Nepalgunj, November 28
Mahantha Thakur, president of Tarai-Madhesh Democratic Party, said on Monday constitutional positions for naturalised citizens was a government propaganda.
Thakur said this while speaking at a press conference that Awadhi Journalists’ Association had organised in Nepalgunj.
He pointed: This (constitutional positions for naturalised citizens) is not a demand of the Madheshi peoples. The first Constituent Assembly had reached an understanding on the issue of citizenship. We are demanding its implementation.
He lamented that the Prachanda government had not made the draft of Constitution amendment available to the Madheshi Morcha.
Thakur added: I just phoned the party office. They said the government has not yet sent a copy of the draft.
Thakur said he will not comment without looking at the amendment proposal. He maintained: The deadline for registering a Constitution Amendment Bill in the Parliament is expiring today. I don’t know what the government is doing.
Commenting on the CPN-UML, Thakur said that party always makes harsh remarks against Madheshi peoples and Madhesh. The UML can pose obstacles to the amendment process but cannot block it altogether, Thakur claimed.
The senior politician said Madheshi Morcha will revolt if the government comes up with a proposal that does not address Morcha’s demands. He said: We have clearly articulated our demands to the government. It will be unacceptable if the government comes up with a Constitution amendment proposal in one hand and gun in the other. We will resist the government fiercely.
Thakur said they will not let elections take place without Constitution amendment, no matter what. “Madheshi Morcha will not take part in Constitution amendment if the government moves ahead without reaching an understanding with us. We will neither participate in elections nor will we let the elections take place.
