Maoist expresses objection over citizenship bill
One of the senior leaders of the Maoists have expressed strong objection against the recently-passed citizenship bill, saying it was passed without seeking consent of the Maoists.
Speaking at an interaction in the capital on Tuesday, central committee member and one of the members of the Maoist talks team, Dev Gurung said, “We have a strong reservation on the citizenship bill. There is no question that the problem of citizenship should be solved. But we are very unhappy with the process through which it was passed.”
“The bill was passed in haste at a time when the whole country is putting pressure to dump the old constitution and have an Interim Constitution,” he said, adding, “The bill was passed taking advantage of a fluid political situation.”
This is the first reaction against the bill from the Maoist side since the bill was passed. According to sources, Maoists are in favour of passing the citizenship bill from the interim legislature to be formed shortly.
Earlier, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula has said that there was consensus from Maoist side as well in the bill. Sitaula also claimed that it was the first bill passed with the consensus of the Maoists.
Leader of People's Front Nepal Lilamani Pokhrel has said that by passing the citizenship bill, some elements in politics are trying to delay the process of the election to the constituent assembly.
He raised question over the government’s plan to spend “excessively” in the name of helping the People’s Liberation Army.
Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supply, Hridayesh Tripathi, said the bill was passed as per the agreement made among the eight parties and in the spirit of the declaration of the House of Representatives.
Major political parties including the Maoists have been demanding to resolve the citizenship issue before the election of the constituent assembly. nepalnews.com pb Nov 29 06
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