Oli, Dahal rap Deuba's assurance on fresh amendment bill
KATHMANDU, August 26: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's assurance to India that the ruling parties in Nepal would introduce a fresh constitution amendment bill in parliament has drawn flak not only from the main opposition CPN-UML but also from his own coalition partner, CPN (Maoist Center).
KATHMANDU, August 26: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's assurance to India that the ruling parties in Nepal would introduce a fresh constitution amendment bill in parliament has drawn flak not only from the main opposition CPN-UML but also from his own coalition partner, CPN (Maoist Center).
While CPN-UML Chairman K P Sharma Oli said that the prime minister's remarks on a fresh amendment bid had undermined the dignity of Nepal as a sovereign nation, ruling Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal expressed dissatisfaction over Deuba's unnecessarily speaking in India about the issue of constitution amendment, which has already been settled by parliament .
Addressing media persons before his departure for Thailand for his regular medical checkup Friday morning, CPN-UML Chairman Oli said it was a matter of shame for Prime Minister Deuba to raise the question of wider acceptability of the constitution during his visit to India.
While criticizing Deuba for assuring India that the ruling parties would introduce a fresh constitution amendment bill in parliament, Oli said this had undermined the dignity of Nepal as a sovereign nation.
“The prime minister has raised the issue of wider acceptability of the constitution in a foreign land without any context. For whom is he raising this matter and whom does he mean to please? Oli asked.
Oli further said that Prime Minister Deuba's remarks were a mockery of the decision taken by parliament on the fate of the amendment bill. “He said this in an apologetic fashion, and he has sought help. 'Do help us [secure the votes] and I will do it [the amendment]',” Oli further said. He alleged that Deuba's statement and activities during his visit in India had shown the least concern for the country's dignity.
Addressing a joint press conference held after the bilateral meeting between Nepal and India at Hyderabad House in New Delhi Thursday, Prime Minister Deuba gave the assurance on a fresh amendment bid.“"We tried to amend the constitution to make it acceptable to all sides. But we could not secure a two-third majority vote," he said.
"I hope in future we will have a two-third majority and we will get to amend the constitution so that people living in the southern part and those living in the east and west accept it as their constitution," Deuba had said.
Separately, ruling Maoist Center Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal also expressed dissatisfaction over Prime Minister Deuba's remarks in India on constitution amendment.
"Parliament has only recently foiled the constitution amendment bill. So the constitution is not going to be amended immediately.
Addressing his party's Province 6-level orientation program held in Surkhet on Friday, Maoist Center Chairman Dahal said it was not necessary for Prime Minister Deuba to talk about the constitution amendment issue while in India.
Dahal also ruled out the possibility of introducing another constitution amendment bill any time soon. The issue of amendment is Nepal's own internal affair. There is no need to talk about this with others," said Dahal, without, however, naming Deuba.
The party has instructed all affiliated organizations to bring activists from the three districts of the Kathmandu Valley to the event. Participants will assemble at Bhadrakali at 11:30 AM and march t...
