Lawmakers stress eligible Nepalis not having citizenship certificates be provided one immediately

Published On: June 15, 2023 04:45 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, June 15: Lawmakers have stressed that the judiciary should pave the way for those Nepalis, who are without citizenship, to obtain one immediately.

During the emergency hour in today's meeting of the House of Representatives, they said the judiciary should settle the issue related to citizenship.

Stating that those, who are without citizenship certificates, are deprived of even the basic rights including education and employment, the lawmakers asked everyone to pay attention to and listen to the voice of the people deprived of citizenship.

Lawmaker Abdul Khan shared that all should take initiatives to provide citizenship certificates to the citizens lacking one.

"Many people who are without citizenship have been making attempts at self-immolation across the country including in Kathmandu. They might commit self-immolation en masse in the coming days if it is not stopped. Who will take responsibility for that? Will the government of Nepal take responsibility for that or the judiciary?"

Khan asked further, "Is asking for citizenship a crime? We are Nepalis and we are citizens living in Nepal. Is it a crime to ask for citizenship?"

Similarly, lawmaker Rekha Yadav said that the judiciary should settle the dispute on the citizenship related bill.

Stressing that citizens living in their own country should not remain without citizenship, Yadav viewed that all should take the issue related to citizenship seriously.

Likewise, lawmaker Dr Amaresh Kumar Singh sarcastically commented that the government has maintained 'prestigious history' by imposing VAT on potatoes and onions, demanding this decision having a direct impact on daily life of the people be scrapped immediately.

Drawing the government's attention towards the incident in which according to him police seized goats reared and sold by farmers of Sarlahi citing they were brought by evading tax, Singh shared that such types of activities have created problems for the farmers living in the bordering areas.

(RSS)