- Madhesi leaders dub SC verdict on Hindi oath ´regressive´
- Vice Prez vents displeasure over SC verdict
- SC nullifies VP´s oath in Hindi
Talking to myrepublica.com over the phone, Yadav said the verdict of the apex court is against the Madhesi people. "The verdict is anti-Madhes and is biased against the Madhesi people," he said.
He also said that he spoke to the VP on the phone and suggested to him to tender his resignation to uphold the dignity of the Madhesi people instead of taking a fresh oath in Nepali.
"The rest depends on his own will," Yadav said. He further said the verdict has failed to respect the linguistic rights of people from various ethnic backgrounds. Yadav is currently in Biratnagar on party business.
However, President of Sadbhawana Party Rajendra Mahato, Tarai-Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) Chairman Mahanta Thakur, Laxman Lal Karna and many other Madhesi leaders telephoned VP Jha and asked him not to take any decision in haste, according to close aides of the VP.
The apex court on Friday said the oath of office and secrecy taken by Vice President Jha in Hindi was unconstitutional.
The court order is becoming a big political issue with various Madhes-based parties warning of serious ramifications.
Thakur calls on PM, terms verdict ´regressive´
On Saturday, TMDP Chairman Thakur met Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at the latter´s office in Singha Durbar and apprised him of his party´s reservations over the court decision. Thakur warned the prime minister that the verdict could invite serious consequences. "The prime minister expressed seriousness over the issue" Thakur told myrepublica.com after the meeting.
Earlier in the afternoon, Thakur organized a press conference and termed the SC verdict ´regressive.´
What will VP do?
A close aide to the VP said that he is also writing to all the major political parties, seeking their suggestions in this regard.
Personal secretary to VP Jha, Krishna Dev Yadav, said that Jha is in a mood to appeal to the apex court over its earlier verdict handed down by a division bench of Chief Justice Min Bahadur Rayamajhee and Justice Bala Ram KC.
"Since the decision taken by a division bench can be reviewed by a full bench, the VP is mulling an appeal to the apex court," Yadav told myrepublica.com.
Constitutional experts warn of contempt
Constitutional experts say Vice President Parmananda Jha should either take oath in Nepali or be ready to face contempt of court.
Jha has already ruled out taking his oath in Nepali.
Constitutional lawyer Dr Bhimarjun Acharya said Jha must take his oath in Nepali if he wants to save himself from contempt of court. "He is no longer vice president since the Supreme Court has already nullified his oath," Acharya said, adding, "Following the verdict of the apex court he has no option but to take oath in Nepali".
Another Constitutional lawyer, Madhav Basnet, echoed Acharya and said, "Jha is no longer vice president and the question of resignation holds no relevance now." He said that Jha has been automatically ´deposed´ from his post following the SC verdict.
"The verdict has pushed him back to the position of a vice president-elect awaiting the oath-taking ceremony," Basnet told myrepublica.com.
Basnet also claims that Jha can hold his position only if he is ready to take oath in Nepali.
"The oath of the vice president in Hindi has been nullified as it is against Article 36 (1) (2) and Appendix 1 (A) and also against the spirit of the Interim Constitution 2007," Chief Justice Rayamajhee and Justice KC said in their verdict.
Constitutional experts have also suggested that Jha abide by the verdict on moral grounds. "He should take oath once again in Nepali as provisioned by the Interim Constitution-2007," another constitutional expert, Purna Man Shakya, told myrepublica.com.
However, Jha´s lawyer Mithilesh Singh said President Dr Ram Baran Yadav should formally speak up about the apex court verdict and suggest to the vice president what he should do.
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