Businessmen urge parties to raise economic issues in
CA

Business community has appealed to the political parties to adequately raise economic issues at the Constituent Assembly (CA).

National Business Initiative (NBI) had held an interaction, Friday, to push economic agenda at the center-stage of debates.

The NBI also put forth 10-point paper soliciting support from wide spectrum of political parties.

The paper includes expression of commitment against bandhs and strikes, creation of industrial peace and appeal for political parties to enter into partnership with business community, among others.

The paper urges parties to express commitment not to call any bandh or strike for at least six months.

Speaking at the programme, Padma Jyoti, president of NBI, said business community favoured peaceful political transition through the CA.

Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai said his party wanted to push self-reliant economy. "In order to protect the small economy, we need to control open border with India, which has a big economy," he said.

Peace and Reconstruction Minister Ram Chandra Poudel accused Maoists of destroying the economic base of the country through their violence. "People were killed and infrastructures destroyed in the name of people's war. What did the Maoists get? Only development was stalled," he said. nepalnews.com sd Mar 08 08