Kathmandu, August 29

Constituent Assembly members today stressed the need to promulgate the new constitution by addressing the demands of the ongoing movements while maintaining social harmony.

Addressing the CA on the fourth consecutive day today, Nepali Congress CA member Mahesh Acharya said the constitution drafting process was important as it revealed the uselessness of the politics of violence. He said the new constitution would incorporate the issues of disadvantaged and indigenous groups, including the identity issue.

Minister of Forest and Soil Conservation Acharya said the constitution was not an end of the negotiations, but the beginning. He added that the state still had 10 days to address the agitators’ demands.

He said the new statute should incorporate the issues raised by Muslims, Tharus, and other indigenous nationalities.

CPN-UML Vice-Chairperson and CA member Bidhya Bhandari thanked the CA for leading the constitution drafting process to the final stage. “There are many interest groups and political ideologies in society. While not all their wishes can be met. A sudden drastic change is also not possible,” she said. She also warned that some elements were conspiring to derail the constitution drafting process. The CA and the leadership should shoulder the historic responsibility despite the challenges, she said.

Unified CPN-Maoist CA member Krishna Bahadur Mahara said the Kailali incident was unfortunate, however, the demands of Madhesis should be addressed politically instead of using force.

Even the final draft had failed to address the issues of various ethnic groups and minorities, however, the UCPN-M was still ready to draft the constitution out of compulsion by registering differing views and disagreements, said Mahara. He maintained that the 12-point agreement should be respected as it addressed the people’s wishes since 65 years.

Mahara said the issues of various disadvantaged groups should be incorporated in the constitution as it would strengthen national unity.

CA members Dilshova Pun Khadka, Bahadur Singh Lama, Sheshnath Adhikari, Mohan Prasad Baral, Jamindra Man Ghale, Bhesh Kumari Raut Bhattarai, Sita Gurung, among others, urged that the protesters’ demand should be addressed and said a separate constitutional commission for indigenous people should be formed.