Speaking at an interaction organized by Reporters´ Club Nepal, Secretary Gajurel said the four-point agreement is questionable. “The four-point agreement is against introducing revolutionary land reforms in the Tarai. The most important issue today is national sovereignty. But the four-point agreement in itself raises a serious question about national sovereignty,” he said. [break]
Gajurel, who belongs to a hardline faction in the Maoist party, said they have been protesting against the four-point agreement within and outside the party right from the day it was signed. “We will protests the new agreement as it only reasserts the four-point agreement reached before,” he further said.
Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai in the presence of the Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had reached an agreement with UDMF leaders on Thursday to amend the interim constitution and the Military Act to address the citizenship issue and the recruitment of Madhesi youths in the Nepal Army.
Speaking on the occasion, UML Secretary Shankar Pokharel said the issue of citizenship was created by feudal landlords in the Tarai as they feared that they would have to give their tenants tenancy rights once they were provided citizenship.
Pokharel alleged that Madhesi parties are breaching the agreement they reached before apparently to bargain for powers. “The agreement reached between two parties [Maoists and UDMF] is inappropriate,” he said.
Media eports that Indian criminals have been able to acquire Nepali citizenship and dual citizenship problem had affected election in bordering states of India should be taken seriously. He argued that Madhes-based parties should take the responsibility of such misuse of citizenship certificates.
Acting Chairman of ruling Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (Republican) Raj Kishor Yadav said the agreement to amend constitution was reached to provide citizenship certificates to the children of those who have already acquired citizenship certificates by birth during a special provisions made by the government in 2007.
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