The debate whether to recognize such persons as Nepali nationals arose after CA members belonging to Madhesi parties demanded that the discriminatory provision to provide Nepali citizenship certificates only to foreign girls marrying Nepali boys be scrapped in the new constitution. [break]
Women CA members in the Committee on Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles (CFRDP) have also voiced that both male and female be treated equally while providing naturalized citizenship.
As the CA members in the committee continue to differ over the issue, leaders of major political parties including CP Gajurel of UCPN-Maoist, Ramesh Lekhak of Nepali Congress and Pradip Gyawali of CPN-UML have initiated internal and inter-party discussions to settle the difference, according to CA member Gagan Thapa.
Majority of the CA members in the committee fear that the provision will pose serious threats as this could encourage a large number of foreigners especially those living in bordering Indian towns to marry Nepali girls mainly to exercise rights that one is entitled to after becoming a citizen of Nepal.
Nepal formally started giving naturalized citizenship to foreign girls marrying Nepali nationals 46 years ago. According to Home Ministry, the number of such persons getting naturalized citizenship certificates has reached to some 300,000.
The number of foreign girls getting naturalized citizenship following marriage was over 15,000 in the last 11 months. “We can conclude that equally high number of girls from Nepal marry Indian nationals each year,” said a CA member in the committee. “The real population in the Tarai will be outnumbered in a few years time if we keep such provision.”
Those opposing the idea of giving naturalized citizenship to foreign males marrying Nepali girls also argue that the provision will make people living mainly in bordering areas to share the limited resources.
While a group of CA members have suggested providing citizenship certificates in such cases as per the provisions made in the interim constitution, another group of CA members have suggested that foreign girls be made to wait until two years and males for 15 years to acquire the naturalized citizenship.
Nandan Kumar Dutta of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) said they have suggested keeping three years timeframe before providing naturalized citizenship to any foreign national marrying a Nepali girl. "However, women CA members are not happy about our suggestion as it creates discrimination between males and females in terms of acquiring citizenship certificates,” he said.
Dutta also argued that there is no point in opposing to keep such provision in new constitution as the number of foreigners choosing to settle in Nepal after marrying Nepali girls will be minimal given the political instability and deteriorating law and order situation in the country. “Not many people will choose to live in Nepal by marrying Nepali nationals,” he added.
Committee Chairperson Binda Pandey said that there has been agreement in principle among the CA members not to be too flexible over providing naturalized citizenship. “We will settle the issue based on the international treaties and covenants Nepal is a party to and on the basis of equality between male and females,” she said.
koshraj@myrepublica.com
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