KATHMANDU, August 29: Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand has said the government has a wish to see all Nepali citizens getting citizenship certificates as ensured by the Constitution. 

During a discussion on the message of the President Bidhya Devi Bhandari in regard to the Bill to amend the Nepal Citizenship Act- 2007 held in a meeting of the Legislation Committee under the National Assembly on Monday, Minister Khand made it clear that the government wishes to see no Nepali citizens are denied of the State's recognition and the Bill to bring amendment in the Citizenship Act was introduced in the same spirit. 

"The opposition party was silent during the endorsement of the Bill showing its gesture of support to the move. The Bill was expedited with the support of all concerned parties," he said. 

Informing the meeting that despite being born to a Nepali mother and a Nepali father, many are suffering from a state of Statelessness as they have not got citizenship, he admitted that despite long efforts, the Constitutional proclamation to address the issues of those facing Stateless has remained unmet. Minister Khand said that the President's message seeks to ensure that no Nepali citizens shall be denied citizenship certificates. 

Prior to this in the meeting, the main opposition party, CPN-UML, lawmakers Devendra Dahal, Bhagawati Neupane and Bimala Rai Poudel viewed that the President's message and the Bill should be in tune with each other. They demanded that the people should be made all clear about the provisions in regard with naturalized citizenship on the basis of marriage. 

The parliamentary committee member Pramila Kumari said a large number of the youth population eligible to obtain citizenship on the basis of birth are waiting for the State's recognition and that's why there should be no hurdle in finalizing the Bill from anywhere.

It may be noted that the Bill was sent to the President for authentication following its endorsement by the both houses of Federal Parliament on July 11 and the President sent it back to the HoR on August 14 with an eight-point message for reconsideration.

 
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