KATHMANDU, Dec 24: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has alleged that the main opposition party, CPN-UML, was trying to create division among the people living in the hills, mountains and tarai.
Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day national convention of NC treasurers from all 75 districts in the capital on Friday, Deuba alleged that the UML was creating such a division among people by obstructing the House proceedings. He maintained that the constitution amendment bill was introduced in order to restore sustainable peace in the tarai-Madhes and hold elections.
Deuba alleged that the UML is angry for it is out of power. “It is a regular process [for political parties] in a democratic system to stay in the government and in the opposition. It is not appropriate to obstruct parliament just because it is out of power,” he said.
Nepal beyond mountains and hills
The government introduced a seven-point constitution amendment bill in parliament on November 30 for what it described as an attempt to address the concerns of various Madhes-based parties. The bill, which among other things proposes to take hill districts out of Province 5, has sparked protests in various districts in mid-western part of the country.
While taking strong exception to the house obstruction by UML against the amendment bill, Deuba said that the revision in the boundary of Province 5 has been proposed as per the agreement reached between late NC President Sushil Koirala and CPN-UML Chairman K P Oli in the past. “We must be able to hold three different elections by January 2018 in order to implement the new constitution. The UML must end House obstruction to facilitate the implementation of the new statute,” he further said.
Speaking on the occasion, NC senior leader Ram Chandra Paudel argued that the current political stalemate was the result of lack of trust among the political parties.
Paudel also underscored the need for unity among all three major parties for the implementation of the new constitution in the same way when they were united for the promulgation of the constitution. “We must be able to convince all the parties concerned. This is the responsibility of not just the ruling parties but of all three major parties,” he said, while arguing that no one should distrust for the people of the tarai.
Meanwhile, addressing a function organized to mark the 93rd birth anniversary of late Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in Bandegaun, Lalitpur on Friday, CPN-UML Chairman K P Oli said that there is nothing in the constitution that prevents holding of the elections. While arguing that the constitution amendment bill was against the interests of Nepal and the Nepali people, Oli said that the UML is ready to extend all necessary support for holding the elections as this is the most important issue facing the country.
