The government on December 20 had decided to recruit 3,000 Madhesi youths. At a press conference on Friday, the Defense Ministry revealed policy paper 2068 aimed at making Nepal Army (NA) more inclusive and said that the proposed recruitment will be carried out on the basis of NA rules. [break]
“The new recruitment will be conducted as per the existing rules of the Nepal Army,” said Nabin Kumar Ghimire, secretary at defense ministry, adding, “We will allot 45 percent of upcoming openings under the reserved quota as per the existing norms of NA.” Under the NA´s existing policy, remaining 55 percent of the vacancies will be filled through free competition.
However, Defense Minister Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar, who also holds the home portfolio, claimed that of the upcoming 3,000 recruitments, 2,000 will be allotted to Madhesi youths and that the NA would have to follow the ministry´s decision in this regard.
“We will begin the recruitment of Madhesi youths, whoever meets the criteria, and the number will reach up to 2,000,” he claimed, adding, “It will definitely take some time to recruit 10,000 Madhesi youths, as per the four point deal inked between the government and United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF), in NA.”
He even reiterated that the recruitment process will be initiated soon and the backward communities, indigenous, dalits will be encouraged to apply. The policy paper passed by the cabinet and publicized by the defense ministry reads that the government will announce the vacancy as per the inclusion policy adopted by NA. It also states that awareness campaigns will be conducted in the Tarai to encourage Madhesi youths to apply.
He even added that the ministry is planning to attract Madhesi people from backward and other indigenous communities to join the NA.
As per the policy paper, there will be altogether 16 recruitment centers -- three in the mountain areas, five in the hill and eight in the Tarai region.
Separate unit of Madhesi youths in NA
There will be a separate unit of Madhesi youths in NA. The policy paper states that a unit will be formed that will have an historical name like Janaki or Gadimai or Simraungad or Birat. At present, there is a battalion called Naya Sabuj Gan, which was formed for Madhesi recruits, in NA. This separate battalion, set up like other battalions for specific ethnic groups, currently has 850 personnel.
Petition at SC
Meanwhile, a writ petition has been filed at the Supreme Court (SC) challenging the government decision to recruit 3,000 Madhesi youths in the NA.
The Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekta Party filed the petition at the apex court stating that any ethnic-based induction into the national army is inappropriate, and demanded that the policy paper on proposed recruitment be scrapped.
The cabinet decision infringes the constitutional rights of other communities, said CBREP lawmaker Badri Neupane.
The petitioner has also demanded that the apex court issue an stay order against the implementation of the government´s decision.
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