Pokhara, January 15

CPN Maoist (Revolutionary) central secretariat member Dev Gurung has rued the failure of the new constitution to address the concerns of the Madhesis and indigenous communities.

Speaking to journalists here today, Gurung stressed the need to address the concerns of the indigenous and minority communities, dwelling on the lapses in the new constitution related to enshrining the concerns and rights of the lot.

“It was expected that the new statute would address the concerns of the Madhesis and the indigenous communities, but it did nothing of the kind.

Instead, the charter has denied those rights and

provisions granted by the erstwhile interim constitution,” he said, adding, “The statute, therefore, isn’t acceptable.

Further, he also suggested drafting another constitution as an option to address the grudges of the Madhesis and indigenous communities over the charter.

Describingmonarchy as well as parliamentary parties as failures, the Maoist leader called all the revolutionary parties to unite to save the country.

“At a time when there is a risk to national sovereignty, there is need of leadership of revolutionary forces,” he argued, pointing out the threat posed by the protracted crisis to the country’s existence.

He also questioned the rationale behind the major parties reluctance to declare the Tharu-populated area a separate province after the fashion of Province No. 2, carved by including the territories of the plains from Saptari to Parsa.