachchhadar who is also the Chairman of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (Democratic) denied receiving their memorandum.
Through the memorandum, the Association was demanding reservation to the people from the Nishad community, listing them in the indigenous nationalities, establishment of the ministry of fishery and others.REPUBLICA
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