KATHMANDU, Dec 26: Prime Minister KP Oli has sought one week to respond to various demands including the demand for constitution amendment put forth by the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal (RJPN).

During a meeting with RJPN brass on Tuesday, Prime Minister Oli said that he did not have enough time to hold discussions within his own party on the demand for constitution amendment put forth by the RJPN. “Prime Minister Oli has told us that he needed a week’s time to study the demand and come up with an official position,” a member of the RJPN presidium Rajkishor Yadav said.

RJPN leaders met the prime minister after the government failed to honor a previous understanding to meet the key demands of the Madhes-based parties immediately after the end of the Chhath festival in November. The RJPN leaders had drawn the attention of the government to their demands and the government’s promise and also threatening to withdraw their support to the government.

The RJPN has demanded that the government amend the constitution to grant citizenship based on the descent to foreign women marrying Nepali nationals. Currently, such women are granted naturalized citizenship.  The party has also demanded the removal of the clause in the law that bars foreign women marrying Nepali men from holding top constitutional positions. 

Similarly, the RJPN has demanded that all major native languages be recognized as an official language in the provinces concerned, amend the existing provision to elect eight members each from provinces to National Assembly and ensure the election of these members proportionate to the size of the population.

Among other things, the RJPN has also demanded an amendment to the constitutional provisions so that delineation of provinces could be changed in consultation with the neighboring provinces. “We also want an inclusive judiciary and formation of a permanent Federal Delineation Commission,” said RJPN General Secretary Keshav Jha. 

According to RJPN coordinator Rajendra Mahato, Prime Minister Oli during the meeting held at Baluwatar told them that the government is serious about the demand for constitution amendment. Talking to media persons after the meeting, Mahato said they asked the government to make necessary arrangement to administer the oath of office to Resham Chaudhary, the alleged mastermind of the August 2015 Kailali massacre who was later elected to the House of Representatives on RJPN ticket. He is currently in jail.

The RJPN leaders had also asked Prime Minister Oli to withdraw court cases against several RJPN leaders brought during the Madhesh movement.

 
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