KATHMANDU, Nov 20: The United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) has come up with a new proposal on key state positions to naturalized citizens.
The new view from the UDMF comes at a time when people from the various quarters have demanded that the constitution shouldn’t be amended so as to allow naturalized citizens to hold key state positions. In the new proposal, the UDMF has demanded to amend the constitution so as to allow the naturalized citizens to hold other positions except President and Prime Minister.
An informal meeting of UDMF held few days back had decided to ask the government to fulfill their demands on naturalized citizens and exhibit flexibility only on two posts.
The government is preparing to file the constitution amendment proposal barring naturalized citizens to become President, Prime Minister, Chief Justice and Speaker.
Privy sources told Republica Online, the meeting also decided to take a strong stance on demarcation of provinces and citizenship. The meeting agreed to press the government to provide equal rights to those who acquire naturalized citizenship through marriage and citizens by descent and allow naturalized citizens to hold key state positions.
“Let the government register the amendment proposal at first. We will then make public our official opinion on the issues,” said a UDMF leader who refused to be named, “We haven’t received the amendment proposal that the government is preparing to file.”
Meanwhile, UDMF has said that hilly districts shouldn’t be separated from the districts in the plains. The UDMF has expressed disagreement over the proposal of separating the hilly districts from Province no 5 and has demanded to include Kailali and Kanchanpur in the province.
As per the decision, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari districts and parts of Udayapur, Sindhuli, Makwanpur and Chitwan should be merged to Province no 2.
No top posts for naturalized citizens: Gachchhadar
