Let's not give up opportunity to draft new statute: Regmi

KATHMANDU, July 3: Chairman of Interim Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi has said that the opportunity to draft a new constitution through a Constituent Assembly elected by the people should not be missed again.



He said, "As the CA would be drafting a new constitution, we should all work together to make the upcoming CA elections successful".[break]



Initiating the 11th governing council meeting of the National Foundation for the Development of the Indigenous Nationalities in Lalitpur today by playing a traditional musical instrument, he appealed to all to get their acts together or the elections.



Stating that the present Government has been developing an atmosphere conducive to election by introducing the Ordinance on election regulations, announcing the date and maintaining law and order, Chairman Regmi urged political parties to also play their part towards that end.



He said that the government and the election commission are working to hold the elections in November 19 and urged all to ´understand the sensitivity of political stability´.



Equality, freedom and social justice are the beautiful aspects of a democracy, Regmi said while adding that the government would work to establish the necessary legal measures in order to enforce the ILO Convention 169, that Nepal State is party to.



He also assured necessary cooperation on behalf of the government towards addressing the financial and structural issues raised by the Foundation in the interest of the indigenous nationalities.



Minister for Federal Affairs and Local Development Bidhyadhar Mallik said the Government was working round the clock to ensure elections in November 19 and also holding dialogue with the dissenting political parties.



Minister Mallik said that the demand of the indigenous nationalities to maintain the same number of members of the erstwhile CA should be addressed by the political parties and not the government.



Vice-chairman of the Foundation Jag Bahadur Thapamagar requested for additional budget in order to expand the foundation´s reach through the establishment of offices in all the five development regions.



President of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) Nagendra Kumal warned of taking to the streets if the NEFIN´s demands including to maintain the same number of CA members were not fulfilled.



Former Ministers Indra Bahadur Gurung, Prithivi Subba Gurung and Barshaman Pun also urged the authorities concerned to address the concerns of the indigenous nationalities, who constitute 38 per cent population of the country.

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